Extending the Use of Soul Crystals and Materia

[Mardel]

I want to start off by saying that this is a broad idea that can be changed/implemented in various ways and that my thoughts/ideas are not perfect. Aside, I will also say that on the material topic, novus did a decent job in utilizing the underused material. Since the “best” gear pieces are not currently meldable.

My goal:
It is add another dynamic to an otherwise “pointless” gear slot. This will add another layer of “customization” that isn’t bound to “gear” and possibly help promote the use of classes.
What purposes do soul crystals serve? Currently they serve one purpose and that is to change you from the base class to a job. This in turn gives you access to new abilities and main stat increases.

My idea:
My proposal is that we become capable of upgrading or melding our soul crystals and get artificially made crystals for classes.
The job crystal can have special materia for it that decreases the CD, increased potency, or perhaps added effects. While the class crystal can have normal material melded into it so that they can increase primary stats, secondary stats, and elemental resistances

The process:

For Jobs:
1. You undergo a quest with the npc they helped you meld your sphere scroll.
2. The catalyst can be new or alexandrite. You do not lose the catalyst.
3. The new materia can be obtained after doing a weekly/daily quest that is based on a random roulette.

For Classes:
1. You speak to your guild master about the “soul of <your class>” I.E. The soul of a Conjurer.
2. You then speak to “Zodiac Weapon Upgrader” NPC in North Shroud (or a new npc) that gives you a quest where you must obtain an empty crystal.
3. You then do something similar to nexus farming to fill the crystal (while on that class) with the essence of <your class>.
4. When the crystal is ready you then are able to take on daily/weekly “tests” from you guild master who has you reflect (main story roulette) on your previous battles.
5. Completion of these will grant you a new catalyst (only works for classes) that allows you meld normal material to your class crystal. (Up to a specific cap)

Closing Thoughts:
Now I know many people will say this is pointless as people will be forced into choosing specific stats. However, this is the same situation we are in with the +30 point stat allocation. Some people may even say “Why not buff the classes/jobs?” By simply buffing it implies there was an issue with the balance of that class/job; my method gives the user the option to increase the power/health/abilities in various manners. Finally my ideas are simply ideas; I’m sharing them publicly to see what other people think (which will probably be a lot of complaints/flaming). Do keep in mind though, that if a system like this was implemented to job/classes we could get closer and closer to a “sphere grid”/ “tree” system that can be expanded on in the future.


AUGMENT EXAMPLES


For Jobs:
Extend the duration of GL3 when using X-Skill by 2-3seconds
Increase potency of X-skill. (Maybe make it so you can't have both lol.)
Augmentation: Inner Beast's wrath stack consumption is lowered by 1. (You can use up to 2 of these augmentations.)
Heavy Thrust can also be used from rear.

For Class:
(This would be a newer special "materia") for the soul crystal only.
Increase Str by 5 and Skill Speed by 15.
Increase Dex by 5 and Crit by 10.
Increase Vit by 5 and Parry by 10.
Increase Pie by 5 and Spell Speed by 15.
Increase Mnd by 5 and Det by 6.
Increase Int by 5 and Crit by 10.

[Everdark]

I'd rather lose the catalyst than materia.

Overall I like the idea. It'd something else to do, if nothing else lol

[Bucy]

Nice idea. Something I'd add or change to it is to make the visual effects of the class customizable through this. For example, we bind a garuda materia to the stone and the conjurer's Holy suddenly looks like a vortex with feathers.

[Mardel]

Nice idea. Something I'd add or change to it is to make the visual effects of the class customizable through this. For example, we bind a garuda materia to the stone and the conjurer's Holy suddenly looks like a vortex with feathers.

Although that would be nice it would probably not happen because of "ps3 limitations" lol or something along those lines. (Too much character data to retain.)

[Sapphic]

Now I know many people will say this is pointless as people will be forced into choosing specific stats. However, this is the same situation we are in with the +30 point stat allocation.

Can safely say that practically no-one would notice the difference if, for example you put the 30 bonus points in PIE or Int for SCH for exmaple Int if you mainly play SMN, switching to SCH without that 30 points in MND will not impair you in healing any content in game. Only "noticeable" one is Vit. An that is if you know how much HP they get from their gear. Then again, a full geared WAR wouldn't miss the Vit if they changed the 30 points to STR. For example, when I was doing WHM relic pre 2.1 I put the 30 points into Vit to have a bit more HP to survive, difference after relocatting back to MND was minimal at best with no real difference in my effectiveness in keeping people alive.

Same with going 3 stat Novus or maxing det/crit. Difference is not noticeable.

[Mardel]

Can safely say that practically no-one would notice the difference if, for example you put the 30 bonus points in PIE or Int for SCH for exmaple Int if you mainly play SMN, switching to SCH without that 30 points in MND will not impair you in healing any content in game. Only "noticeable" one is Vit. An that is if you know how much HP they get from their gear. Then again, a full geared WAR wouldn't miss the Vit if they changed the 30 points to STR. For example, when I was doing WHM relic pre 2.1 I put the 30 points into Vit to have a bit more HP to survive, difference after relocatting back to MND was minimal at best with no real difference in my effectiveness in keeping people alive.

Same with going 3 stat Novus or maxing det/crit. Difference is not noticeable.

True, not saying it's super noticeable but it is better than 0 bonus(s) that we have now

[Gelesto]

We already get Stat buffs with soul crystals

[Mardel]

We already get Stat buffs with soul crystals

Please refer to what I typed and you would see that the way it works for Jobs and Classes would be different. The melding on the job crystal would be for "augmenting" our abilities as a job. While the class crystals would be similar to doing the relic upgrade quest and allow us to increase the stat of our classes.

[HakuroDK]

If this augment would allow extended duration of Greased Lightning and Rage stacks, I'm all for it.

[Mardel]

If this augment would allow extended duration of Greased Lightning and Rage stacks, I'm all for it.

Well the idea would be that could be a possibility (depending on what type of special "materia") they allowed us to meld into the job crystal. The sad thing is, right now SE over simplifies how jobs work in this game and essentially don't give us choice in cross class skills or stat allocation. What I mean to say is, even though those are there people are "forced" to choose specific ones. Not saying this wouldn't happen for this system, but at least the choice could be harder.

I.E.

For Jobs:
Extend the duration of GL3 when using X-Skill by 2-3seconds or increase potency of X-skill. Maybe make it so you can't have both lol.

or

Augmentation: Inner Beast's wrath stack consumption is lowered by 1. (You can use up to 2 of these augmentations.)

For Class:

Increase Vit by 5 and Parry by 10. (This would be a newer special "materia") for the soul crystal only.
Increase Str by 5 and Skill Speed by 15.
Increase Dex by 5 and Crit by 10.
Increase Pie by 5 and Spell Speed by 15.
Increase Mnd by 5 and Det by 6.
Increase Int by 5 and Crit by 10.
Something along those lines.