A request to add NMs of various levels.

What I'm about to say mentions the game FFXI. I know this isn't XI, just bear with me here.

So I got to thinking about FFXI, and what made the game so fun as opposed to XIV. One thing came to mind that I wish FFXIV had added: NM's of various levels, pop times, and reasons for existing.

Looking back at the NM's from FFXI, I noticed there were a lot from level 5 to 49. 139 to be exact, the overwhelming majority of which were not from areas added in later expansions. It got me thinking how much I liked that there were so many in the game. It honestly made the game seem much more alive and added to the excitement of doing quests and missions.

I also believe you can do it better than XI did. It can be used to provide some gear for low-rank classes, especially new players. It will also help in the future of the game. As many of us know, all MMO's have an inflation issue that eventually makes even low-level gear a little too pricey for new players. It will also give people something else to do other than the same boring leves every day.

Here are just some suggestions:

• Give them various spawn conditions. Some can only spawn at night, some during the day, or others can be determined by weather. Maybe even look into lottery spawns for some. Although preferably not ones with highly coveted items. Trading specific items to an object could be another way.
  
  
• The gear would need to be viable. It needs to be good enough to actually use, although it doesn't have to be quite as good as similarly ranked crafted gear.
  
  
• Keep the drop rates relatively high. Depending on quality of gear dropped I wouldn't have it any lower than 10%. Some should be more around 50% and even 100%.
  
  
• Most, if not all of the gear should be binding to the character. This will keep people from camping for the sole purpose of selling the item, and will prevent RMT from taking advantage of the system.
  
  
• Make the fights a challenge. If the NM is level 15 it should require at least 2 rank 15's to beat it with it still being a challenge. In other words, there's still a good chance of dying. This will build on the social aspect of the game and make the fights more enjoyable. Getting 1 or 2 other people from an LS or just someone ranking near by to help would not be difficult.
  
  
• Require us to kill NM's for some quests. Possibly to stop a threat, or to gain a certain item of interest for someone. Don't make it too easy either. It needs to be challenging yet appropriate for the level. Put them in areas where we'll have to fight our way through to get to the target. Some of them should be possible to solo but others should require a small group of 4. It will surely be funner than the kill X amount of X mob or get X amount of an item that almost every current quest entails.
  

Disclaimer: I know this is not a priority. It's just something I think needs to be added later to make the game more enjoyable throughout the leveling process. I believe it will improve the enjoyment of the game immensely.

I would love Nm's one of my favourite things in FFXI and because they where all diff levels...i think gear is too readily available and in FFXI the drop where quite bad but i feel it made it more special when you got the item....i remember fighting Picolaton on dancer for the Thrakon Breastplate (seriously silly pop condition) about 14 times before it dropped that was tough but i could solo that thing with my eyes closed by the time id finished.We do need NM's of all levels they add excitement to the world. I do hope they look different though than the normal mobs as in FFXI they looked the same but with a fancy name.

OMFG that sounds too much like FFXI!@#!@#!!one!!1

Just kidding~ I loved the low level NMs in FFXI<3 I also loved how some gear from the low level NMs were good till 75 like Mary's horn and Bounding Boots.

There should be lots and lots of NM, even such as low and easy as Bigmouth Billy
They don't even have all to have unique models, tho at least a different shade of color and size would be cool.

I've never played FFXI but this sounds like a great idea. NM's are fun at high ranks so why not add some for people at lower ranks and/or smaller groups? If they drop special items to make gear then that would probably be a fun goal for players, it'd be nice to have some special NM gear for those who aren't at or near the level cap. ^^

There were originally planning lower level NM's but then Yoshi-P took over so I duno if thats still on the table or not, guess time will tell.

I would rather see dungeons or BCNM's implemented first though.

I like the idea of NMs at every level. I would suggest that they continue to use the runestone method for NM drops. Maybe they don't all drop a runestone, but something unique that can be traded for gear or a weapon to an npc. I agree with the binding aspect. However, I wouldn't want to be required to find someone to help me kill an NM. Call me greedy, but if I see an NM to kill, I want the loot for myself.

I could have sworn that even Yoshida has stated that they're going to be doing that somewhere.

i like it. :)

100% AGREE with this, There needs to be more NM's or Rare/Uncommon mobs that spawn within the sets of regular mobs.

All of these mobs dont have to drop super items, but maybe the uncommon ones are 3-4 ranks higher than the normal mobs in the area, and have a higher drop % of items, and/or even a small % of chance for a real good item. Maybe all these items are rare/ex and you must collect multiple items from multiple uncommon/rare mobs to turn in for an item of choice (also rare/ex)

This makes it so 100's of people are camping all different nm's, rare mobs and uncommon mobs for these drops. Maybe if you turn in 20+ different items you can get a super cool item of your choice.

^ Interesting ideas. I like the thought of collecting multiple items for a quest to turn in for a certain piece of equipment. Reminds me of the Brown Belt quest, although hopefully in XIV there wouldn't be an annoying 24-hour pop.

Before I played Beta I assumed that there would be NMs -- of all different levels. Then there werent any in Beta. So I assumed NMs would be in the game at launch. I got my collectors edition and after a week or two of leveling I didnt see any NMs.

I just assumed and expected there to be NMs in the game at launch. Here we are 6-7 months into the game and the only NMs are for Rank 40+ and even then you need multiple players Rank40+.

I am also completely in favor of this! Please make this happen SE ;)