Suggestion to improve Free Companies.

[Saziel]

When you're gathered together with at least 3 other members of your Free Company, it would be nice if there were innate bonuses that are not FC actions, like a power up buff that increases power by 2-5%. Maybe only 2% when you're in a 4-man, with all 4 of you being FC mates, and up to 5% when it's an 8-man.

Currently, other than housing and FC actions, FCs are just another chat channel, and we have linkshells for that. I just don't feel like being in an FC is that big of a deal right now.

[Altijacek]

It's all about ranking. There are already bonuses and such. And I imagine what you just said would be a great implementation when we get to rank 10 or whatnot. It'll happen, I'm almost certain. The company chest is nice, as are the other buffs, and then there's housing, so it'll become more relevant. Just be patient I guess is all I can say XD

[Dijana]

I would like to see something similar to wow guilds with an fc bank or something (maybe with limitations on what it could be spent on) and challenges to be completed with your fc. Even purchasable rewards that are unlocked through the fc completing said challenges.

[LalaRu]

...it would be nice if there were ... buff that increases power... with ... you being FC mates... other than housing and FC actions, FCs are just another chat channel.... I just don't feel like being in an FC is that big of a deal right now.

If you see a FC just as another way to get buffs, you don't need a FC. You need Food.

[Ryuko]

Currently, other than housing and FC actions, FCs are just another chat channel, and we have linkshells for that. I just don't feel like being in an FC is that big of a deal right now.

I believe your problem might be alleviated if you rethought how you think about Free Companies. My free company is always trying to help each other out, whether it be running through a low dungeon, getting someone their first relic, teaching someone an extreme fight, or helping someone get their T5 win. A Free Company is what you make it. The innate buffs are nice, but that isn't why you join a free company -- and if there was some sort of 'buff' to doing things with Free Company members (besides the fact that you know the people and thus SHOULD have an easier time achieving victory), it would discourage people from playing together on PF. What will end up happening is a few HUUUUUUUUGE Free Companies will form that just exist for the sole purpose of people getting that 2-5% buff you are proposing. It would actually reduce the amount of community and differentiation among Free Companies.

[Saziel]

I believe your problem might be alleviated if you rethought how you think about Free Companies. My free company is always trying to help each other out, whether it be running through a low dungeon, getting someone their first relic, teaching someone an extreme fight, or helping someone get their T5 win....

That's my point, though. You can have all of your closest friends in a linkshell, as well. There's not a huge incentive to be in a Free Company.

[Codek]

That's my point, though. You can have all of your closest friends in a linkshell, as well. There's not a huge incentive to be in a Free Company.

A Linkshell is a glorified chat room. It's isolated from the world and has no representation to anyone on the outside.

An FC has an image that is broadcasted to the entire server. It allows it's members to create a community that can be viewed by outsiders (in both good and bad ways).


If your group of friends do not want to be judged by the rest of the server, then a LS is for you. That doesn't mean FC's serve no purpose in the game.

[Clavaat]

A Linkshell is a glorified chat room. It's isolated from the world and has no representation to anyone on the outside.

On the contrary, I use my LS to run events and such because you are not limited by having 1 FC. For example, I have a group of friends I made that are in a different FC run by them. They are attached to the name, house etc so they didn't want to merge. The same can be said about my FC. So we basically built the LS up together and use that way more often as a means to get people together than our individual FC's. The caveat is that there is no LS Message system, so we have to rely on a website to make sure everyone knows whats up, or by word of mouth.

In other words, an LS can be a useful tool for gathering people together from different, existing FC's.

[Codek]

On the contrary, I use my LS to run events and such because you are not limited by having 1 FC. For example, I have a group of friends I made that are in a different FC run by them. They are attached to the name, house etc so they didn't want to merge. The same can be said about my FC. So we basically built the LS up together and use that way more often as a means to get people together than our individual FC's. The caveat is that there is no LS Message system, so we have to rely on a website to make sure everyone knows whats up, or by word of mouth.

In other words, an LS can be a useful tool for gathering people together from different, existing FC's.

I don't see the contrary, your using a chat system to spread an event by word of mouth. If anything, it sounds like your using a website + LS to do what is basically covered within an FC. If anything changes within the event, then a LS becomes a fairly ineffective way to portray that change without the help of those other utilities (FC messages/Website updates).

[Tiggy]

I believe your problem might be alleviated if you rethought how you think about Free Companies. My free company is always trying to help each other out, whether it be running through a low dungeon, getting someone their first relic, teaching someone an extreme fight, or helping someone get their T5 win. A Free Company is what you make it. The innate buffs are nice, but that isn't why you join a free company -- and if there was some sort of 'buff' to doing things with Free Company members (besides the fact that you know the people and thus SHOULD have an easier time achieving victory), it would discourage people from playing together on PF. What will end up happening is a few HUUUUUUUUGE Free Companies will form that just exist for the sole purpose of people getting that 2-5% buff you are proposing. It would actually reduce the amount of community and differentiation among Free Companies.

Everything this person said times 10 please.

OP, Free companies are what you make of it. You see them as nothing more than chat channels with a buff. That tells me a lot about you and the type of player you are. You don't care one bit about building a community, and that's why you see zero value in one.