LL impressions pre-patchnotes: healers still garbo it seems

[Brandedblade]

I'm holding my breath until I see what the proposed Sleeve Draw adjustments are. Even if they aren't catering to certain specific requests oft argued for in this forum, at the very least they are acknowledging that there are key issues with AST that they seek to address.

As far as what we do know. Lightspeed being de-coupled from its MP cut mechanic is a good thing, it means you can hold it for movement as opposed to needing to use it on cooldown. Although what will really determine that is how they adjust Sleeve Draw.

I am worried, however, about how they're going to handle the mp cut half of it, is it going to be tied to a new skill or added to a different currently existing skill?

[Torunya]

... the healers are very well balanced right now ...

I see this word being thrown around a lot. Rather than "balanced," the more accurate term would be to say that they are homogenised. These are two distinctly different things. The former, if done right, will achieve what we all want: fun and enganging jobs with meaningful job identities; the latter only serves to strip whatever distinguishing features there are, making job gameplay monotonous and dull as a result.

Balance =/= Homogeniety

[Crushnight]

Here's the full translator's text:



We won't know more precise details till the patch notes come.

We will see how worth while the changes are, i'm sceptical because 5.0 sleeve draw was different to 5.05-5.3 sleeve draw, if it doesn't tackle the target switching, controller issues will remain, but I see it most likely given 1 of each seal random whether melee/ranged version of it. Makes opener consistent, still be boring though and for controller players just as frustrating since we keep the up to 4 extra button presses per card.

Mp issues should be for nocturnal exclusively that is where it bleeds mp Diurnal doesn't have anywhere near the same issue so they could very easily mess up if handled badly. The fact they are removing the mp reduction(love how they call it a regen it's not it's a reduction trait) to another skill is a little worrying, we are either getting a new skill or Neutral/Horoscope/Synastry/Earthly Star is getting it(can't be moved to draw/play as be overpowered with how long can hold cards, can't go to CU/CO/intersection as they are one and done, not going on dps skills period) and yea only 1 synergizes well with an mp reduction.

For context:
Neutral, you ain't spamming as it applies regens so mp reduction works for 2/3 gcds at most in normal circumstances.
Horoscope is a 1 and done heal
Synastry is the best place for it but the skill is not used often if at all in 4 man content, worthless in solo content, alright if multiple busters in 8 man content
Earthly Star does not need it and makes it very awkward to take advantage of as you want explosion to be the heal not your gcds

[Crushnight]

As for healers overall, they're doing more than I thought, but it is disheartening to hear they once again are focusing on a dps for an overhaul, granted it was the job that needed it the most so fair play they are actually finally looking at it, but still healer downtime really does need to be looked at urgently.

I will say it again i'm giving until 6.0 to see what the devs are going to do, though by all accounts with the silence, severe lack of acknowledgement of issues, that I will most likely be quitting healers in 6.0, shame they were what made me get hooked into the game for as long as I have.

[Risvertasashi]

I see this word being thrown around a lot. Rather than "balanced," the more accurate term would be to say that they are homogenised. These are two distinctly different things. The former, if done right, will achieve what we all want: fun and enganging jobs with meaningful job identities; the latter only serves to strip whatever distinguishing features there are, making job gameplay monotonous and dull as a result.

Balance =/= Homogeniety

"Balanced" is still plenty accurate. Their high end performance is close enough that you can play any healer you want and not get turned away from parties (except in cases where they already have one of the job).

This is true regardless of whether someone might think the jobs are too similar or not.

[Crushnight]

As far as what we do know. Lightspeed being de-coupled from its MP cut mechanic is a good thing, it means you can hold it for movement as opposed to needing to use it on cooldown. Although what will really determine that is how they adjust Sleeve Draw.

You weren't using it on cooldown for movement or the mp reduction, you were using on cooldown for cast time reduction as it lined perfectly with the atrocious sleeve draw windows(you had the right reasoning that sleeve draw is the issue but the wrong reason why it is used on cd).

For it not to be forced with sleeve draw they either have to adjust both cds timers so they cannot sync up or sleeve draw has to not force so much target switching. Something that i'm doubtful they will be adjusting with the up coming change.

[Recon1o6]

tbh, i was surprised even AST got mentioned
I wonder if luminiferous aether is coming back. Hah I can dream >< it'd be a tiny step in the right direction though- the direction of undoing this terrible mess and going back to hw/sb ast when it was fun

Fun>balance in all circumstances. Doesn't matter how balanced it is, if people won't play because its not fun.
You can't try to make all jobs balanced anyway, some will inevitably have higher or lower ability due to their skill ceilings, sure make them tight, but the different playstyles is what matters as that's the core of fun
nobody likes putting tons more effort in for equal ability of its compatriots. There must be some variance, but htat variance must come from player skill not statistical forcement

[Risvertasashi]

but htat variance must come from player skill

I mean if this is what you want you should be pretty happy with the status quo? Player skill, not the job you play, is absolutely the #1 factor in your performance. As things stand now.

But then the rest of your comment makes it sound like you think some jobs should be flat out better. That'd work against your desire I quoted there.

[Torunya]

"Balanced" is still plenty accurate. Their high end performance is close enough that you can play any healer you want and not get turned away from parties (except in cases where they already have one of the job).

I understand that this is the devs intent. They have made it abundantly clear that they want to avoid exclusion of any kind; however, achieving this through homogenising the jobs is not so much an achievement as it is an easy way out, in my eyes. I, for one, think the devs are taking this way too far.

It's fine if you disagree, but I don't think sucking all the fun out of what made the jobs interesting and distinct from each other and then clapping your hands together claiming they're "balanced" is the kind of balance I would want. It's homogenisation through and through. It's not difficult to avoid exclusion if everyone is the same, but this comes with a hefty pricetag -- the loss of diversity. For all the time many of us have invested into this game, we deserve better than that.

[Risvertasashi]

I understand that this is the devs intent. They have made it abundantly clear that they want to avoid exclusion of any kind; however, achieving this through homogenising the jobs is not so much an achievement as it is an easy way out, in my eyes. I, for one, think the devs are taking this way too far.

It's fine if you disagree, but I don't think sucking all the fun out of what made the jobs interesting and distinct from each other and then clapping your hands together claiming they're "balanced" is the kind of balance I would want. It's homogenisation through and through. It's not difficult to avoid exclusion if everyone is the same, but this comes with a hefty pricetag -- the loss of diversity. For all the time many of us have invested into this game, we deserve better than that.

Well, so it's the difference of ends and means to that ends.

See, if you want to see the means to which SE got to the ends isn't ideal... I actually agree with you there.

But as I also tend to prefer playing a certain healer that has spent a good chunk of time being the healer no one wants in their groups, and that some people think should be the inferior healer by default, I'm not quite so eager to throw away balance for a mid-expac rework even if such were viable.