Live Letter Predictions!!!

Okay everyone! On the 23rd we shall know the fate of our awesome battle system! (And the class changes too I think?) So! What do you all predict will happen? What will be announced!?

Hopefully something about a change to the housing system or at least acknowledgement that it's broken / people are abusing the system with bots.

More infos about shadowbringers will happen ;)

On a serious note: Job actions, maybe more pics from the first. Battle system changes... Its gonna be a long one iirc.

* New housing system announced.
* New crafting system announced to help compliment the Ishgard rebuilding content.
* Some hairstyles are race unlocked
* Materia Tier 7
* Benchmark release date
* Balancing healers
* Viera’s have a butt slider lol

As a bard, praying we don't get any major changes because the job is nearly perfect
Also looking forward to seeing what they do for machinist/dark knight

We're likely going to get a breakdown about how the healer balance is going to be handled going forward. Given their hints about wanting to smash apart the classes to fix the inherent problems, it'll be interesting to see what they come up with. I just hope they don't fall into the past pitfalls they've been tripping into since the introduction of AST, where they overcorrect a perceived problem and in turn don't address the /actual/ balance issues.

I'm hoping tenacity will get some changes

White Mages get an instant DPS spell "Dia". Protect becomes exclusive to them and is more active. Gets "Bravery/Valor" as a physical damage buff and "Faith" as a magic damage buff. Just more utility in general for WHM.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CraftOs

*
* Balancing healers

---

If only... They failed to do it since HW :/ Let's just hope that this time they will put the time and ressource needed for that, even if it mean to redo one of the job from scratch... Like adding more diversity to the role, not all shields or all heal only... The "no healer" on 5.x already pissed me as main healer, I have big hope and big expectation for the balancing, since they said (again) that they will do it...

Or they'll just break up everything...

Tenacity rework.

Job reworks.

The highlight will of course be PLD/DRK changes but mostly the healer balancing.

I'm also thinking SAM will get some party buffs.

Official response on gender lock (yes or no).
Balance of healers
Whm talked about deeply
DNC and GNB talked about deeply
Some male hrotgar and female Viera customization shown

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zeylos

Official response on gender lock (yes or no).
Balance of healers
Whm talked about deeply
DNC and GNB talked about deeply
Some male hrotgar and female Viera customization shown

---

We do have our official response concerning Gender Lock already. See the Live Letter in written form posted here

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RicaRuin

We do have our official response concerning Gender Lock already. See the Live Letter in written form posted here

---

I did already read it but to me that's far from a response. It's kinda the same from JP fanfest but with different wording. I'm talking about a: Yes, sometime you will get them, or: no, we currently aren't willing to make the missing genders.

-DRK and WHM changes
-Healer rebalance
-Preview of GUN and DNC abilities

-DRK and WHM changes
-Healer rebalance
-Preview of GUN and DNC abilities

I doubt we will be getting a straight yes or no one the other genders.

I believe we will do one huge recap of everything we know about from the fan fests. Hopefully the job changes and balances. More info on NG+ and how that will work. Some trust footage and more info on that. Really I'm hoping for just more flipping info on the things we barely have any info on currently. I hope with the jobs they also don't make it where it's more aimed at lv 80 play and thus making some jobs painful to play at lower levels when you're helping lower level friends or for the billionth time you get copperbell via leveling roulette. Or if not painful just not feel correct. Also maybe them addressing the slog that is the ARR storyline and how those dungeons and even now the HW work since we know jobs aren'te going to work or have skills they had at those level ranges.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zeylos

I did already read it but to me that's far from a response. It's kinda the same from JP fanfest but with different wording. I'm talking about a: Yes, sometime you will get them, or: no, we currently aren't willing to make the missing genders.

---

Take it as ambiguous if you want, but even if that's the case it sounds like a "long term" sort of ambiguous - they might be able to do it eventually, but they certainly can't do it now.

It sounds to me like they want to do it, but will let us know if and when they actually can. Until then, expect silence. They've given a detailed explanation of their current position on the matter.

If you're expecting a further response (and keep expecting it "next time" if they didn't say something this time) you're probably going to be repeatedly disappointed.

I'm hoping for exactly the same thing as Letter XXXVI - several hours of job previews going into all the juicy nitty-gritty of how stuff works. Hopefully this is where all the outstanding battle system questions are addressed and we get enough explicit information to nerd over and theorycraft for the next month.

The things I'm personally most interested in are GUN and DNC gameplay overviews and details on the MCH rework. I'd also like to know their exact plan @ healer adjustments. I'm curious whether they're actually willing to do away with the shield/regen specialisation that restricts healer design or if we'll continue to operate within the awkward status quo.

One way or another, I'm trying not to commit to any expectations. Rather, I'm looking forward to seeing what they have in mind.

But most importantly, we should see all of the new AF sets there.

I'm guessing it'll mostly be about the upcoming battle system changes, so there is probably going to be some new information as to what they're doing to healers and DRK. Beyond that I have no idea, but that's what I'm expecting.

What’s almost a sure bet: a deeper dive into ShB Dark Knight and Machinist. Dark Knight is the coming poster job and they mentioned a rework in 4.3’s live letter. Machinist has been profoundly disliked all expansion and they’ve mentioned they’re taking feedback for it multiple times. We’ll also be told what changes to TP/MP will mean and changes to Role Skills. My bet is on all TP skills being free since it basically just serves to make DoW even weaker than the casters on that front than they already are. Also obviously: the action showcase.

What’s possible but not quite as sure: White Mage and Monk deep dives. Both jobs have been heavily criticized for their Stormblood iterations and the devs have said that they’ve taken plenty of feedback on both, I don’t think they’re as sure as Machinist or Dark Knight because they’re lower profile. Likely a bigger look at Viera and Hrothgar. We may see the benchmark finally drop, but it could also just be a date for when they release it.

Which gear dancer will use

Oh wow that is this week!! I at the very least expect them to fully explain how trusts will work, healer balancing, TP/MP merger and for them to give us information on Job reworks.

What I would like to see: 4th healer reveal! Y'know, the whole balancing healers was just one big JK. I can only dream, right?

01) What will happen to Eureka
02) Inventory Space Upgrade
03) Addressing housing issues or improvements made to the housing system?
04) Test play on the new jobs
05) Addressing Garo PVP event which will end in patch 5.1
06) Showcasing more on the races
07) New zone introduction

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RukiaFae

Which gear dancer will use

---

Probably Aiming for at least 60-70 and then 71+ still aiming unless they want to go the ninja route and give it it's own stuff except for the few times it'll also share Aiming accessories.

Why so many hope for a Tenacity rework? Do you not understand why defensive stats are all dead or something?

Yoshida makes an innocuous announcement and the forums riot.

Only guaranteed prediction here.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by van_arn

Yoshida makes an innocuous announcement and the forums riot.

Only guaranteed prediction here.

---

To be completely fair, if he were to give everyone $100 people would still complain that it wasn't $101.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SannaR

Probably Aiming for at least 60-70 and then 71+ still aiming unless they want to go the ninja route and give it it's own stuff except for the few times it'll also share Aiming accessories.

---

I've seen arguments for it sharing with ninja to giver ninja a gear share slot. Also seen people talk about ninja sharing gear with aiming in general. IT most likely will be aiming but it be nice to see if share with ninja...also cause ninjas gear tends to dye better

There are a few reasons why sharing Scouting gear with ninja would make sense.

It would spread gear more fairly, with two classes competing for each type instead of three for Aiming and one for Scouting.

Dancer's weaponry (chakrams and throwing-knives) would do slashing damage like ninja, not piercing like bard/machinist.

And visually, Scouting has more gear suited to dancer glamours, at least in my opinion.

Showing changes for Jobs who got reworks
Job Balance
Showing new races part 3
Benchmark
Showing Expansion
And finally merchandises

I loved all of these! I’m surprised only one person mentioned the Trust System. Anyway, thanks for commenting everyone!

Whatever happens, healers are going to be furious for a few days. One way or another.

SE is either going to completely redesign all of them, pissing them all off. Redesign a few of them, making the outlier pissed. Or not change much making all of them say, "WHAT WAS THE D#$& POINT?!

Regardless of any of the above the White Knights will come out defending even the dumbest of ideas.

"Wait until it's released, it might change!" (it won't)

"Wait until you're level capped, then you'll REALLY know how it plays!" (playability can be determined instantly)

"Wait until the first raid, then you know how good or bad they really are!"

At that point, despite constant feedback, SE will finally change something that was obvious from the start.

"Look how responsive they are! Thank you so much SE!"

This has pretty much happened the last two expansions and I have very little faith it will change for this one.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Iscah

There are a few reasons why sharing Scouting gear with ninja would make sense.

It would spread gear more fairly, with two classes competing for each type instead of three for Aiming and one for Scouting.

Dancer's weaponry (chakrams and throwing-knives) would do slashing damage like ninja, not piercing like bard/machinist.

And visually, Scouting has more gear suited to dancer glamours, at least in my opinion.

---

My thoughts as well. Ninja needs another job to share gear with and Dancer fits that bill well (dancing requires Dexterity).

The two things I'd love from this Live Letter are:
1-The release of the new Benchmark (which could be released the same day?).
2-The kind of video they display in every expansion about the upcoming glamours; I love those!

I don't care that much about the battle system, truth be told.

mostly lies and slight-of-hand styled video clips and pics my guess

Hoping for them give healers some type of bonus for them not adding a new healer class. I can see there being very big shortage of healers from them leveling the two new jobs.

-Battle System
-Benchmark hopefully
-New race cosmetics
-Giving White Mage a knife
-Hopefully fixing the housing system and finally letting us get some instance housing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deceptus

My thoughts as well. Ninja needs another job to share gear with and Dancer fits that bill well (dancing requires Dexterity).

---

I think he was asked about it at the Tokyo Q&A, and he said that it will use DEX, but beyond that it would take longer to answer. I'm hoping that means they'll consolidate Scouting and Aiming.

I predict;

1. Nothing will change in housing
2. There will not be male viera or female hrothgar
3. There will be a change to WHM everyone thinks is a bad idea, but people will still play it more than the other healers
4. WAR will get a nerf that makes it seem unplayable but it will still end up being seen as the MT.
5. PLD will get a buff that makes it seem like finally it is the go-to tank, but it will still lag behind the others but also become the go-to OT because DRK and GUN will have crazy complex click-spam rotations that just annoy too many players.
6. RDM and SAM will get the nerf-bat like a 3am mugging in a backalley.
7. Dancer will be silly overpowered, but also have a rotation that combines the worst of buff management from BRD and ammo from MCH.
8. Dancer will have it's own unique gear, just like almost all of the other melee classes. GUN will use the same gear as all the other tanks.
9. Tank DPS / Enmity will get tweaked again such that no one will want the Tanking accessories until at least 5.2...
10. Squadrons will still not be updated.
11. A new Eureka will be teased that is even more grindy.
12. The amount of buttons on our action bars will not actually get any smaller...
13. Despite the above we will all still come away psyched out about the new expansion because there will also just be a whole lot of neat looking dungeon and story content, and the rest of the job changes will be really nice.
14. The benchmark will still not be ready, in fact it won't come out until after the expac is out, if at all.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Makeda

I predict;

1. There will not be male viera or female hrothgar

---

Anyone that genuinely believed we'd see a hint of either before 6.X at the earliest was being incredibly naive. Big budget projects have development planned out years in advance with strict deadlines, and they're still not done with female viera or male hrothgar as of the last letter. I don't mean to sound like a white knight, but that's not how software development works past an indie level..