MCH buffs!

[briarth0rn]

None of these changes are bad, but I'm skeptical as to whether or not this'll make Machinist as desirable as Bard. Since Machinist has a lot less utility, it should be off-set by doing more damage, and I'm not sure if this'll put them ahead.

I'm not complaining, but I do think it'll still need more.

[Elnidfse]

Not necessarily because FT now gives 20 heat, fitting a CD in is possible now, since you usually end up around 75-80 heat after CDing and the FT tick being weaved between GCDs will allow you to overheat on time with wildfire.

Fair enough point.

None of these changes are bad, but I'm skeptical as to whether or not this'll make Machinist as desirable as Bard. Since Machinist has a lot less utility, it should be off-set by doing more damage, and I'm not sure if this'll put them ahead.

I'm not complaining, but I do think it'll still need more.

I think it's pretty alright. Unless my idiot math is incorrect the changes to wildfire alone is slightly over 200 potency. Which is pretty okay. This doesn't factor in the free cooldown you get to use or the GCD you can now throw out since hotshot doesn't have to be refreshed every 30 which itself is at a minimum a 80 potency and a 40 potency increase respectively. Change to dismantle makes it as good as reprisal so there's that. But it being made better means the sheer damage reduction is alright in comparison to BRD.

[Greedalox]

Hotshot buff is useless for the most part. Small dps gain from being able to use another 1 2 or 3 once a minute, I do appreciate the overheat damage buff.

[photometrik]

Actually you won't even use cooldown once between wildfires. If you overheat every wildfire you'll never cooldown outside of them ever again unless something in that fight goes seriously wrong.

If this is the case, then what is the actual point of Cooldown? Based on how much heat it dissipates, I figured it was meant to maintain between 50 to 100 heat in order to keep Heated Split, Slug, and Clean Shots rolling for higher potency over longer periods of time. I mean, if you are suggesting that you use it during Overheat only, wouldn't that completely ignore its intended function? I'm not trying to be snippy, I'm just honestly confused with these changes right now and it's rather frustrating because MCH seems to be moving well away from what I thought it was supposed to be (and what I was actually starting to enjoy).

[RiceisNice]

If this is the case, then what is the actual point of Cooldown? Based on how much heat it dissipates, I figured it was meant to maintain between 50 to 100 heat in order to keep Heated Split, Slug, and Clean Shots rolling for higher potency over longer periods of time.

This is my issue with them not reverting the heat gain to 10 as well. Cooldown feels like it has less relevance in a MCH's tool kit with how little heat we generate. They should be aiming for MCH to not be overly punishing with overheating improperly (lowering BS' cooldown and lowering the damage loss from said overheat), not making it harder to accidentally overheat and invalidate one of their gameplay elements.

[Elnidfse]

If this is the case, then what is the actual point of Cooldown? Based on how much heat it dissipates, I figured it was meant to maintain between 50 to 100 heat in order to keep Heated Split, Slug, and Clean Shots rolling for higher potency over longer periods of time. I mean, if you are suggesting that you use it during Overheat only, wouldn't that completely ignore its intended function? I'm not trying to be snippy, I'm just honestly confused with these changes right now and it's rather frustrating because MCH seems to be moving well away from what I thought it was supposed to be (and what I was actually starting to enjoy).

I was corrected and that you can overheat before WF since you'll still be able to weave the two ticks you need to get to OH without wasting a GCD. But as a heat management tool? Cooldown is finished. Heat management is rather finished as well. MCH will probably never need to manage heat again.

But it does make me wonder what in the world our AoE is going to be. FT WILL OH you halfway into it's duration. It takes way too dang long to get to OH normally so it's hard to snapshot it for it's 10 seconds. And you can't do 9 seconds of FT in (for example) V3S anymore for the extra aoe potency because you'll end up just OHing yourself and throwing your CD's out of sync. I just don't get it. What happened to 4.0 MCH.

[Rivez]

I'm not a fan. I liked the managing heat the most out of the new class changes.

I was actually hoping for everything going back to ten heat per shot and a small potency increase while you are in it.

Doing it the overheat for power way just makes it less unique and more like all the other classes that build up to a super form for a bit of extra damage for a while.

At least I'll kill more i guess.

[photometrik]

This is my issue with them not reverting the heat gain to 10 as well. Cooldown feels like it has less relevance in a MCH's tool kit with how little heat we generate. They should be aiming for MCH to not be overly punishing with overheating improperly (lowering BS' cooldown and lowering the damage loss from said overheat), not making it harder to accidentally overheat and invalidate one of their gameplay elements.

I'm with you on this one. I feel like Overheating shouldn't be nearly as much of a penalty. Just bonus or no bonus. Forget the lockout period and having to reapply GB- just have it reset heat to 0. Having to climb back up or use Barrel Stabilizer to get to Heated Shots is plenty without all the needlessly clunky stuff in between is enough. Besides, if I recall correctly, this whole expansion was all about simplifying things and minimizing the time we spent staring at our bars (heat gauge included) through a whole encounter.

[Elnidfse]

So what's going to come in 4.1? Just flat out remove the heat gauge?

[photometrik]

I was corrected and that you can overheat before WF since you'll still be able to weave the two ticks you need to get to OH without wasting a GCD. But as a heat management tool? Cooldown is finished. Heat management is rather finished as well. MCH will probably never need to manage heat again.

This is pretty disappointing, imo. That was the whole draw of the class in Stormblood. SE should have focused on making Overheating less punishing and decidedly less clunky, while making subtle tweaks to increase our damage output. But instead they went the route of making the existing mechanics obsolete without even bothering to get rid of them entirely. It's like they are saying, "Oh, look- this class has fun mechanics and really good ability synergy to make those mechanics work...except now we're going to make it so you never want to use those abilities the way you're supposed to." I can't help but say...huh?