FFXIV has too few abilities at early levels and too many at later levels

How to fix this? Well, I can't find a solution without rearranging the abilities. In my opinion there's no reason why you shouldn't have your basic 1-2-3 combo, your aoe combo, your dot, your ranged attack, your gap closer and at least 2 buffs before level 30 (if you're melee). It would already be a great improvement if you had at least two more abilities before level 30. I find no excuse for Ninjas to have their first AoE at level 38, like wtf? That's almost 15 levels after the first dungeon! And poor healers. I think White Mage should get all his skills up to level 50 before 30. Why so many upgrades at lower levels? Leave them for later or give them a proper combo or something. New players want to press buttons, they don't care about bigger numbers and slightly shinier abilites.

We used to have a LOT more at lower levels but they keep getting pruned, re-packaged, and given back to us in the later levels. . .

A combination of them going absolutely overboard with removing skills and mechanics, and the dev's complete disregard for mid levels when balancing old jobs or even creating new ones.

I mean... bard used to have..

1 Heavy shot
2 Straight Shot
4 Raging Strikes
6 Venomous Bite
8 Misery's End
10 Shadowbind
12 Bloodletter
15 Repelling shot
18 Quick Knock
22 Swiftsong
26 hawk's Eye
30 Windbite
34 Quelling strikes
35 Foes Requiem
38 Barrage
40 Armys Paeon
42 Blunt Arrow
45 Rain of Death
46 Flaming arrow
50 Wide Volley
50 Battle Voice

And that is not even including the cross-action abilities from other jobs that were mandatory by level 50.

Blood for Blood (Lv.34 Lancer)
Feint (Lv.2 Lancer)
Invigorate (Lv.22 Lancer)
Second wind (Lv.8 Pugilist)
Internal Release (Lv.12 Pugilist)


Thats 26 abilities at level 50.

There is a reason we have less abilities at low level now, by level 90 you would have 50+ abilities.

My wish is for at least, introduce all core abilities that define your job's basic style and rotation before lv.15 (Sastasha) which would also include your staple AoEs DoTs and maaaaaybe an OGCD or two. Everything else afterwards is just adding the rest of the abilities that power up that playstyle and towards the end you get your game changer abilities that makes your playstyle complete.

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Originally Posted by Atelier-Bagur

My wish is for at least, introduce all core abilities that define your job's basic style and rotation before lv.15 (Sastasha) which would also include your staple AoEs DoTs and maaaaaybe an OGCD or two. Everything else afterwards is just adding the rest of the abilities that power up that playstyle and towards the end you get your game changer abilities that makes your playstyle complete.

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For once we agree.

By level 15 you should have:
1-2-3 combo
Spender
AOE Attack
Buff

Something along the lines of:

Lv.1 First part combo
Lv.2 Buff
Lv.3 Second Part Combo
Lv.5 first AOE combo
LV.7 Third Part Combo
LV.10 Second AOE combo
LV.12 OGCD Attack
LV.15 Gauge Spender

Then have those skills upgrade over time.

The same for healers:

Lv.1 Attack spell
LV.2 DoT Spell
Lv.3 Regen Heal
LV.5 GCD Heal
LV.7 Protect spell (Shield?)
LV.10 Raise
Lv.12 AoE GCD Heal
Lv.15 OGCD Heal.

To add to this, Every job should have their gap closer by level 50.
Paladin gets Intervene at level 74, like seriously. Why isnt there a lower level one around 15-30?

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Originally Posted by Vandso

How to fix this? Well, I can't find a solution without rearranging the abilities. In my opinion there's no reason why you shouldn't have your basic 1-2-3 combo, your aoe combo, your dot, your ranged attack, your gap closer and at least 2 buffs before level 30 (if you're melee).

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You would be surprised just how many people struggle to do a 2-button combo while running out of a red circle (especially when Legacy isn't the default). If legacy was default they would probably see better results among new players and could add a bit more.

A lot of players are not used to the concept of combos either. They don't exist in all games, and not neccessarily in quite the strict form they do here, where you can interrupt them. It is very common for people not to complete their combo before starting from the beginning when they are new.

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New players want to press buttons, they don't care about bigger numbers and slightly shinier abilites.

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There are many new players that feel that way, but there are equally new players who seem overwhelmed by the concept of a combo alone or are used to games with only a few abilities and SE has to consider all types of players.

It is fair to say that Heavensward rotations used to be more button heavy than they are now, especially in the buff area or monitoring status effects area, but keeping it simple at level 60 fits in with their current direction of making rotations easy and intuitive, which many old rotations weren't.

Less buttons at lower lvls do make it harder to learn the job..if you are gonna end up w a lot of button at endgame anyway..
Because you dont get to practies and learn all your skills gradually...
I dislike that we have to learn a lot new skills at 70-80+ lol

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Originally Posted by Zeastria

Less buttons at lower lvls do make it harder to learn the job..if you are gonna end up w a lot of button at endgame anyway..
Because you dont get to practies and learn all your skills gradually...
I dislike that we have to learn a lot new skills at 70-80+ lol

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It's a lose-lose situation there. On the one hand, adding new skills later makes you have to rethink your rotation later on. On the other hand, if you learned all your skills early, it would feel underwhelming gaining a few dozen levels and getting nothing new. Less buttons at lower levels makes the game more accessible by allowing players to gradually but steadily see how each new ability fits into the rotation and get comfortable with it before adding the next piece in. You actually do get to learn your skills gradually this way.

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It is fair to say that Heavensward rotations used to be more button heavy than they are now, especially in the buff area or monitoring status effects area, but keeping it simple at level 60 fits in with their current direction of making rotations easy and intuitive, which many old rotations weren't.

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Remember as well that when HW rotations had that, HW was also the end-game. Now, it's quite early in the leveling process, so it makes sense that the toolkit is smaller at that point.

FFXIV has too few abilities at early levels and too many just the right amount at later levels

Agreed, I wish early gameplay was more engaging than casting cure or stone over and over

I would like the simple one target rotation and aoe rotation. Then a buff or debuff and role action tanks damage reduction, healers increase heal, dps an increase in dps. Then each expansion rotation stays the same but spells get new animation but added role actions.



I know some people like pressing a million button rotation and moving to different spots. I don't overly enjoy that. I do think they could go one job manage a million things and also have one at the other end f the spectrum and balance the job. The game has enough for both and if people stop playing job because it is too complicated/simplistic that is good feedback.

There is some streamlining they could do. It's awful to get a sub-40 dungeon on DRG with no AoE when either all or most of the rest of the party has one.

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Originally Posted by SassyAssassin

Agreed, I wish early gameplay was more engaging than casting cure or stone over and over

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Early game? That's your late game rotation too! (HEAVY /s)