Changes to RDM Manafication feel detrimental

[Rychu]

Answering this from a 4 year RDM main and enjoyer of Savage and Ultimate, my view of this might be a bit biased.

My immediate impression is that it feels less satisfying to use when you can't see that you're spending gauge to charge the spells, and it just doesn't feel quite right.

This is really just up to personal preference. Maybe if they made the job gauge turn red when you press manafication that might help with what you are feeling?

But the bigger issue is that as soon as you start having to move around for boss mechanics, or finish off an enemy pack partway through the combo and have to run to the next pack, there's a risk that the timed stacks will run out and you're left unable to perform the third hit of the combo, which means that you miss out on not just that one hit but potentially all the heavy-hitting finisher spells after it.

This was not previously an issue as the time limit on performing the next combo hit is more generous than the time now given to use the three stacks, and even if it ran out, the mana remained available so you could still (much later if necessary) perform a third attack to fill the three diamond markers and access the finisher spells. Now you can be left without enough mana to do that.

This is half true and half false. The previous combo would fall off 30 seconds from your last action of the sword combo if it wasn't completed, it was just an invisible timer. Now you just have 30 seconds total, no exceptions.

Though, I really can't see how this is that detrimental since at most, the previous iteration gave you maybe 32-33 seconds instead of the current hard capped 30 seconds. Sorry.

And honestly if you are that close to killing a boss or trash pack without being able to get your 3 hit combo off, you're better off just holding it for the next pull. Learning when you pop and when to hold is a great way to elevate yourself from the skill floor to the skill ceiling.

I also expect this would be quite inconvenient in deep dungeons where you might have gaps between enemy encounters, and against weaker enemies (particularly with a party) you often can't get a full melee combo in at once. Again, under the previous system that would mean you've still got that mana saved away to use in the next fight, but now you're on a very strict timer to get it all spent.

As mentioned earlier, if I know the pull is going to die without me being able to finish the combo then I hold it. Better to hold to get the full use of it a minute later than to pop it the second it is up and waste 90% of the combo. This is unfortunately just something you have to get a feel for to become a better Red Mage.

Hope this helps! Feel free to find me in game if you need pointers.