Iai Shoten and Other SAM/RDM Skill Related Questions (Slight 3.5/55/56 Spoilers)

Devs: In 3.56, discerning eyes have noticed Gosetsu using one of the coming SAM skills, "Iai Shoten", which appears to be a conal aoe with a 2.5 sec cast time. There are concerns among players that SAM may perhaps have more than one casted skill, and while having a casted skill itself isn't necessarily a problem, I ask if the standard 2.5 sec cast might be a bit long for a melee job, or if perhaps the damage the skill is capable of justifies the cast time?

Similarly, if one were to use Illberd as a possible archetype for RDM, he exhibits short burst positional skills during the final battle at Baelsar's Wall. Will these be skills available to a RDM, or will their movement be target based (i.e. gap closers/knockbacks/retreat skills)? Due to the hybrid style, might RDM have 1.5 sec cast times of BRD and MCH for certain skills?

The blending of cast time skills on a melee and melee range skills on a caster presents a very interesting opportunity for unique gameplay, but many players who prefer one style over the other likely have concerns of the issues or adjustments necessary to perform these new jobs well. Naturally, new jobs will require learning, but can you give us a little information as to what to look forward to?

Keep in mind that various NPCs and enemies have had "cast bar" versions of abilities that are instant when we use them (Spirits Without, Iron Tempest, etc.), so this could potentially just be another instance of that.

That said, yeah, I'm as interested as anybody to hear actual specifics about the new jobs, but I'm resigned to having to wait a little longer. :(

I wouldn't really use Ilberd as any kind of standard for Red Mages. From the naming of the abilities to their uses, he seems more a Blue Mage type, honestly. Given how in past games Raubahn was a Blue Mage as well, I wouldn't be surprised if it was linked to Ala Mhigo when/if it is ever added.

Ah, I see. My knowledge of Blue Mage is almost non existant since I never played XI or any of the titles with BLU (well, X-2's Gun Mage, but does that really count?). I was simply using him as an example of a magic wielding swordsman.

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Originally Posted by ThirdChild_ZKI

Ah, I see. My knowledge of Blue Mage is almost non existant since I never played XI or any of the titles with BLU (well, X-2's Gun Mage, but does that really count?). I was simply using him as an example of a magic wielding swordsman.

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Quina Quen, best BLU ever.

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Originally Posted by dragonseth07

Quina Quen, best BLU ever.

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I would kill for Quina to be a playable character in FFXIV, you know, just for a solo storyline so it doesn't get weird. XD

Well if it's as people say SAM is most likely cast-slash-slash or slash-slash-cast, meaning that the charge up is either the start of a combo or the end of a combo. Funny enough saying it like that makes me feel like SAM and RDM will almost play the same in the sense they have a no cast combo and then casting combos, but RDM might be more flexible in when they focus on the casting where SAM has a consistent casting ability with each opener or closer.

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Originally Posted by Airget

Well if it's as people say SAM is most likely cast-slash-slash or slash-slash-cast, meaning that the charge up is either the start of a combo or the end of a combo. Funny enough saying it like that makes me feel like SAM and RDM will almost play the same in the sense they have a no cast combo and then casting combos, but RDM might be more flexible in when they focus on the casting where SAM has a consistent casting ability with each opener or closer.

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dang wouldnt that be something? New gameplay but copied it and...spun it around like...last time 0.0

As NPCs, it is also possible that they are skills unique to them, so you can't judge entirely by what they use.

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Originally Posted by ThirdChild_ZKI

The blending of cast time skills on a melee and melee range skills on a caster presents a very interesting opportunity for unique gameplay, but many players who prefer one style over the other likely have concerns of the issues or adjustments necessary to perform these new jobs well.

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No job will ever be fun to 100% of the player base. I have great hopes for RDM, and as long as its outgoing numbers are comparable to other DDs, I hope that people won't call for radical adjustments just so it aligns more with their own playstyles, regardless of which side of the proverbial aisle between melee players and ranged players they're on -- instead, practice and get better, or move on to something else.

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Originally Posted by Airget

Well if it's as people say SAM is most likely cast-slash-slash or slash-slash-cast, meaning that the charge up is either the start of a combo or the end of a combo. Funny enough saying it like that makes me feel like SAM and RDM will almost play the same in the sense they have a no cast combo and then casting combos, but RDM might be more flexible in when they focus on the casting where SAM has a consistent casting ability with each opener or closer.

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After seeing the first animations video and Gosetsu in action, we've effectively only seen the basic 1-2-3 combo and the cast time Iai skill. I wouldn't say Iai Shoten is a combo ender, but it may be something like a skill you build "stacks" for, then gain access to that or other skills that would be a damaging skill, but with a cast time. This is only speculation, of course.

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Originally Posted by ThirdChild_ZKI

Ah, I see. My knowledge of Blue Mage is almost non existant since I never played XI or any of the titles with BLU (well, X-2's Gun Mage, but does that really count?). I was simply using him as an example of a magic wielding swordsman.

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In short Blue Mage is a Job that "Steals" the abilites of monsters and make them their own abilities.

Sadly FF14 will most likely not be like this but just have Blue mage obtain "Monster" skills through Job Quests with fun little instance involving the BLU fighting the monster with that skill to steal that monster's ability.

Oh sorry, I know what a Blue Mage is and how it works, but I haven't played an FF title with an actual BLU. So it's the individual skills/spells outside of their signature ability that I'm unfamiliar with.

They don't have much outside of their signature ability. Most of the game their entire ability list focus on being Blue Magic that is stolen from enemies which is kind of a issue introducing this Job into FF14 since 99% of their abilities must be obtained from a Monster in the FF games.