Concepts from other MMOs that would be utterly anathema to FFXIV

[Shurrikhan]

Food for thought:

Have you ever played another game that did something that made you think "Oh my god this would blow FFXIV's mind in the worst way" and what was it?

The Armory System.

No, really. 1.x is such a different beast that I'm not sure why the faintest pretense of that system is still here, though whenever I think back to how that system might have worked out today if it had the polish and pragmatism the current game has (or, ideally, even more), I can't help but drool a bit.

For those unfamiliar, the original idea of XIV was that one would build their own "job". Your character had levels but your classes had only ranks, from which you'd learn skills, most of which could be used on any class with varying levels of synergy, and improved your proficiency with the weapon type. If you wanted to be a strike leader with good initiation atop close saboteur and tag-team support, then you'd advance your (character) level primarily through Pugilist and Lancer. If you wanted a more in-the-thick of it brawler, you'd probably go for Gladiator and Pugilist. If you wanted a sturdy tank with high but finite utility and were willing to accept lower output and enmity generation, you'd probably go for Gladiator and Conjurer.

Every class used every stat to some degree, and you could almost consider your character as equal parts a path of stats (Mind>Strength>Intelligence might prepare you well to be a Shockadin, supportive Paladin, or a support-heavy Monk, each of your own making) and a set of weapon proficiencies, each with their own ranges, attack speeds, and idiosyncrasies.

Imagine that in today's XIV: every class would be a collection of gameplay-affecting mechanical traits (at least half of which could synergize well with other classes), jobs would be locked into certain essential traits but could diversify via others, and you'd have numerous options by which to diversify play through your range of experiences rather than just starting each job over as a separate and incohesive experience. At present, a level 80 god-slaying Conjurer turns into a level 1 mouse-slain Arcanist the moment he puts away their cane or wand and dares to read a book. In the earlier vision for the game, though, you'd carry the majority of your strengths with you, but start straight into experimenting with use of ley lines, arcane flows, and raw mana manipulation in order to learn new ways of implementing your existing powers, not necessarily for the stronger but certainly for greater total versatility. If you like to play supportive jobs, then gearing would have that covered: the Mind-high gearing of a White Mage or Scholar would fit straight into playing a support-heavy light-chakra Monk, and if one wanted to experiment with a truly hybrid Red Mage one could start into Dexterity over Strength to better serve swift hit-and-run gameplay than works for both but is especially helpful for playing a bursty RDM. Etc., etc.

[LolitaBansheeMeru]

Food for thought:



The Armory System.

No, really. 1.x is such a different beast that I'm not sure why the faintest pretense of that system is still here, though whenever I think back to how that system might have worked out today if it had the polish and pragmatism the current game has (or, ideally, even more), I can't help but drool a bit.

For those unfamiliar, the original idea of XIV was that one would build their own "job". Your character had levels but your classes had only ranks, from which you'd learn skills, most of which could be used on any class with varying levels of synergy, and improved your proficiency with the weapon type. If you wanted to be a strike leader with good initiation atop close saboteur and tag-team support, then you'd advance your (character) level primarily through Pugilist and Lancer. If you wanted a more in-the-thick of it brawler, you'd probably go for Gladiator and Pugilist. If you wanted a sturdy tank with high but finite utility and were willing to accept lower output and enmity generation, you'd probably go for Gladiator and Conjurer.

Every class used every stat to some degree, and you could almost consider your character as equal parts a path of stats (Mind>Strength>Intelligence might prepare you well to be a Shockadin, supportive Paladin, or a support-heavy Monk, each of your own making) and a set of weapon proficiencies, each with their own ranges, attack speeds, and idiosyncrasies.

Imagine that in today's XIV: every class would be a collection of gameplay-affecting mechanical traits (at least half of which could synergize well with other classes), jobs would be locked into certain essential traits but could diversify via others, and you'd have numerous options by which to diversify play through your range of experiences rather than just starting each job over as a separate and incohesive experience. At present, a level 80 god-slaying Conjurer turns into a level 1 mouse-slain Arcanist the moment he puts away their cane or wand and dares to read a book. In the earlier vision for the game, though, you'd carry the majority of your strengths with you, but start straight into experimenting with use of ley lines, arcane flows, and raw mana manipulation in order to learn new ways of implementing your existing powers, not necessarily for the stronger but certainly for greater total versatility. If you like to play supportive jobs, then gearing would have that covered: the Mind-high gearing of a White Mage or Scholar would fit straight into playing a support-heavy light-chakra Monk, and if one wanted to experiment with a truly hybrid Red Mage one could start into Dexterity over Strength to better serve swift hit-and-run gameplay than works for both but is especially helpful for playing a bursty RDM. Etc., etc.

I would so prefer that system over the extremely limited one we have now that makes me feel like I'm on a short leash and not even the good kind of leashing.

[Shurrikhan]

I would so prefer that system over the extremely limited one we have now that makes me feel like I'm on a short leash and not even the good kind of leashing.

Any particular builds you'd want to go for, if you could have your preference?

What kind of stats would you go for and which jobs would you apply them through, and with which adaptations from other jobs?

[LolitaBansheeMeru]

Any particular builds you'd want to go for, if you could have your preference?

What kind of stats would you go for and which jobs would you apply them through, and with which adaptations from other jobs?

Well most my builds on games have a flavor of Magic barbarin themed so I would Say Id like to have the warrior aspect with a flavor of High int for flame attacks (similar to path of exiles chieften builds)

so Basicly a type of glass canon removing defense for high hp and int/strength kind of a build where you want to be hit to power up if that was ever a possiblity

thats kind of my overall proplem in ffxiv I'm stuck between the raw power of warrior and he high magic of black mage on what I wan't to focus on.

And then I want to duel weild weapons but I have to play another job for duel wielding (nin or dancer) I just honestly want to have a duel weilding str/int build with magic /and high power with little to no defensive abilitys that when I get hit I hit harder.



Either that Or I want to take summoner and put the Elemental attacks on it like Blizzard,Fire,thunder,water and Air. (I always loved that Summoners casting black magic alongside their summons went really good togeather.

[Kalise]

Any particular builds you'd want to go for, if you could have your preference?

What kind of stats would you go for and which jobs would you apply them through, and with which adaptations from other jobs?

Aww man, with that kind of system, I'd actually be able to play my go to D&D character...

Monk/Ninja that tanks because of ridiculously high evasion and reflex saves... Don't need heavy armour if you just dodge everything that comes at you!

Meanwhile, I'm also attacking really fast, either pummelling enemies down with my fists, or dual wielding shortswords!

But alas... MNK in this game is no tank these days... Also, SE don't know if they want MNK's to attack fast or to keep dumping their attack speed (At least Riddle of Fire no longer has the SkS down attached to it...)

I would so prefer that system over the extremely limited one we have now that makes me feel like I'm on a short leash and not even the good kind of leashing.

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

City of Heroes - where a typical dungeon pull could have a mob stack size over 40... including multiple bosses...

Ahh yes, wouldn't FFXIV players love the old CoH dungeon runs, where you'd pull literally the entire dungeon and then AoE everything down.

So popular was this tactic that they eventually nerfed AoE's to have a hard cap of 20 targets they could hit per cast.

Which also then killed the Tanker archetype because its higher natural defensive stats then became obsolete when pulling more than 20 enemies wasn't worthwhile leading to Bruisers and Scrappers with higher damage being the new go-to Tanks...