Diadem - Suggestions

The concept I had of Diadem was a FFXI Dynamis type of zone. An instance where an alliance must work together to complete objectives and fight mobs to REACH or UNLOCK a boss and kill him. It has potential but needs some serious changes.

This is my opinion and what I thought Diadem was going to be before launch. If you don't like it... too bad, so sad.

First off some overall changes to the modes.
Normal Mode Proposed Changes: i210 gear only drops from mega-boss. Mobs have the same difficulty and HP as Void Ark and is to introduce them to the mechanics of Diadem for hard mode. Can not pop additional 2 star mobs.
Hard Mode Proposed Changes: Drops i210 gear from 1 star and 2 star mobs. Can pop additional 2 star mobs.

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Now this is where I'll go into what I thought the mechanics of the instance would have been. The below is what I thought Hard Mode was going to be like and what I think should change to make it like what I thought.

Overall Changes for Hard Mode for below suggestions:
-Lower HP of mobs.
-Do not have mobs respawn.
-Fresh Tracks for 1 Star mobs appear only when that island's 5 star mob is killed. (Gold Chest)
-Add a 2 star mob and have it only appear once 3x 1 star mobs are killed from the islands. You can pop additional 2 stars by killing another 3x 1 star mobs(Think mega-boss of Diadem. Platinum Chest)
-Platinum chests drop guaranteed 3 i210 pieces.
-Gathering nodes only appear upon clearing an entire island NOT including the star mob.
-Gathering nodes do not respawn.
-Tokens can be used to buy pop items which can be used to spawn additional 2 star mobs for gear after you defeat the instance's 2 star mob.

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Flying:
Currently: Sac pull to have someone unlock flying and then they aggro mobs while everyone else unlocks. Completely bypassing the need to fight mobs to unlock flying.

Suggestion: Party must clear the first island they jump on which is populated by rank 3/4 mobs. Clearing the entire island will spawn a Rank 5 mob to unlock an aether current which will unlock flying. Killing this Rank 5 mob will have Fresh Tracks appear to later spawn a Star Rank mob for that island. The Fresh Tracks does not despawn and can be clicked later when the alliance is gathered.

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Gathering:
Currently: Anyone can switch to gathering at any time (usually after flying is unlocked) and not participate but can loot on everything and anything.

Suggestion: Since gathering nodes can only spawn once the Rank 5 mob is killed on the island, it requires members to fight. This will eliminate the need to setup a gathering party. Also setting up nodes so they don't respawn will limit the amount of items that can be gathered, decreasing supply. New mats are currently cheap even for HQ because the market is flooded. Need/greed is locked on the job you were on when the mob died. Thus switching to gathering won't preclude you from gear.

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Star Mobs:
Currently: Point system based on tier mobs? Gives varying ominous messages until Fresh Tracks appear which can be used to spawn a 1 star mob.

Suggestion: Since 1 Star mobs are only from clearing islands in full and are guaranteed from Fresh Tracks they drop a Gold chest which has the same loot as it currently does. 1 guaranteed i210. Killing all 1 Star Mobs on all outer ring islands unlocks the 2 star mob on the mega boss island. (Blood-Stained Tracks?). The 2 star mob will require some amount of skill to defeat and will require coordination. 2 Star mobs will drop a Platinum chest which drops multiple i210 gear. Clearing all the islands spawn a "Destination Point" that players can use pop items (bought with tokens. Let's say 99 spoil tokens) to spawn an additional 2 star mob. Killing the Mega-Boss will also spawn gathering nodes for ultra rare items

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How I believe Diadem should play out with an efficient party that knows what to do: (Total instance time increased to 2 hours. 2 hour lock out starting from entry)
-Individual parties will be able to clear their initial island with ease, unlocking flight after fighting a beefy rank 5 Mob (10 minutes).
-They unlock flying and join the alliance at some point and start clearing the 3x 1 star mobs (Fresh tracks) (30 minutes).
-Kill mega-boss (15 Minutes).
-Clear more islands as an alliance for other 1 Star mobs: (30 Minutes)
-Pop additional 2 star mobs (15 minutes). (Non-gatherers can leave but locked out for 2 hours from entry)
-Gather until the instance is over or leave. (20 Minutes)

-Efficient alliances can also set one group to clear islands while the other group kills 1 star. 1 Chest for each party.

Feel free to comment. Sorry for the break 1k limit and sry for the wall'o'text.

@nyczducky - You can bypass the post limit by editing your original post :) annoying, but it is what it is..

As for the questions asked: (I also posted this in Yoshida's thread)

In regards to parties with gatherer's, I wonder if adding a buff for having a gatherer in the party could work? Say, if a party has a gatherer they receive a 5% damage boost or the HP requirement is lower or gold chest % is higher. It would only apply for having 1 gatherer, not the more you have the more the buff.

Maybe even add a hidden item on the gathering nodes that gives a buff for x amount of time. So I could be gathering and hit/catch a 5% damage boost for the party for 10 minutes.. just throwing some thoughts out there..

Potentially this could help reduce rage as PF would save a spot for a gatherer. Everyone wins

May even reduce complaints of gatherers rolling on loot, as they are providing something positive to the party that they would not otherwise have..?

I actually like the overall suggestion though it focuses almost purely on combat and going with the lock out gatherers from stuff. I do love Viuiji's suggestion of finding/giving buffs if one person goes to gather. And they should be allowed to roll. As for nin-looting your rolls are locked on the last combat job you had when you go gather currently so an easy solution to nin-looning would be to lock on the job once the chest is opened(of course talking need here).

And yes I hate the 90 mindless button mashing simulator that this has currently become.

Not agree... The combat must be optional at all. Not everyone enters diadem for fighting and get items Ilvl210. Its just required as some optional goals. Gathering and exploring is some of the big challenges there and also is fun.
The are lots of unique items there that are needed in newest crafting stuff.

@Zorlinta. There is no "exploration" in Diadem. The map doesn't change. The gathering points spawn all across the map and are in no way difficult to find. Yes you get one shot by mobs but if you fly around you will always find a node that is safe to gather from without risk of aggro. Fishing points are static. Have you seen the market board? New 1 star items are less than 100 gil for BTN and MIN? Fishing items are more expensive at 10k which is fine.

Gathering is way too easy in Diadem which made the market board prices so cheap.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nyczducky

Gathering is way too easy in Diadem which made the market board prices so cheap.

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Yet still not everyone have access to it. And lower prices on materials helps to get more final products reach to players in more affordable price.

BTW i would suggest that all chest that spawn over gatherers should have more content like maps or spawn more often, but also give the choices to loot for all party members in same way than drops.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zorlinta

Yet still not everyone have access to it. And lower prices on materials helps to get more final products reach to players in more affordable price.

BTW i would suggest that all chest that spawn over gatherers should have more content like maps or spawn more often, but also give the choices to loot for all party members in same way than drops.

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I agree with the chests. Would give some added benefit for gatherers in Diadem for the rest of the group.

As for not everyone having access to it. Considering you can start gathering in there at 57 or 58 (cant remember what) not having gathering leveled would be the only restriction as to why you can't gather in diadem. Beside the stigma of going gatherer when everyone is farming.