SAM players are quitting

[Kabooa]

Kaiten was a non-choice if playing optimally discounting edge-cases, but that non-choice was still a lot better than Shinten spam.

You see, that's actually the funny part.

I don't really disagree with you. There's some nuance and detail I could argue with you, but that doesn't really pertain to whether or not Kaiten should come back. I've said it elsewhere - This is purely a gamefeel issue. I can easily see them compromising with having Kaiten give the auto-crit, and frankly, that's probably what will happen.

Another potency shift, Kaiten returns, Kaiten just makes the next weaponskill auto-crit.

You are effectively proving yourself wrong in your own posts by your own logic, but are simply dismissing the situation by saying 'kaiten wasn't that big of a deal, you still have differing methods to stumbling through your rotation.'.

The "point" you made was that the non-choices I provided, the "Pass / fail" mechanics, were actually choices for players to make to improve their damage.

They are not.

They are no more a choice than pushing any GCD in the first place. Literally any GCD being pressed is better than not pressing any. That isn't a choice. That is a pass/fail.

This continues further - It's better to press a combo-starter GCD than literally any GCD at random. That isn't a choice. That is a pass / fail.

This continues further - It is better to complete a full combo than only pressing combo starter GCDs. That isn't a choice. That is a pass / fail.

This continues further - It is better to complete a buffing combo before using a damage combo. That isn't a choice. That is a pass / fail.

Pass / fails are not what we call choices in game design. They are basic knowledge checks that you need only solve once, and after that you already have the answer, and therefore there is no choice in the matter. There is a right answer, and there is a wrong answer.

Kaiten falls under pass/fail. There is a right answer (Sword Draw enhance) and a whole lotta wrong answers (Using it with literally any non-Draw).

So in terms of optimization to improve your damage, Kaiten is already inconsequential, because where you use it is predetermined in almost all cases, and I use "Almost all" because you could make the argument that "I only have 20 Kenki, there's only time for one OGCD slot, and the only GCD I can press is Hakaze, and the boss is about to die / enrage right NOW" and that is...technically correct, and if you want to take that victory, by all means.

And don't take this as me insulting Kaiten. Most things in this game are pass / fail. They provide structure and handrails for players to follow.

I don't hold Life Surge in higher regard than Kaiten, nor Reassemble. I have nothing but apathy towards basically every physical DPS's repertoire of weaponskills, because they almost all fall under the same breadth of use despite their animation differences and their names, and I have nothing but active disdain for basically every weaponskill combo in the game.