Gear progression too linear

[Seig345]

I agree with the sentiment in this thread, but I wish people would stop pointing at CT as though it's supposed to be the next bit of content to add on after BC when it's not, was never meant to be, and was never presented as such.

Anyone who's already got the iLvl 90 gear and has no use for what CT has to offer, essentially just jumped that particular step in the gear climb. The step is currently missing, so there's currently two options: Grind AK/WP for Myth tomes to make that jump from AK gear to iLvl 90 gear, or stop at Darklight/Relic and wait for 2.1.

Some of the people who simply jumped the gap in the stairs (which I'm not critcisizing in the least, obviously; there's no step there, so there's no choice if you wish to proceed further) seem to look at CT and think SE's offering it as next step up, when it all it's ever really meant to be at this stage is the missing step that's been jumped over to get to where they are now.

True, the only 'new' content in 2.1 sounds to be harder mode versions of pre-existing content, which is a reasonable disappointment/complaint, but people need to stop casting down CT as though it was presented as the answer to their lack-of-content complaints. If anything, it should help even more people to get to that point, which might make the demand for fresh content louder. X)

[rtpsoulx]

snip

I agree, i think they should at least make DL gear convertible or something.. but the crystal tower sadly is actually going to be below Coil in terms of difficulty/il drops, at least for now (i remember them saying something about continuing to add floors later).

I hated gear swapping in FFXI... i honestly went years trying to just keep 1 set on me but got bitched at for it <_< i really dont want 14 to end up like that :X and they removed the awesome stats like "adds refresh" "cure casting speed" "pet HP" for simplicity to appeal to more casual players

[Hitaru]

I never meant to dis CT or anything. But with this design logic that place will be a dead zone before it even proven to be worth the effort the dev has thrown in there. And I think Yoshi mentioned in TGS that content will be altering between BC and CT. If the order is reversed and we start with CT, it would make much better sense. Worst case 2 adjacent content will be side grade. Now it is taking a step back every other patch.

FFXI had its issue with too many gear, but at least it is one of the kind system that give old gear value thus extended the game's life. I am not sure how many of you guys remember the elemental obis in sea. On the look of it, it is garbge and very situational. But it is one of the must have item from CoP and people constantly go back to sea just farm organ for those. That what some special gear will do to the game, it extends content life, more bang for the bucks for the dev.

[KiriA500]

To compare with SEs own game, FFXI really have the best gear system in mmo imo. See how desirable a lv50ish scorpions harness +1 and haubergeon+1 is at end game. People did work hard for it and felt well paid off. And yet drops from sky and such still very relevant due to special bonus such as run speed boost on crimson legging and auto refresh on rdm af2 hat and such and those gear last good couple years vs couple month :x . This provide a great varity of min/max in gear combo and really give player option how they like to play their game instead of being forced into a one way track. Hack even wow always have some fancy lower tier trinket out perform higher tier ones.

It's not gear progression if you never progress in gear. FFXI did gear horribly.

[diulalasing]

game out only few months

/discuss

[Kyana]

game out only few months

/discuss

Doesn't change the fact that there are only 2 sets of gear with same primary stats and small differences in secondary stats per job.
There is no variation in endgame gear. It's either Relic/Allagan/AF2 or a mix of it.
In the end everybody looks the same and has similar stats with the exception of some crafted+melded accessories.

I don't miss gear swapping, but I do miss the things which made some items special. For example, FFXI AF provides special boosts to abilities, offers some unique stats or even gives access to unique weaponskills.
The AF in FFXIV just has some basic stats and is replaced very soon with gear from WP/AK or DL.
AF doesn't feel special at all and it doesn't provide any job specific bonus.

We also have a good crafting system, but the things we can make are either kinda useless or more expensive than the gear we can buy with tomestones and there is no alternative to AF2 or Allagan stat wise.

[Black_Rose]

game out only few months

/discuss

game out only for a few years

/discuss

seriously, this game is trying to limit you in every possible way, so there is no room for character development AT ALL.
at least in 1.0 we were able to use different pieces of equip to build our characters.
but with how the materia system now works and equip of the same iLvL practically having the same main stats it's pretty clear that this game is linear and that will NEVER change if the system doesn't change.
my Wyrm Body has the same amount of STR & VIT as my friends Valor Body.

[jObEfiSH]

my Wyrm Body has the same amount of STR & VIT as my friends Valor Body.

Which also has same exact STR & VIT as my MNK Melee body. Which has same exact STR & VIT as every melee Allagan body.
Variety...

[Maxthunder]

It's not gear progression if you never progress in gear. FFXI did gear horribly.

No Xi did it the correct way. What we have in XIV is everyone can get anything, than once the patch hits that gear is tossed. 1st we have darklight, oh wait time to toss it its useless CT is out w new gear, oops time to toss cause I now have coil and myth gear, oh better yet wait now we have a new dungeon that has even better gear but OH GOD now the coil gear and myth gear is trash. They need to add gear that players wont toss but gear that is still relevant, but unfortunatly we see that isnt gonna happen.

[Seig345]

[...] If the order is reversed and we start with CT, it would make much better sense. Worst case 2 adjacent content will be side grade. Now it is taking a step back every other patch. [...]

The trick is though is that we were supposed to start with CT, and once it's implemented, that's how anyone who hasn't reached that point in the game yet will progress, with CT first in order to gear up for BC instead of having to rely soley on myth grinding. BC isn't going to be the next step, because CT IS first, then BC, so it will be CT again. It will appear as though CT gets two patches in a row, but only because the first one is due to the dungeon having been postponed to be worked on.

It was meant to be there at launch; its inclusion in patch 2.1 isn't an addition, it's SE completing a link of the end game chain that's been missing since day 1. Not sure if that last available turn in the coil is still bugged at the end, but I would wager that that bug being fixed is the only new thing we'd see in BC before CT gets its next level in 2.2, or 2.3, or whatever.