Shields & Parrying in 1.19

[Raikki]

I guess spending all that time to level GLA so I could tank was pretty pointless huh...

Someone said GLA is a hinderence to a party... this makes me sad

Maybe the new cool will be to just stack +attack, +STR, +crit attack and completely drop the shield... what's the point if I can just parry, right?


I have to choose between Parry or Block on a tank when the chance to block low and parry does the same thing?
- Low Block chance < Parry and Parry+ materia
- Shield Skills are useless because of this

STEP 1.] Removing Shield and Shield skills grants more ability points ==> Equip more DPS moves (+attack power cross-class) and WeaponSkills

STEP 2.] Prioritize +attack, +crit attack, +str and +parry materia because GLA damage is weak

STEP 3.] ???

STEP 4.] Profit.



Looking for someone to test this theory... I don't have the gil, gear or materia to put this to the test. If anyone has GLA gear and the right materia maybe you could compare and contrast damage for us to see how much dps a gladiator can actually put out. Also see how often you parry?

Remember to equip Foresight from MRD for a virtually guaranteed parry every 30 seconds. I'm not very happy about the situation either, GLA was the first combat class I ranked up and I wanted it to be my main class but if I'm going to tank the enjoyment is going to come out of doing the best job I can in that role and using GLA knowing that I'm performing suboptimally is just not going to be fun for me. Here's hoping 1.20 or 1.21 do a better job balancing GLA.

[RemVye]

Remember to equip Foresight from MRD for a virtually guaranteed parry every 30 seconds. I'm not very happy about the situation either, GLA was the first combat class I ranked up and I wanted it to be my main class but if I'm going to tank the enjoyment is going to come out of doing the best job I can in that role and using GLA knowing that I'm performing suboptimally is just not going to be fun for me. Here's hoping 1.20 or 1.21 do a better job balancing GLA.

Yeah, you would still equip; Featherfoot, Foresight, Defender, etc.. if you're going Parry Tank Glad with no shield

But also I'm suggesting that maybe Glad can be a plausible damage dealer as well. I'd be interested to see Glad dps numbers with the right gear setup.

[Molly_Millions]

You're not gonna have a good DD GLA build with defender up all the time, it lowers attack.

[RemVye]

You're not gonna have a good DD GLA build with defender up all the time, it lowers attack.

I know this...

Two things; test viability of GLA tank with no shield (defender is up, yes). One of the complaints mentioned was that MRD is a better tank because it can out damage GLA. So with no shield, tank as you can, but spend ability points into making GLA more dps oriented (cross-class +attack power abilities and additional WS)

Next, just a plain DPS GLA build (no defender, you're not tanking just dps) to gauge how much DPS a properly geared GLA can do. You have to have the right gear, +attack, +crit attack, +str.


So I'm curious, how much dps a fully geared DPS focused GLA can do, and how well a GLA can tank w/ a shield.

EDIT: This was a clarification of my original post at the bottom of PAGE 6. This was directed at Molly's post above me. Read the original post on page 6 please.

[GreyJorildyn]

You're forgetting that even if you geared out for DPS tanking on gladiator, without the DPS abilities to back it up, it's not going to make much headroom against a MRD that can equip storm's path for just 5 AP. The effectiveness of any job goes far beyond gear. It touches abilities and of course player skill and execution combining all elements together.

[RemVye]

You're forgetting that even if you geared out for DPS tanking on gladiator, without the DPS abilities to back it up, it's not going to make much headroom against a MRD that can equip storm's path for just 5 AP. The effectiveness of any job goes far beyond gear. It touches abilities and of course player skill and execution combining all elements together.

Sorry but did you read my post? The original one is on page 6, the last one on the page.

[Choyi]

I find this to be a huge balance issue.
Having both my GLA and MRD at 50 I have used both as tanks now and in the past.
However now with the ifrit fight being one of the few challangeing content out, I feel very sad to see that yet again MRD is by far the superior tank.

Why? Well MRD can mignate about 20-30% incomming damage with parry alone, does about 3 times the damage while tanking(defenderII up) then a GLA and has easier time to maintain hate (basicly hate is silly easy to keep on MRD while as on GLA you actualy have to put effort in) thus making it easier just to focus on damage and survivial.

But GLA can block right? Normaly yes, but you can't block Ifrits attacks for some reason, me and 3 other LS GLAs have fought Ifrit many times and I've yet to see any block procs, making shield skills useless.

So what does GLA have over MRD as a tank? Around 50defence 300 hp and about 50mp.
Meanwhile MRD reduced alot more damage taken, does alot more damage and holds better hate.

Please SE look into balancing this, I leveled my GLA to tank and when my MRD is doing it much more efficiant I feel like GLA is a useless class to have, the only times I bring out my GLA is for casual stronghold farm content...

Its a simple fix as well, either let shield users parry, or improve block to the point where it acutaly feels worth it to bring a GLA to any highend content.

[Mishakai]

Considering I chose to level gladiator specifically to tank, if reports that marauders are better and more desired for the tanking role are true then I'd be rather disheartened.

I've been patient with this game, and have alot of faith in Yoshi and crew, but if I get to 50 and start looking for groups to tank and start getting rejected in lieu of a damage dealing class well, that might just be the straw that breaks the camels back for me and this game.

[Jinko]

Considering I chose to level gladiator specifically to tank, if reports that marauders are better and more desired for the tanking role are true then I'd be rather disheartened.

To tank effectively on MRD you still require many of the GLD skill, at least if you wana do a good job.

I see no reason to parry when you have a shield, that being said they do need to increase either the frequency of how often gladiators block (give them a trait that increases block rating) or the percentage they mitigate when they do block (give them a skill that increases the amount of mitigation done when blocking)

Maybe they have something like this planned for Paladin, I can't see them adding a job specifically designed for tanking and not have skills in place to make them good at it, isn't the MRD job going to be DD ?

[Molly_Millions]

give them a trait that increases block rating

there is one that boosts block by 5%

give them a skill that increases the amount of mitigation done when blocking

I believe STR is responsible for this