Allowing Gear Change in Active Mode

[KyrsIsley]

I just want to jump in this thread to say that, if they want to avoid threads like these, it would be nice to see some more gear that balances a little of everything a class needs. Some of the AF pieces look more-or-less like "macro pieces"--for example, switching into BLM AF hat just to use Convert. -recast on Convert is extremely nice, but doesn't mean I'd be willing to sacrifice my overall DD for it. Or switching into a lot of crit potency gear (since you can rack up up quite a bit with gear, across many slots) to use Excruciate...

Someone earlier asked "Do you see them doing it" with regard to mages changing gear in combat--and no, you don't. That's not because they don't want to, but because some real sh*t could go down in the 5-10 seconds I spend blinking in/out 8 times and being rooted for a bit every couple seconds.

I guess what I'm saying is that there needs to be more definitive "Best in slot" gear if we're not going to be able to swap. If SE doesn't want me to have an enhancing set and healing set, then make me pieces that enhance both enhancing and enfeebling.

*EDIT:* Just to clarify--I'm not saying make a single piece that has the highest number of all stats, or put all stats on all pieces. But that I'd rather have a balanced piece than either a focus on stat A or stat B, which does encourage having multiple sets.

While I agree with you statement to a certain extent. In my opinion, that's part of the gear selection process. Take your BLM AF hat for example, you may say that it is a piece of gear designed to be "swapped" when you cast Convert. I would argue that, in most scenarios when MP isn't an issue for the length of the fight or the mechanism of the fight. I would simply ditch the BLM AF hat entirely and go for a straight damage/accuracy upgrade hat. However, if today I was soloing my way into a stronghold where I may run into situations where I will need emergency MP to get out of a sticky situation, then I will choose to go in the stronghold with my BLM AF hat for the extra insurance. Moreover, if I went into a instance, and the group is clearing/running our way towards the boss. During the run, I will also switch to my BLM AF hat so that I have more MP on demand, thus reducing the downtime. Once the group have arrived at the boss, then I will switch to the damage/accuracy hat for more reliable source of damage on the boss.

There are other MMOs that have done things more in line with what you said (a more definitive bis), for example: tier sets in WoW. Most of the time, the stats on the tier sets do not make them the bis, but combined with the tier bonus, the gears become desirable. However, in WoW, the tier bonus is usually overwhelmingly powerful, so that picking up tiers is inevitable and no gear selection decisions are required (other than figuring out which piece out of the five is the weakest, usually the case for dps, not always the case for healer/tank). But in the case of FFXIV, some of the bonuses on the AF fall into the category of "nice to have" and is at best a sidegrade, but depending on the situation/encounter it may become the bis. This to me is a more ideal way of balancing the gear.

This of course is simply my point of view, and you are more than welcome to agree to disagree.