PLD changes; thoughts?

[moroarda]

I wouldn't call it homogenization when it's directly causing the job to underperform due to rigidity of a rotation. Look at Shadowbringers SMN - it did good damage, but one death and it was severely punishing. With PLD, it's not the same, but it's still shown in the fact that DoTs haven't interacted well with PLD's rotation, causing stringent issues to crop up like Atonement Drift, which moves the FoF Window further out of Raid Buffs while you're trying to keep the DoT lined up with it for the end of the Physical Rotation. At least 25% of PLD's damage is from DoTs as well - with the removal of DoTs, it allows PLD to be a bit more free in regards to FoF usage, not having to worry about DoT upkeep all the time when it comes to timing between BoT and Goring(which you did clip a good bit of the time anyhow).

A lot of people are fearmongering about "Oh it's going to become just like WAR!" because of how the development team has treated DRK when in reality it's not going to be with the changes they're already making to its kit.

Take a look a current PLD, and tell me: Do you see something that isn't clunky or missing?

- 2 Burst Windows(FoF and Req)
- 63s rotation
- Missing a whole defensive
- Lackluster/Situational Abilities(Veil, Cover, Passage)

I think this is going to be a better rework for PLD when it comes to taking damage and could potentially fix rotational issues that caused it to underperform(outside of fight design). From the site that shall not be named, GNB/DRK have been the go-to tanks due to the DPS Checks this tier, especially during Week 1 due to P8S's very tight enrage before the HP nerf.

I'm confused as to how this impacts whether or not something is homogenization.

Homogenization is the trend of things becoming more alike. The changes, as they've been spoken about so far and in the context of SE who seem to really enjoy homogenization (just ask healers), seem to lean towards another WAR copy/paste.

Just because that damage model works better within the 2min meta than PLD's current one doesn't change the fact that if they go in that direction with PLD it will objectively be homogenizing.

This reply reads as, "it can't be homogenization, because here is a way in which it could also be a positive," but like... no one is saying it won't potentially be good for PLD's dps numbers, people are complaining about the idea of WAR #3. Those are different complaints.

[HyperiusUltima]

people are complaining about the idea of WAR #3. Those are different complaints.

It's not going to be WAR #3. Both DRK and WAR run the same thing - They rely upon a gauge for their damaging abilities Fell Cleave and Bloodspiller(Shadow for DRK as well). PLD is different in that it relies upon a gauge for defensive cooldowns and reacts differently to tankbusters. If you're worried Req is going to be just doing a big hit, then yeah - it's been that way since Shadowbringers and SE doesn't want to change it. Big Number go BRRR and such. But the design of PLD isn't changing as much as people think. I understand how my reply can be portrayed as that, but people are always first to fear whenever SE touches a job due to past problems(DRK becoming a WAR clone in ShB, SAM losing Kaiten) without looking at things objectively. No matter what you do to a job, people are going to complain about tit or tat. That's a given at this point.

I feel like people's main worry is that with DoTs removed from the job, it's going to lose all semblance of what they expect to be complexity. DoTs on PLD weren't complex however; they were straight-forward, but screwed with its rotation due to the 63s rotation that PLD is notorious for when it comes to Atonement Drift. Most complaints about PLD before this change was announced was around how Skill Speed was a definitive issue next to Holy Spirit being 2.5 the entire time while your actual GCD was lower, thus causing your DoTs to also drift should FoF drift from the Raid Buff Window. The removal of DoTs is to remove the stress that DoTs are placing on PLD's rotation, and allowing them to more effectively apply their damage without being stuck within a strict time window to add in party buffs. With the change, I'd imagine we'd be using FoF as soon as it comes off CD than preparing a GCD for the buff itself.