I really don't read these forums as often as I'd like to but I am going to post this anyway since it's an idea I've had in "beta" for awhile myself. Slam me, love me, hate me, whatever. It's just an idea after all.

-----
I've been cooking up an idea for Battle Regimens that will put an interesting spin on the new system. I don't mind the queuing of abilities, so long as we can still auto-attack and use other spells while in queue. Just lockout the use of the queued ability and reserve the TP for it as well.

Anyway, I think that the effects need to be expanded upon greatly. Currently there is only really use for two BR effects; Ruin and Constraint. Occasionally you might use Trauma, but rarely will you ever use Despair. These limitations make for very monotonous battle and by now, many of us have mastered the use of these battle regimens. We're looking for something more dynamic and yet something that we are also in control of.

Part I
So what I would propose is a much more on-the-fly BR system. Coupled with the suggestion for queuing above, I would like to put this forth:

Allow effects to be generated in the same way they currently are, but instead of just taking an attack's "category" into consideration (physical attack, magical attack, physical attack skill, magical spell), instead move the system to recognize "damage type". Effects will then be generated by utilizing two or more abilities in succession, much the same as it is now. Here are some effects that can be generated (please keep in mind that these are examples):

Template
Damage Type > Damage Type (Effect Name)
Effect description.

Blunt > Blunt (Daze)
Knock-back or Stun effect (and spell interrupt). Lasts 5-10 seconds depending on target's VIT versus the combined STR of the players using the weapon skills. The target becomes staggered and cannot use weapon skills an additional 20s after the initial knock-back or stun wears off.

Blunt > Slashing (Bruised & Cut)
The initial blunt damage softens the blow and the follow-through with a slashing weapon causes extra damage. All slashing damage for the next 10s receives a 10% damage bonus OR defense against slashing damage is reduced by 10%.

Blunt > Piercing/Projectile (Puncture)
You cause the target to writhe in pain. All piercing or projectile damage is increased by +10% + a factor equivalent to the DEX of the players using the weapon skills for 30s.

Slashing > Slashing (Bleeding)
Your combined slashing attacks cause a large gaping wound in the target! The target gains a "bleeding" effect which causes damage over time calculated as some factor of the player's STR using the skills for a period of 30s.

Slashing > Blunt (Fester)
Your slash followed by a blunt-based attack softens the area around the wound, causing it to fester greatly. Blunt attack damage is increased by 20% for the next 30s and the mob's rate of attack is severely slowed.

Slashing > Piercing/Projectile (Agony)
You slash open a wound and your comrades follows up with an attack that plunges deep into the heart of the wound! The target receives a damage over time effect based on the combine DEX of the attackers. Furthermore, the target's rate of TP gain is severely slowed.

Piercing/Projectile > Blunt (Hit & Run)
While Hit & Run is in effect, the target's attack is reduced by 20% when attacking targets with heavy armor and 10% when attacking targets with light armor.

Piercing/Projectile > Slashing (Punish)
While Punish is in effect, the target's movement speed is slowed and weapon skills have an increase chance to incapacitate their targeted areas.

Piercing/Projectile > Piercing/Projectile (Torture)
While torture is in effect, the target's physical and magical attack power are reduced by 25%. Effect duration is a function of player's combined MND (or something).

<Now you can further flesh this out with spell damage as well. I will not since this is just a baseline idea proposal>

Sorry, I am not the best at coming up with effect names. Some of these stink really bad! Anyway, this is the first part of my idea. Read on!

A side note on this: Since a number of weapon skills also target certain body parts, the effects generated by the "closing" weapon skill can be applied in greater regard to the area the weapon skill targets.

For example, if you were to use "Puncture" from above with the following attacks: Spinstroke II > Shrieker, then the effect's base might be 15% instead of 10% to the head area (since that is what Shrieker targets).

Part II
Now, in order to bring in-game battle dynamics together, there ought to be abilities that take advantage of the added effects these new BRs give to mobs. Outside of damage bonuses/defense reduction against certain types of attacks, specific abilities should be able to 'stack' with the effects to create new ones.

Example: Existing effect enhanced by single ability
The party has recently inflicted "Bleeding" effect on the target. Certain abilities may be able to extend that bleeding effect or turn it into something else (like disease maybe!). So let's say this target has bleeding and I use Skull Sunder II. It may create a new bleeding effect on the area that the weapon skill targets (head) or extend the current bleeding effect by some factor of time (maybe +5s, but only extendable once per bleeding effect).

Example: Existing effect transformed into a new effect via stacking
The party has decided to utilize two BR effects into one stack, bleeding and fester. To do so, they must utilize the following in order:

Slashing > Slashing [bleeding] > Blunt [adds fester]

This is much like BRs already work. However in this scenario, bleeding and fester are added together to make a combined effect called "Nauseating Wound", which combines the effects of bleeding and fester while adding +50% to them (DoT effect from 30s > 45s, blunt dmg increased from 20% to 30%

Part III
Anyway, this is an idea I've been thinking about for awhile. Yes it does combine some elements of FFXIV and other MMOs, but it also adds a great deal more decision-making and dynamic playing to the process. Here are the highlights of the proposal in case you didn't read it all or missed some in the text:
  • Actually takes into account player statistics for enhanced effects.
  • Grants certain damage types additional bonuses throughout the fight (this allows players to choose BRs based on party makeup).
  • Can allow for the utilization of cross-class skills better, as well as increased use of lesser-utilized weapon skills (assuming these are improved somewhat).
  • Promotes SYNERGY in battle. This is what the game severely needs!

Remember that both parts of the proposal should be considered together. One is OK but they work best in conjunction with one another and are meant to go hand-in-hand in the mmo world.

-----
Questions and comments welcome, but I do not check this board too regularly so responses may not be too fast. Please do keep in mind that this is just an idea. In no way am I putting this forth as a suggestion to SE, but it is on their boards now and they can do with it what they wish (and if you want to hire me, I'm available all day Wednesday for an interview ).