EXP Parties since patch, ftl.

[Kitfox]

I went 25-50 on MRD in the last couple of days, particularly last night 36-50 in about 13-14 hours. I never had parties before patch so I can't speak for the old system, but at the moment partying seems very viable. Crowd control is not that difficult. Those controlling the crowd are the tanks, usually was a mix of 2 GLA or MRD, PUG could also tank some links. The basic hate moves, Provoke and Flash, are enough to achieve this. If you add a combo to that (on MRD also increases enmity), it's not hard to keep 3 mobs you. With 2 tanks doing all that, crowd control = not a problem. It wasn't uncommon to be fighting 3-5 mobs at once in the strongholds.

Sure, not having spammable AOEs must be slower than pre-1.20, but I don't have that comparison point. MRDs can still use Path Of The Storm + Whirlwind quite frequently, but it might be a bit tricky to start of the combo. It is doable however, even while tanking. With Keen Flurry, it's quite easy to get a WW off at every pull, speeding up the fights considerably. Before strongholds, the mobs didn't really last long enough to have any use for AOEs, so I don't think it's a problem having limited choices at lower levels, at least for party play.

For solo play, however, not having lower level AOEs can be a little problematic, since by leve design you're (almost) always fighting multiple mobs at a time. As MRD I haven't noticed much trouble, since they're pretty sturdy as is and can take the beating, even from multiple targets, but for other non-tank classes it might be troublesome. I don't really know since MRD is my first level 50 class.

Exp parties are awesome. Just my 2 cents.

[Gidonoidon_Sur]

lol so a thread is created complaining about how XP parties now take longer to earn xp in and you create a suggestion trying to slow xp down even more ><

I guess I left out that EXP should/would stay the same per hour in this proposed action. So SE would have to boost the EXP earned per fight. Say they double the HP of monsters, would also double the EXP (simple example).

[LillithaFenimore]

I went 25-50 on MRD in the last couple of days, particularly last night 36-50 in about 13-14 hours. I never had parties before patch so I can't speak for the old system, but at the moment partying seems very viable. Crowd control is not that difficult. Those controlling the crowd are the tanks, usually was a mix of 2 GLA or MRD, PUG could also tank some links. The basic hate moves, Provoke and Flash, are enough to achieve this. If you add a combo to that (on MRD also increases enmity), it's not hard to keep 3 mobs you. With 2 tanks doing all that, crowd control = not a problem. It wasn't uncommon to be fighting 3-5 mobs at once in the strongholds.

Sure, not having spammable AOEs must be slower than pre-1.20, but I don't have that comparison point. MRDs can still use Path Of The Storm + Whirlwind quite frequently, but it might be a bit tricky to start of the combo. It is doable however, even while tanking. With Keen Flurry, it's quite easy to get a WW off at every pull, speeding up the fights considerably. Before strongholds, the mobs didn't really last long enough to have any use for AOEs, so I don't think it's a problem having limited choices at lower levels, at least for party play.

For solo play, however, not having lower level AOEs can be a little problematic, since by leve design you're (almost) always fighting multiple mobs at a time. As MRD I haven't noticed much trouble, since they're pretty sturdy as is and can take the beating, even from multiple targets, but for other non-tank classes it might be troublesome. I don't really know since MRD is my first level 50 class.

Exp parties are awesome. Just my 2 cents.

I think my issue with this is you shouldn't need two tanks o.o;. That just maybe the FFXI in me though. We always had back up tanks and some sort of enfeebler who would deal with the agro until the 1st mob was dead. When I think of a party I always think of XI set up. Tank (NIN or PLD), DD(WAR,BLM,MNK,DRK,RNG), Puller (RNG, THF, WAR), Healer (RDM,WHM,SMN, SCH), Enfeebler (RDM, and sometimes NIN), then that would leave room for one other of w/e I guess. And I know Monks and WARs and I think to a point DNC could act as a tank, but only as back up due to armor set up and subjob.

However, this game is set up differently. We have that luxary of having two tanks, but if you are in a party, where I imagine pulling is the same as in XI, that you should have one mob, and hope and pray for no agro, then having two tanks to control the one mob sounds insane. IDK maybe again it's just that XI mentality I am accustomed to.

Regardless, what about those who solo/duo and have leves to deal with? They desperately need crowd control due to having to take on multiple mobs at once, and God forbid you are a DOM soloing...

[Physic]

I think my issue with this is you shouldn't need two tanks o.o;. That just maybe the FFXI in me though. We always had back up tanks and some sort of enfeebler who would deal with the agro until the 1st mob was dead. When I think of a party I always think of XI set up. Tank (NIN or PLD), DD(WAR,BLM,MNK,DRK,RNG), Puller (RNG, THF, WAR), Healer (RDM,WHM,SMN, SCH), Enfeebler (RDM, and sometimes NIN), then that would leave room for one other of w/e I guess. And I know Monks and WARs and I think to a point DNC could act as a tank, but only as back up due to armor set up and subjob.

However, this game is set up differently. We have that luxary of having two tanks, but if you are in a party, where I imagine pulling is the same as in XI, that you should have one mob, and hope and pray for no agro, then having two tanks to control the one mob sounds insane. IDK maybe again it's just that XI mentality I am accustomed to.

Regardless, what about those who solo/duo and have leves to deal with? They desperately need crowd control due to having to take on multiple mobs at once, and God forbid you are a DOM soloing...

that is jsut the ffxi mentality, it actually makes sense that you should have multiple tanks, at least sometimes, since all of the jobs can handle a monster to some extent. breaking off and fighting different mobs at once and reforming on the tougher mobs, is imo a good and interesting mechanic that allows jobs to also use thier versatility, and make combat less one dimensional.

[Xatsh]

XP is much less per hour now (which I think is a good thing) but honestly no one in my linkshell has been having issues with partying. Just cannot go crazy and pulling 9 mobs at once like before and get 20k xp/6mins. 60-70k/hr seems to be about average give or take 10k. Honestly Rank 40 leves and Partys seems to be about equal SP per hour now in groups. Leves below 40 non-leve groups seems to pull ahead easy.

As for the multiple tank I suggest bringing them if you have 8 ppl. 2 healers, 2 tanks, 4 dd and things will go smoothly. The XI 1 tank mentality needs to be broken with the link system currently in place, it is doable but alot harder and more stress on healers and tanks then it should be.

[Krausus]

take longer than what? last patch? that crap was broken as hell and the rate was (correctly) adjusted.

AoE is not needed to gain the same insane amounts of xp pre patch, you just have to know where to go

[SniperRifle]

Visiting this forum is like going out into a jungle... I never know what I'm going to find next, and I'm real scared.

[MartaDemireux]

In general combo costs are determined by positioning for non ARC DoWs. Havent tried my MRD since patch but in order to use whirlwind for free you must first use Path of Storms. What is unclear to me is if path of storms needs to be executed from behind the target in order to receive free whirlwind.

Yeah the first WS needs to be used from correct positioning, the one that completes the combo doesn't, though. So for ARC I have to run away from the mob and get some distance, then do my WS. I can complete the combo when it's closer than 8 ft. You know you're doing it right when the skill to complete the combo is highlighted in purple.

I just don't see why MRD's don't stagger when they do it or team up with THM's to AoE stuff. I think using whirlwind in a combo reduces the timer on it... or something. With 3 MRD you can do it on every pull, just need the 1k TP for the first WS. 1-2THM's can clean up the survivors with their AoEs. Doesn't really make for any slower leveling in my opinion, just more organization.

[Kitfox]

MRDs Path of the Storms + Whirlwind combo: Build TP to 1500 -> use Path of the Storms from behind mob (running through works) -> Buff Blood for Blood (more dmg), Keen Flurry (lower next WS recast) -> use Whirlwind (no TP cost).

Whirlwind has a really long recast (+1 min, can't remember exact value) so to spam it more often you need Keen Flurry from LNC (lvl26). Path of the Storms still has around 30 sec cool down so that's about the fastest you can spam it, as you need it to open combo for Whirlwind. And Storms needs to land from behind or the combo won't start.

When using combo, only the first WS costs TP, recast timers for skills aren't affected in anyway when doing combos. It's just that, to use Whirlwind without combo you need 3000 TP, in a combo you can use it without TP cost after landing Path of the Storms, which only costs 1500 TP. So it's faster to use Whirlwind after Storms rather than build TP for single Whirlwind execution.

Just to clarify.

[Teknoman]

Visiting this forum is like going out into a jungle... I never know what I'm going to find next, and I'm real scared.

You're a Marauder named Sniper Rifle, you shouldnt be scared of anything