Specialist System in 3.0

[giantslayer]

They have already stated numerous times in interviews and the Live Letter that the intent is to allow people to be able to craft in one or a few classes without being forced to level all of them. They have not said a single thing about any intent to restrict crafters. I don't know why we are still having this kind of discussion.

In short: Specialist = casual crafters can pick 3 classes to not suck in, not that hardcore crafters can only access recipes from 3 classes.

[GenJoe]

They have already stated numerous times in interviews and the Live Letter that the intent is to allow people to be able to craft in one or a few classes without being forced to level all of them. They have not said a single thing about any intent to restrict crafters. I don't know why we are still having this kind of discussion.

In short: Specialist = casual crafters can pick 3 classes to not suck in, not that hardcore crafters can only access recipes from 3 classes.

Yes, I remember that part.. call me a skeptic, I just don't like to be blindsided by any sudden last minute changes.
It's still too early to tell anyway, including the naysayers, none of us know what the final product will look like.

[Lemuria]

In short: Specialist = casual crafters can pick 3 classes to not suck in, not that hardcore crafters can only access recipes from 3 classes.

Well, there's a bit more to it than that. Specialists will have access to unique skills which may make crafting a lot easier than simply cross-classing everything. After all, there needs to be benefits for players who have already got every class at 50+.

However, none of this really matters. As mentioned, part of the scrip system will allow you to swap your specializations so it won't be a permanent choice if you don't want it to be.

[Zanarken]

Well, there's a bit more to it than that. Specialists will have access to unique skills which may make crafting a lot easier than simply cross-classing everything. After all, there needs to be benefits for players who have already got every class at 50+.

However, none of this really matters. As mentioned, part of the scrip system will allow you to swap your specializations so it won't be a permanent choice if you don't want it to be.

I've heard there is a long cooldown if one decides to swap specializations, which makes sense otherwise why have specializations at all?

I'm really conflicted as to how we should perceive the new specialization system. I mean, what is there to get excited about for existing crafters?

* A more casual friendly crafting environment means, more competition = less profit

* Limitations that don't exist now, hampering freedom

* New abilities to make crafting easier, which again means little to existing crafters

The only thing I have heard that is exciting for crafting is that many crafting items will be BiS or equal to BiS raid drops.

[Sakasa]

Stuff and things

Oppose to what? The system we have has time limits placed upon us via gathering classes for materials which with time invested overcomes it as well if you do not outright purchase them. The freedom you assume is actually only the freedom to be like everyone else, not that you can craft everything. So if everyone can still craft the same recipes specialists or not we are still in the same vein and you haven't lost the freedom but if there are specialist only recipes I have yet to hear of them. Mats might be a different story as favors are going to really shift peoples abilites to decide which material is important so gathers will have more vital daily choices then crafters that can effect their overall profit.

And "easier" has a requirement of balance. The easier something is the higher the bar of difficulty will rise when the devs want something hard. Masterbook 2 is a shining example as they made its requirements outside of our available stats which is why we had to manipulate and stall for rng. I would be more worried about the value of old things then new because the market is very fickle and markets will die unless they built in a use for low level materials.

But change is coming and that isn't a bad thing new people will make money, old might not make as much but such is the cost of progress. I doubt it will be so drastic. The game is afoot which always makes me excited.

[Kiara]

They have already stated numerous times in interviews and the Live Letter that the intent is to allow people to be able to craft in one or a few classes without being forced to level all of them. They have not said a single thing about any intent to restrict crafters. I don't know why we are still having this kind of discussion.

In short: Specialist = casual crafters can pick 3 classes to not suck in, not that hardcore crafters can only access recipes from 3 classes.

Good points Giantslayer.

I'm still skeptical, but I really hope that this Specialist system turns out the way you're saying, and it sounds like it might be, from the latest Live Letter. 2 key things:

1. I completely agree that our current Crafting was very "harsh" for players who didn't have Max Crafts in All Crafting Classes (to have access to all the Cross-Class Skills), and those that couldn't afford to do Penta-Melds / Quad-Melds for their gear. (I have all Crafts maxed a long time ago, but I still agree with this; I know plenty of players that got discouraged and decided to just give up on Crafting because of this.)

2. So if the new System is akin to players gaining "Specialist Skills" that is the equivalent (or maybe even slightly more potent) of our Cross Class Skills for those of us that are Omni Crafters, then, I'm fine with that. For example, if, say, the Specialist System grants a Crafter (who didn't Max all Crafts) to get a "Rapid Synthesis II" or like a "Byregot's Blessing II" type of skill, where it's as if they "earned" Byregot's Blessing, but without needing to take that separate class to 50, I'm fine w/ that.

It lets players who can't spend all that time / money to be competent. Kinda like the new Artisan's Gear they introduced for Trade-In Items (No Need to Materia Meld). It's not as good as gear you Multi-Meld, but it's close enough that players who can't afford it can craft higher level things.


Only time can tell, but I think if it's along these lines (above), I'd be relieved and think it's cool to make it more accessible to players.

If you look at the other side: The Battle equivalent would've been forcing all DoW / DoM to level All Jobs to 50, to get "required" Cross Class Skills to be "legit" in Final Coil of Bahamut, etc. That would be brutal and unfair, forcing a player who might enjoy, say, Scholar, to have to level ALL Jobs to 50, get all the Cross-Class skills and then be relevant.

[StouterTaru]

I don't expect too much of a change with the system, except for the scrips allowing new people to catch up to top level crafting easier. Yes you will be able to specialize and just do one craft enough to make your own gear, but the omnicrafters will still dominate the markets because they have the means to. The closest thing you could come to eliminating that is to take away crafting levels and gear, and make it so everyone has the same odds to HQ/NQ/fail any synth.

If there are specialist recipes, I don't see them being so numerous or fast selling as to warrant using an alt.

[Pterois]

i just hope they put in some real thought to each specialist skill so that there is clear advantages for each and not like "oh everyone ends up with the same." for ex. you got someone who wants to focus more on quantity vs quality... so a skill that yields x2 like someone mentioned earlier in this thread.

[Sibyll]

If you look at the other side: The Battle equivalent would've been forcing all DoW / DoM to level All Jobs to 50, to get "required" Cross Class Skills to be "legit" in Final Coil of Bahamut, etc. That would be brutal and unfair, forcing a player who might enjoy, say, Scholar, to have to level ALL Jobs to 50, get all the Cross-Class skills and then be relevant.

If it weren't for Jobs limiting cross class skills this is exactly how raiding would be. Honestly, it's already like this to an extent. Healers need Swiftcast. DPS need Invigorate/Blood for Blood. If it weren't for Jobs people would all be running around with the same ten cross class skills like crafters currently do.

oh everyone ends up with the same

You mean like the current crafting system?

[Pterois]

You mean like the current crafting system?

Yes... but no. You really don't have much of a choice with cross class skill, you pretty much need all of em. More like how the desynth system started and everyone went GSM because it was the obvious choice but they did level things off a bit once they realized how one sided it was.