Martial Prowess (progress concept)

So I thought I'd mock-up what I consider an interesting concept used before in other games & in FFXIV's PVP system - this is Martial Prowess; and I envision that it would work in such a manner that once you have capped your physical level you could accrue points via completion duties, trials, leves, and FATE (AKA playing) to further adjust or Job abilities and traits.

I do not know how, or even if Square Enix would consider implementing a system like this - their stance on simplicity of concept and ease of access has been very clear.

I do not know if people want this - I don't presume to speak for anyone but myself.

http://i.imgur.com/CJqR22M.jpg

Image link

A system like this already exists in the game for PVP Skills and Traits - upgrading as you rank up: PVP System

It's been done in games like WoW with Talent trees and FFXI Merit points; Merits Talents

I know a lot of people will say "illusion of choice" but I feel like FFXIV offers enough variables in content, player composition, and player skill that a system like this might be interesting; there very well may be a "best" combination of upgrade choices but this might not be practical for all groups/players/situations. I enjoy FFXIV very much and I understand the Devs. are trying to keep the game simple with very little variance in their vertical gear progression and accessible gameplay - but the game might be more interesting with some depth to endgame character growth.

Do you have ur (xxx skill) maxed ? No ? *get kicked from the party*

Sooo. What would be the point of this exactly?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dhex

this is Marital Prowess;
Marital Prowess;
...
Marital Prowess

---

Errm... let's leave the newlyweds to do what newlyweds do. They'd need to change the rating if they added that sort of concept.

On another note, a having something to enhance our skills a bit after 60 would be nice, though somehow unlikely.

I would love something like this, but it is not going to happen.
People are afraid of being pushed into grinding and being kicked from parties for not having something maxed out.. all the time.
I believe that would be case only for raid statics which is fine in my opinion, they always do minmaxing.

I'm all for it. And if assh... people want to kick me because my build is suboptimal, then good. Better that than helping that kind of players get their clear.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lemuria

Errm... let's leave the newlyweds to do what newlyweds do. They'd need to change the rating if they added that sort of concept.

On another note, a having something to enhance our skills a bit after 60 would be nice, though somehow unlikely.

---

Oops I'll fix it.

Idea being - to respond to everyone's fears is this; the balance of skills based on different party compositions and content requirements would make any spec useful. Additionally being able to respec. semi-freely would be possible - ideally Square would balance the upgraded skills in such a way that depending on the variables present there would never be a best setup that is applicable to all content and thus would somewhat prevent exclusion by community.

Then again I've never had anyone look at my stat window and backward extrapolate my Bonus attribute allotment and bug me about it.

Obviously the developers cannot predict or control the reactions of their community - but they can do their best to balance the tools they give us.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Arkann

I'm all for it. And if assh... people want to kick me because my build is suboptimal, then good. Better that than helping that kind of players get their clear.

---

From what I've found, most of the time the people who require all these crazy standards for various parties suck horribly and are looking to be carried. There are plenty of groups out there who don't care what you're using unless you're competent and at least have some experience with the fight (Farm parties excluded, of course).

I would love this. EverQuest did this with Alternate Advancement, and I loved that system. You could become really powerful maxing out that enormous tree of passives and abilities.

I love this idea.

As it stands, many players already do something similar by creating multiple gear sets for a single role. I've seen tanks create both DPS and Vitality gear sets to suit their every need, and as White Mage I created a Spell Speed gear set and was working on a Mind gear set by mixing what we already had available. I think a large number of players already want this.

There will always be people who boot you because you don't do something based on their own preference. That will never stop. I don't think it should be a huge factor here, either, especially since higher level gear could just as easily compensate for not having higher unique stats.

But I'm curious, how would SE limit it? Would they reintroduce the loss of points after death, or just cap it the same way they cap all your stats until a new patch?

A interesting concept that would allow players to choose how they want their Jobs to handle their roles but like others said at some point being different may no longer be accepted within the community as this type of system gets older and newer content are released.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EdwinLi

A interesting concept that would allow players to choose how they want their Jobs to handle their roles but like others said at some point being different may no longer be accepted within the community as this type of system gets older and newer content are released.

---

I feel like people don't think about the community acceptance aspect enough; in my opinion this isn't really valid point if you can identify the true issues with the current system and the thought process that it engenders in the community - as of right now there is a very rigid "right" and "wrong" way to play by design. If you decide to use only Ice spells on Black Mage it's very apparent that you're doing the wrong thing. If you apply your bonus into stats that don't augment your primary functions - it is again - very apparent that you're doing the wrong thing. There is no room for variation in skill sets as there is none - every player has the same skills/abilities - so it's simply a matter of making keystrokes in the proper sequence to perform properly (hur dur we get how rotations work Dhex). What I am driving at is this; the current meta (at endgame) revolves exclusively around efficiency and maximizing damage once you meet the requirements of a given piece of content.

To change players method of thought you must first change the exclusive focus of endgame from rotation perfection, and efficient gear choice to something more. Materia application is currently limited to crafted gear because it would easily offset the meta to the point that it also would become a "required" to have proper melds - just as is required to progress crafting beyond a certain point. So what needs to happen is an overall shift in meta focus off of damage and gear efficiency - the sort of system I am attempting to articulate is, in part, an effort to shift the meta - this has the additional benefit of expanding and augmenting endgame and Job depth beyond the current rigid and limited linear vertical growth that equipment currently provides players.

We need more flexibility and depth throughout the breadth of the game - not just in a single area. Devs. actively avoid the difficulties that come with diversified options, expanded character growth, and potential imbalances by making the game mono-faceted and simplistic.

People already complain that leveling, doing the story and gearing up are chores... And you want more grinding before being raid ready? I don't think it would work, sorry. What I do think would work is a wotlk-style talent system, where you get all the points needed by hitting max level and can choose between stat increases, procs and new abilities. Our current attribute point system could do with some spicing up.

Edit. I would also like the materia system expanded in some way. Perhaps a new kind of materia or some other enchantment.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dhex

If you decide to use only Ice spells on Black Mage it's very apparent that you're doing the wrong thing. If you apply your bonus into stats that don't augment your primary functions - it is again - very apparent that you're doing the wrong thing.

---

The rotation part is true, but mostly for DPS classes. Tanks and healers all have their own ways of doing their jobs. There are some aspects of it that you can't get away from (such as using Flash when pulling mobs or using AoE heals and utilizing procs), but my party's rotations were a bit different from the norm, and we always functioned just fine with that in FCoB, no-tank runs in dungeons, etc. It took a little trial and error, but we got there. But I do agree that the current design is perhaps too rigid.

What if the aspected points functioned like your Relic Weapon rather than being linked directly to your character? Perhaps it could be attributed to certain gear pieces that were interchangeable, and said gear could already be acceptable for raids on that level without the changes. That would keep the grind optional.

The current materia system would work just fine if the maximum stats on gear pieces weren't capped.