Itemization in this Game is One-Dimensional

[ApolloGenX]

One of the main problems I have with the game so far is that everything and everyone is so "cookie-cutter"

Since all gear is basically just a "stat-stick" for a certain slot, there is very little variety, and a very strict upgrade path.

It would be nice if there were additional effects on weapons/items to make equipment choices more interesting. Maybe this is planned for the future.

For example: Moogle weapons are my personal favorite weapons in the game. I think they are better looking than relics. It would be nice if they had additional effects... such as a mage staff that occasionally procced a moogle that shot a fireball at the target or whatever.

Currently, items are flat and dull, and gear is either directly superior or inferior, leading to bland no-thought choices, and everyone looking the same.

TLDR: Some variety would be nice. I am not suggesting the FFXI gear swapping macro nonsense... just something beyond "Is I-level higher than current item? Yes = upgrade No = Pass". There isn't even elemental resist gear in game. There are secondary stats... but that is a very minor consideration to be the majority of your gear "system".

[KamikazeMan]

ARR is still relatively new. Give it till the 4th or 5th content update before expecting that kind of variety. Right now it seems like they're just rushing what they can out the door.

[ApolloGenX]

ARR is still relatively new. Give it till the 4th or 5th content update before expecting that kind of variety. Right now it seems like they're just rushing what they can out the door.

Perhaps, but consider that there are so few stats- that is part of the issue, imo. For example, at release EQ had elemental resists as well as stats for mana regen, health regen effects, etc. You might have a resist set for Naggy... or a gear set for mana regen.

WoW had the same thing with spirit vs. int gear at release. Some priests leaned on spirit for mana regen, while others leaned on int or whatever for bigger heals/mana pool.

I don't know that "newness' is the simple answer here, because the stats are so few and simplified in effect that they don't lend themselves to much flexibility. There is determination and crit... but generally you have what? 4 or so stats on items... with only 1 being much variance?

The incredibly simplified stat system seems like the only wiggle room they have left is either resists or additional effects added to gear... and neither of those is in game.

[Galliano]

And there is also the issue of power creep that a system like current one can cause. here's a great video on power creep by the extra credits team.

http://youtu.be/Bxszx60ZwGw

[ApolloGenX]

And there is also the issue of power creep that a system like current one can cause. here's a great video on power creep by the extra credits team.

http://youtu.be/Bxszx60ZwGw

I liked that short movie. It really does address my issue with itemization. It's just a numerical progression, while I would like to see those effects they called "incomparables". Those were the effects I was saying can make that I-score fuzzy, depending on the situation.

Thanks! It not only explained some of my issue, but also validated some of my suggestions for helping.

[Galliano]

I liked that short movie. It really does address my issue with itemization. It's just a numerical progression, while I would like to see those effects they called "incomparables". Those were the effects I was saying can make that I-score fuzzy, depending on the situation.

Thanks! It not only explained some of my issue, but also validated some of my suggestions for helping.

No problem. You should check out some of their other videos, they have quite a few on the issues we face in MMO gaming.

[Naunet]

Perhaps, but consider that there are so few stats- that is part of the issue, imo. For example, at release EQ had elemental resists as well as stats for mana regen, health regen effects, etc. You might have a resist set for Naggy... or a gear set for mana regen.

Honestly, there needs to be a happy medium. I have zero interest in dealing with dozens of extremely situational stats and spending stupid amounts of time to build a set of gear for one particular fight, only to have to turn around and do it again for a different fight, and another, and so on. There is such a thing as too much.

I liked the balance in stat variety in Cata and early MoP in WoW. The stats weren't so overly specialized as to be useless outside of a single fight (good riddance, resist gear), but generally there were two or so secondary stats that one had to balance, aim for a particular threshold for one stat before you could start stacking another, and so on. Juggling it all could be a mathematical challenge, but it was fun, and it was done without the absurd "I have this set of gear for this fight, and this set of gear for this other fight, etc" nonsense.

[Tupsi]

Honestly, there needs to be a happy medium. I have zero interest in dealing with dozens of extremely situational stats

Just saying: There was almost nothing situational about enhancing the abilities you used and continually use a lot lol. For example Jump, Cure/Holy, Flare, Songs etc are used almost all the time

[Tupsi]

ARR is still relatively new. Give it till the 4th or 5th content update before expecting that kind of variety. Right now it seems like they're just rushing what they can out the door.

Shouldn't take that long considering 1.0 and 1.23, previous versions of FFXIV, had gear like that - It even had MATERIA that introduced additional types of stats and special effects. In all reality, given what else they imported, they should have built the battle system around that kind of itemization rather than the GCD.

[PallasLloyd]

ARR is still relatively new. Give it till the 4th or 5th content update before expecting that kind of variety. Right now it seems like they're just rushing what they can out the door.

XIV is 3 years old. Gear and stats used to have much more variety and room for customization and they made the explicit design decision to dumb and simplify it all down. It's not something that will just get better in time. They remade the entire game and that was something they REMOVED on purpose.