To: Producer Yoshida and the FF XIV Team,

Regarding Question #8 on your 2nd Player's Poll:

"The bonus point allotment system was intended to be a means by which players could customize their character's individuality. The free distribution of attribute points has given rise to certain problems, however, such as compatibility issues with the Armoury system, and the lowered effectiveness of the attributes themselves. In particular, this lowered effectiveness of attributes also extends its influence to items, and is therefore something that we feel must be rectified. To do so, we are currently looking into the following two options:

1. Removal of the bonus point system, and the addition of automatic allotment of attribute points based on class.
2. Removal of physical levels, and the addition of class-specific allotment of attribute points for each class based on rank.
3. Would you prefer option 1, option 2, or the current system?"


You said you were "surprised" by the results, but I wanted to shed some light on what some of us are feeling about the current Physical Level / Attribute Points System you have now, and why ~85%(!) of us voted to DUMP the current Physical Level System for something else:

1. The current Physical Level System makes it too hard to change Classes when needed.

You have to spend countless HOURS waiting to "Reassign Points" (and you only get a portion of your Attribute Points back) and wait a few more hours and reassign more points, etc., to finally move the points to the proper configuration you want (say, from a Gladiator to a Conjurer).


2. The current system marginalizes Attribute Points / Stat Points: You have to add an enormous amount of Stat Points (Attribute Points) to see a difference (if at all), with the current system.

Adding ~10 to 20 Attribute Points to any Statistic (STR, INT, DEX, etc.) seems to do very little in the game. But that's because you're allowing us to move HUNDREDS of Ability Points with this system. After waiting hours and hours, and finally getting most of your Attribute Points back, how can any system properly balance someone dumping, say, 150 Points into Dexterity (DEX)?

It "feels" like if you add 150 Points into STR, you should be killing weaker monsters for 9999 Damage or something , but instead you get a slight increase.


3. Related to the above, by allowing a system that can allow people to move / add HUNDREDS of Ability Points around, it really makes Equipment Stat (Ability) Bonuses feel useless in comparison:

If I can add 200 Ability Points into DEX, what good is that +5 DEX Ring (Jewelry) really going to do?

Each point of Statistic improvement on equipment should feel special and you should notice a difference in Combat. Right now, these pieces of equipment feel like they do very little, but it's all we have right now.

Suggestions:

  • By having a system where you can switch Classes and have most of your Attributes switched over, with *some* Attribute Points to customize your Player, that will make it more fun and easier to change Classes in the game. That's why your Option #2 was the runaway favorite:

    "Removal of physical levels, and the addition of class-specific allotment of attribute points for each class based on rank."

So we get some customization, but also have our character easily swapped between different classes without having to wait hours upon hours in the current system.

And, you can now properly *balance* Attribute Points, and make them more meaningful in Combat. It would be nice to see a REAL difference if you just bought a +7 STR (Strength) Ring and saw a marked improvement in damage (not like it is right now, which is hardly noticeable, if at all).

Thanks for listening!