8.0 DPS Job Rework Workshop/Megathread. Goals, Design Principles, and Mock-Ups.

[Raikai]

Just as an overall concept I'd like DNC to feel as dynamic with partner swapping as it is on PVP.

This means, more freedom to hop between Dance Partners. Closed Position doesn't really need a cooldown, since you still need to Standard Finish to activate the buff anyway.

Now, this would be more interesting if Valence's suggestion was there... Like shorter-term buffs with Saber Dance, which is something you press quite often. This as means to encourage the skill ceiling of always choosing a different partner if you think you can seize some bursty potencies outside of the 2min meta. Like a BLM spending Polyglot charges back to back for continuous movement or a Ninja during their trick attacks.

This means a DNC would have 2 opportunities (Standard Steps) to pick a different party member during Technical Finisher's downtime. It would also be necessary to bake in the Standard Finish buffing effect into the Technical Step action, to ensure that you'd be able to fully return to your original partner plan for the burst.


Additional wants for the job:

1) A raise. But before sticks and stones at me, listen out... it's a Dance Partner raise skipping the Brink of the Death debuff (or cleansing it if the person is alive): "Phoenix Step", a 4-step dance that is slightly dps-negative to the rotation (so to add a raise penalty). This tool serves mainly for the DNC to keep their outsourced dps 'going on' after the partner dies, as it returns with no Brink of Death or removes it. It can't be used as an emergency recovery tool for the whole group since you need it to be your partner. And maybe add a hefty recast time from 6-10min to balance it out being an one-time use per fight, if necessary.

2) Closed Position II: A self buff that can't be stacked with Closed Position. It buffs damage done, Standard Finish, Devilment, Curing Waltz, etc, a little further to compensate for the lack of a Dance Partner. This addresses one of the weakest aspects of the job in my opinion, which is the capacity to do well on solo adventures. I don't want to have to swap to MCH just to be able to do well in the PotD solo challenge as an aiming job, for example.

3) I hate the idea of pooling fourfold feathers for the TS windows. If they make Flourish give 3 guarantee feathers, spending them all before the 2min bursts wouldn't be an issue. Honestly spending feathers and getting FD3 procs is one of the coolest things about the Dancer's rotation and surely would make TS downtime less boring.

4) I don't like the idea behind Finishing Move. They don't want Dancers to... dance? If the TS burst was a problem, it's simple! Move the FM buff from Flourish to Technical Step, this way you'd guarantee that it's instant during the hectic burst window.

5) If they really want a cool moment upgrade for Standard Step from Flourish, it could be a <insert neat dance name> Step in which the step key presses actually deals aoe damage, adjusting the numbers to match Finishing Move.