RDM Ideas, brainstorming and general dicussion

[Eloah]

The concept you presented isn't a bad one, but the idea isn't as fleshed out as others have indicated. Traits are missing, which is a big part of what grants each job its individuality, or homogenization, lol? But also, at what level would you expect to get each ability, so that a new player is able to play both efficiently and learn about the job as it grows. Another thing, is there resources are mapped out, which is usually done with the traits, how many aethercharges can they hold on to, and do they expire like the aethertrails of summoner or remain like the aetherflow stacks of arcanist. Also, some of your skills seem to have descriptions that make it seem like you can spam them, when you said they have a 10 second CD, which makes them unspamable, and as someone mentioned before having abilities that cost MP and a "stack" doesn't make a lot of sense. I think if you organized the abilities into a leveling format, it might help you decide how you'd use each skill. While most jobs have that one skill that most everyone never uses, you want to try and make sure that each skill is viable in some way. Also don't be afraid to mix and match several of the already existing "systems" the other jobs have to create a brand new one, you're already doing something similar with the aethercharges: Mudras from Ninja, Aetherflow/trails from SCH/SMN, Stacks for Warrior, Dual buffs for DRK, "casting" buff for MCH/BRD, Flow Cycle for BLM, freefrom style/buffs of Monk. What I would recommend is using a combination of the BLM and Monks styles, the abilities are all free form and cycle into one another, Physical moves depend on your stance (like a fencing stance) and magical moves depend on the next element in the cycle, though it may not look like it each element connects to two others one aligned to their form, Astral or Umbral, and one of the opposite form. Spells going the same direction can have a potency increase, but spells going the opposite can cause an effect, like a bind, or heavy. Then what could be done is having the player swap between physical and magical by building up stacks to increase their damage and then expending those stacks on some of the abilities you've mentioned, but you'd have to add physical abilities as well. this way the RDM is always focused on magical and physical offense. I can give you an example after I review what you've written more thoroughly.

Update: I made a mistake when I said that each element connects to 2 others, one astral one umbral, they all cycle together, but there are also 2 triangles that connect certain elements to one another. as depicted in this picture. that's the connection I meant.

[Morningstar1337]

snip

I'll see what I can do about organizing them in a Leveling format and adding traits

[Eloah]

I found this thread that had a similar idea for a Red Mage, that I helped the guy iron out his idea. Now that you have some more info added to your initial post I can it out for you as well. But the idea is still yours, though i will take partial credit for the elemental idea, I had that for a while, lol. I'll update this post as soon as I can.

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...pt%21%29/page2

here it is, hope its okay for your needs

Fencing Stances

The strength of a Red Mages physical attacks rely on how they can effetlessly transition from one stance to another, to build up their magical energies. They start out in Garde Stance and continue into Prets and Allez to finish their assault. Upon completing a move in Allez stance they gain a Mana Charge stack increasing their magical attack by a percentage depending on the stack amount, 1-10%, 2-20%, 3-30%. Stacks last for 60 Seconds

Conquest and Submission

Withing the Creation of the Elements, there lies the Pyramids of Conquest and Submission. By using the elements in this way Red mages are able to inflict a myriad of status ailments on their opponents. For each element use in either a Conquest or a Submission manor, Red Mages gain a Forte Charge stack, increasing their physical attack by a percentage depending on the stack amount, 1-6%, 2-12%, 3-18%, 4-24%, 5-30%. Stacks last for 60 seconds

The idea is to build up to one full stack and use it up while building up the other for instance. For Instance, you start out using your physical attacks to build up Mana Charges. Once you reach 3 stacks, you switch to using your magic attacks, and use them and build up Forte stacks as well until the 60 seconds is up, then you go back to physical attacks and continue as such. It's similar to transitioning between Astral Fire and Umbral Ice but is a bit more forgiving, in that both stacks can be up at the same time.

I'll add more a bit later, I have to sleep, T.T

[Morningstar1337]

snip

Okay, I added something based on the Cycles in the form of Buffs. Though I'm still considering retooling the magic side of the kit my gating the skills behind the "Magic" buffs as Naelin suggested and going a little in depth on the relation of the buffs, spells and cycles, I have now done the former.

And regarding the Aethercharges (since I do plan on retaining that aspect) they do not Expire. With the retool, I might have to reconsider Gather's effect

BTW For reference here is the old the old text:

Magic: How it works if that the Magic has a Basic form but can be augmented by certain Buffs, with “Magic” in the title. Using Magic requires an Aethercharge (Save Restore which uses them all) with the enhancements adding to the cost (an AoE Storm for example needs 2 Charges). Since XIV likes to keep its skills exclusive to the classes outside of cross classing this RDM will be using similarly themed spells, having 6 spells (one for each element) and 2 curative spells.

All spells here share a cooldown, with the duration of the coolown being based on the spell used. An offensive spell will make the cooldown 10 seconds while a more restorative one will cause it be be 60 instead. All Spells are oGCD ranged abilities with MP costs scaling by level and the buff. The two traits make it similar to Empyrean Arrow. A player can have up to 5 Aethercharges at a time unless they use a certain ability. Crossclass Skills will not not take Aethercharges or “Magic” Buffs.

• Inferno: 100 potency Fire Attack. AoE.
  
• Cocytus: 240 potency Ice Attack. Binds target with a 5% chance of Deep Freeze on Trash (2 seconds)
• Storm: 190 potency Wind attack, applies Magic Resistance down on the Target, Effect doesn't stack with Foe’s Requiem or Promoted Bishops.
• Levinchain: 60 potency Lightning attack. Applies a DoT to the target for 18 seconds (DoT potency: 60)
• Hydrosphere: 190 potency Water Attack. Silences target for 10 seconds
• Groundshaker: 190 potency Earth Attack. Stuns target for 4 seconds
• Restore: Curing Magic. Takes all Aethercharges and restores health, Potency depends on the Amount of Aethercharges used. (100 potency per Aethercharge)
• Banepurge: A removal of 1 Debuff.

The Buffs: As mentioned before, these buffs augment the Magic spells, but they take up a certain amount of Aethercharges. Changing the spell into something else or in certain cases buffing their own attributes, They are applied by combo finishers and are overwritten by subsequent combos.

• Radial Magic: Turns the Spell into an AoE but halves the potency form the spell. Inferno is unaffected by potency loss and gains an additional 5 yalms, Restore’s potency is reduced to a quarter instead of half. Uses 1 Aethercharge
• Decaying Magic: Converts the damage of an offensive spell into a DoT of the respective element (Burns, Dropsy, Frostbite, Electrocution, Sludge and Windburn) Uses 1 Aethercharge. DoT duration is 30 seconds and potency is 70. All other effects are applied, including Levinchain’s own DoT.
• Charged Magic: Removes all Aethercharges. Adds 40 potency to the spell per used Aethercharge but removes all effects. Inferno’s potency decreases by 10% on 2nd mob, 20% on third and so on until it's at half strength.
• Resourceful Magic: Applies a debuff to the target that grants those that attack it 50 TP per hit. Uses 3 Aethercharges

In addition, there are two additional Buffs that boost Speed

• Conquest: A buff that activates when the RDM uses certain spells in a certain cycle. in this case being Groundshaker>Levinchain>Hydrosphere, Hydrosphere>Groundshaker>Levinchain or Levinchain>Hydrosphere>Groundshaker. The Buff increases the Skill Speed of the player and nearby allies. Unlike the "Magic" Buffs, these only last 30 seconds
• Submission: A buff that activates when the RDM uses certain spells in a certain cycle. in this case being Inferno>Cocytus>Storm, Storm>Inferno>Cocytus or Cocytus>Storm>Inferno. The Spell Speed counterpart of Conquest. Also lasts 30 seconds

Now I am considering divorcing the CC effects from the spells so that I can focus on building up the connection in the cycles without running into problems like an Early stun or Bind happening for the Conquest/Submission buffs. Thoughts?