Why is BLM getting a buff?

[Raestloz]

And if it doesn't, who's bright idea was it to not include it in the damage calculations?

The problem lies in the fact that they want BLM to only use Fire and Frost. They throw a bit of Arcana there like Scathe, but mostly Fire and Frost

I don't like the idea of that, I agree.

But I don't know how to implement elemental weakness. If you include a weakness, everyone will start using only magic class. If you only include strength against, even if you include multiple magics they'll just use either one and be done with it.

BLM itself needs to be overhauled. The current idea is just terrible, but I don't know how they can achieve it.

And why, for all that is holy, is Fire not the DoT and Thunder be the direct damage?

[Kiara]

But I don't know how to implement elemental weakness. If you include a weakness, everyone will start using only magic class. If you only include strength against, even if you include multiple magics they'll just use either one and be done with it.

@ Rygaen, Raestloz,

Good questions about Elemental Weakness. There were a lot of good threads and feedback to the Devs during 2.0 Beta from myself and many others. An Elemental system is one of those staples and fits "Final Fantasy" so well, but Yoshi P decided against it. Even back then, many of us felt it made no sense that you're nuking and damaging Ifrit (a being of pure FIRE), with "Fire" spells, LOL.

Some of the suggestions would've worked, such as:

* Melee Classes could have Weaponskills with Elemental Aspects to them (e.g., "Red Lotus Blade" (would have Fire Damage Properties in addition to regular Damage)).

* Materia could imbue a Job with Elemental Aspects (e.g., an "Ice IV" Materia could grant "+ Ice Damage"). (Of course this was before their decision to make Materia meldable gear generally less powerful.)

* And ultimately we weren't asking for any game-breaking Bonus Elemental damage; just enough to make it worthwhile and interesting.

Final Fantasy feels better with Elements meaning something. It's more engaging IMHO.

The irony in all this is that Yoshi P's answer back in Beta was that Elemental Systems would lead to imbalance because people would just play Black Mage (or any Elemental user). But here we are at 2.28, and there are clearly imbalances, and hierarchies for Job / DPS output, etc., and BLM is actually not desired.

Removing the Elemental Wheel didn't make all the Jobs "balanced" nor "even" in terms of usability at all. It's just led to blander, vanilla Jobs.