Thinking Ahead: Is the Game Doomed to have more Ability Bloat Updates?

[Mysticdraggon]

specifically in future expansions, are we doomed to have consistent Ability Bloat updates as we have just recently?

if so, what would be a solution? less abilities per expansion? i certainly hope not, yet that may seem to be the case if we are just going to loose outdated gameplay along with new gameplay. of course that is only the case if players do consider the gameplay in question to be outdated in the first place and its removal to be justified.

before i give my personal opinion, i would like to hear what the community thinks about this situation that can only become more problematic in days to come.

[RitsukoSonoda]

Well I think something they could do later is have existing abilities on jobs augment or upgrade to a better version. Kind of like how they updated some of the spells that had multiple versions with the same effect but just an increase in potency.

[Mysticdraggon]

Well I think something they could do later is have existing abilities on jobs augment or upgrade to a better version. Kind of like how they updated some of the spells that had multiple versions with the same effect but just an increase in potency.

well i guess you spoke for me on that one.

yes, i do wish they would give current abilities more progressive-based effects and buffs rather than adding more abilities in general. aspects such as range, AOE range, use effects upon weilder/caster, use effects upon enemies, ETC, all with visual-affect updates based on the players level would make current abilities look like something completely different.

[Risvertasashi]

if so, what would be a solution? less abilities per expansion?

They've sort of already done this. SB had less than HW, and axed a lot of old abilities as well.

I would guess this is a trend set to continue. I just kind of worry that jobs at low levels will feel pretty barebone (a complaint now) and will be offputting to newer players.

On the flipside, if SE doesn't change it up somehow, it may feel like they're focusing too much on whatever new jobs are added-- players may complain about neglect to older ones and even more people might rush the new shineys.

I'm not sure loading up on passive traits is the answer, but then, I don't have an easy answer to it myself.

[Jybril]

1. They need to really remove some spells that aren't good...remove it, make it better and not useless.
Examples:
- Fluid Aura - Repose/Sleep. (Keep them in PvP only.)
- Dissipation - Shake it Off.

2. Make traits of spells like they did in SB.
Example: They fixed Lightning from BLM. Has a trait were the spell gets better as you level.
No more 3 Lightnings!...
Then they turn around and do this...
Leylines and Between the Lines should not be separate. Hello bloat!
What would help? Between the Lines is now a trait: Set LL and then press LL again to return back to it.
Then gives BLM a better spell please and thank you lol.

3. They could do what they done in PvP. You use one skill, and it'll change into another.
Example: Warrior can branch off into: Heavy S - Skull S - Butcher B. and Heavy S - Maim - Storms E/Storms P one of those skills can be it's own slot.
So instead of having 6 skills in the hotbar. We would now have 4. Save us 2 slots or 3! If they changed the Enmity combo of Butches Block.
How? Use Heavy S into Maim and replace Butcher B with either Storms E or Storms P.
Hope what I am trying to say here makes sense. xD I confused myself a little.

[alimdia]

1. They need to really remove some spells that aren't good - Fluid Aura - Repose/Sleep for example (Keep them in PvP only.)

They just plain out don't want to remove crowd control abilities, maybe they plan to use them again in normal gameplay, maybe they think newbies could get an use of them, but all the skills people consider useless have some sort of crowd control effect.

Either way the fact that you don't need crowd control in normal gameplay means you can just remove those abilities from your hotbar if you want to.

[Elfidan]

The reason they had such an issue is trying to let every job be everything. Almost everyone had DOT, Damage circles, raid buff, self buff, heal of some sort, status down combo, status up combo, stun, and even enmity effects. Everyone doesn't need to have every effect or ability in some way shape or form. Outside of appearances jobs had almost no flavor to them. I'm certain we have not seen the last of ability bloat , but the true fix is to introduce things that justify replacement in rotations rather than yet another thing we have to do to be "ok" at our jobs.

[AlphaFox]

I can see us getting maybe a new skill or 2 but I am all for the idea of more traits as well level to augment the spells/skills into newer versions. I know some classes at 70 seem to have quite a bit still.

[Ransom]

I guess it's just me, but I really don't understand why so many people consider more options a bad thing. Maybe it's just that I came to 14 from 11 where most jobs had skill and spell lists that dwarfed what we have in 14.

[Chiramu]

Passive abilities are a great way to go. You can have the passive on the existing ability when you level up or have the passive buff your class when you hit that level. All without adding another button to the bar too.

There are MMORPGs that prove you don't need a lot of abilities to play well. Guild Wars is one, Revelation Online and with the ability pruning from WoW(I think Square could've been a lot more drastic with their pruning for SB) it feels really good.

But I love passive abilities. I love them especially because of my anxiety and I don't have to click another activatable at a specific time XD.