Skill Chains and Magic Bursts - Combat coordination

[Combinatoric]

There's something missing from combat in FFXIV. As things are, interaction between players during combat is just like every other "holy trinity (tank/healer/dd)" MMO out there. Tanks worry about positioning and mitigation, DD worry about dealing damage without pulling hate, and healers worry about healing tanks and DD that take hits. All while everyone tries to stay out of puddles. You can find these kinds of challenges in tons of other games.

Meanwhile, the Skill Chain & Magic Burst (SC/MB) system from FFXI was a FF unique combat mechanic that gave great rewards to groups capable of time-sensitive coordination. I recognize that 1) FFXIV shouldn't be an FFXI clone and 2) FFXIV combat is a bit fast for the SC/MB system of yore, but I think there's room add in SC/MB concepts/mechanics, at least for boss fights.

[Bashkarthegreat]

it wont work, combat was soooo slow in XI, it would literally be impossible to tell when someone is using a skill that you are supposed to close for a skillchain, not only that, BLM has blizzard and fire, theres only 2 magic bursts, pointless, wont work.

The Answer is no!

[Combinatoric]

it would literally be impossible to tell when someone is using a skill that you are supposed to close for a skillchain

This is where coordination comes in - macros with <se.*>, voice chat, etc. Beyond that even, you as a pld know Rage of Halone has a big effect that's visible. That's enough!

BLM has blizzard and fire

And there are other casters! Not to mention if/when an expansion comes out they're likely to include other elements.

[Combinatoric]

Bumping once to see if anyone else agrees / thinks I'm an idiot (here comes the flood).

[LobsterBisque]

You do realize that SC MB parties were inefficient even in a game that was designed for it in FFXI? Did you ever set up a SC party after ToAU came out? People realized it was more efficient to use skills whenever than to hold off for a SC.

I see the sentiment in your post but combat in this way is SLOW, not to mention only conducive to fighting one mob at a time.

[Alberel]

Whilst I don't think FFXI's exact incarnation of skillchains and magic bursts would work here I do feel like the combat system could use something extra to encourage coordination. Maybe something similar that works better with faster paced play?

The real difficulty is balancing it though... the bonus damage needs to be significant enough that people put in the effort to coordinate for it whilst also not being so good that content is impossible without it. If I recall FFXI saw skillchains and such fall to the wayside in later levels as the effort was no longer worth it.

[Combinatoric]

I see the sentiment in your post

Then any thoughts on increasing inter-player interaction during combat? Things seem so bland (as far as I've gotten). The only combat mechanic that separates FFXIV from <insert generic MMO> is the limit break system, which is super simple.

[Black_Rose]

we had a great system in 1.0 called the battle regimen system.it got removed to be reworked and later on was announced to be the lol limit break system.
i guess things like SC/MB could have been a possibility with something like comboing regimens, but as with anything great in 1.0, it got removed for more simple/bad things in 2.0.

in other words, never ever expect extensive combat enhancing systems.there is no room for those things, but plenty for housing, pets and those things that will boost the gameplay and make this game so much more interesting

[darkm0d]

Requiring your average party to communicate and coordinate is too much to ask in todays age of casual gamers. I don't think they have any plans to change the incredibly sub par combat system or ever add anything interesting / challenging to it.

[Dragonskin]

Everquest 2 originally tried to borrow FFXI's skill chain, but had the faster combat system we are used to.... that was quickly dropped. People didn't bother doing it because either it wasn't strong enough, didn't have the right party make-up or just didn't care for it.

As much as I would have liked to see something similar return I don't think it would be very popular. Hell you can't even get people to use a healer or tank limit break.....