Quote Originally Posted by Shurrikhan View Post
Fists of Earth certainly does not convert into added defense that that adds potency when consumed, nor does Fists of Fire apply DoT damage that works like an Ignite mechanic, useful for banking towards periods of burst, yet both those spitballs were mentioned in our conversation.
Wait, THAT was your reworked stances?

I thought that was what Ki was supposed to be doing?

Are the stances JUST that and thus equally boring (With Wind sounding like total garbage) as current ones?

Given that seemingly, there's still little reason to actually swap between them at all. There'd just be one that is strongest and that one will be the "Mandatory" one just like we've seen with current ones (Most likely Earth, unless the DoT from Fire stacks)

Probably because the two have little in common?
How so?

You literally mentioned that in the "3 potential outcomes" that one of the outcomes will be swapping stances a ton to capitalize on oGCD's, Demolish and raid buff windows.

We literally have a case where that is possible, yet no-one does it. Not even simple things like swapping for raid buff windows.

Which is indicative that your "3 potential outcomes" are nonsensical and by far not absolutes.

Thus, allowing for a true "Option 4" in which the stances I suggested aren't locked in combat with it also not devolving into mandatory stance swapping en masse. Creating a system where stance dancing and in combat speed manipulation is possible.

Throw in more defined features of stances (I.e. Bonus damage being weapon skill specific, the "SkS" effect functioning as SkS and so buffing DoT/AA damage etc) and you can even mitigate the potential worst offenders for "Mandatory Swapping" such as trying to triple weave for oGCD's and double weaving for Demolish. With only raid buff windows maybe being optimal to swap to slow stance for.

AGAIN, are you okay with that? Is at best a single system with nuance per job the direction you want to see XIV go in?
No. Not in the least.

But, then again, I wanted Tanks to have better balanced stances that offered more depth of gameplay. Instead they just got axed.

I wanted WAR to evolve past the braindead IR meme cleave spam. Instead we still have it and now have additional meme cleaves only with 9001% more underwheming animations.

I wanted Tanks to have multiple combos that they can utilize for different effects to aid them with tanking, be it managing aggro, aiding with sustain or providing raw damage. Instead, they just neutered every tank down to a single combo with PLD/WAR simply having a secondary finisher to upkeep a timed effect.

I wanted DRK to be given a theme and a place of its own among the tanks. Instead we got "Dark Warrior".

I wanted Healers to be given more reason to interact with their healing skills and more interesting ways to use GCD's. Instead we got more oGCD's, buffs to oGCD heals and the neutering of DPS rotations.

I wanted MCH to get a more engaging gameplay, that would also perform up to standard. Instead we get "Heat Dab" spam.

I wanted BLM to evolve past Fire IV spam. Instead we get more Fire IV spam and continued uselessness of Umbral Ice phases.

I wanted RDM to get more melee usage, allowing them to feel more like a proper melee/caster hybrid. Instead, we get basically no changes outside a more streamlined AoE rotation.

It's clear to me that what I want doesn't matter. That any dreams about having jobs that are designed with engaging systems belongs in Lyhe Mheg alongside any dreams of them doing a coding overhaul to fix all the limitations in the game caused by 1.0 spaghetti code as well as any dreams of them actually designing encounters to facilitate actually fulfilling Tanking and Healing roles where mitigating damage and healing are core gameplay as opposed to simply being DPS that use CD's every so often.

As such, it feels more productive to suggest things that are within the scope of what the devs seem to want to do. Lest we let them do what they want unaided and see "Brand new 6.0 MNK" that features the cool super saiyan mode from the quest added as a boring IR clone where you just spam a GCD "The Forbidden Chakra" 5 times in 10 seconds and that makes up 50% of your total DPS because seriously fuck IR.