Protect/Shell Duration Increase

[kwestro]

I agree with the OP. Also, Protect & Shell should be combined into one spell. Let it cost 4 action points. Stopping every 5 minutes for a buff is terribly annoying. Mages feel quite useless when players are impatient to wait around for a buff.

[Kiote]

Checked in with the dev. team in regards to the effects or protect and shell and their duration. While there isn't much detail we can go into for specific spells/abilities, they wanted me to pass along their current vision for how they will address them going forward. The thinking is that if a spell has a "long duration," its effect should be less powerful, and on the flip side, a spell with a "short duration" will have a more ample effect alongside it.

Please let them know that this is a HORRIBLE way to look at Protect and Shell. They are staples of the party environment and it would be far beyond obnoxious to have to repeatedly cast them after or during every fight. Protect and Shell should have tiers of power and should last for a long period of time.

[DeadRiser]

Please let them know that this is a HORRIBLE way to look at Protect and Shell. They are staples of the party environment and it would be far beyond obnoxious to have to repeatedly cast them after or during every fight. Protect and Shell should have tiers of power and should last for a long period of time.

No it's not a "horrible" way to look at things.

I mean it's almost the same thing as in other games. The stronger the attack (or job) the slower the class usually is. It's a trade off. They trade off duration for potency and vice versa. Makes perfect sense.

I think they should make the first protect and shell last a bit longer and the second teir protect/shell spells you get should be short like they are now but more potent.

Their logic isn't flawed, and it is supposed to be a nuisance. What will you do? Risk the enmity to cast an AoE buff or sit their and keep healing? The game is finally challenging and here we go with "ZOMG I'M TIRED OF CASTING PROTECT/SHELL"...

[ErnieKeebler]

I vote for a higher MP costs/cast time and a decent but not crazy recast on pro/shell without reduction in power. Increase the buff to 30 mins minimum and lets say about a 2-5 minute recast at about 150 mp each?

These numbers are just off the top of my head but definately don't need to reduce its effectiveness just to extend the duration.

This please.

[Keith_Dragoon]

I vote for a higher MP costs/cast time and a decent but not crazy recast on pro/shell without reduction in power. Increase the buff to 30 mins minimum and lets say about a 2-5 minute recast at about 150 mp each?

These numbers are just off the top of my head but definately don't need to reduce its effectiveness just to extend the duration.

Also to make things "fair" if the spell is used cross-class or casted by/on someone under optimum level the effect is 5 minute duration with a POSSIBLE reduced effect?

[Tezz_Xivectro]

SE, please stop thinking that you're making everything OVERPOWERING!

We're asking for a bare minimum of 10min duration with the same effects they currently have. However, it shouldn't have to always be the minimum for every single little thing. Give us 20, 30 or even 60min durations.
This whole stigma you have about needing to nerf/buff everything in the name of "balancing" is mostly just annoying.

Do you watch too much Full Metal Alchemist or something? Everything doesn't HAVE to come with a cost ("To obtain, something of equal value must be lost").

[Jabo]

Checked in with the dev. team in regards to the effects or protect and shell and their duration. While there isn't much detail we can go into for specific spells/abilities, they wanted me to pass along their current vision for how they will address them going forward. The thinking is that if a spell has a "long duration," its effect should be less powerful, and on the flip side, a spell with a "short duration" will have a more ample effect alongside it.

I would like that very much.
But the general philosophy of protect and shell duration has to change, too. The duration has to increase in general.

Considering this, a Tier 3 Protect /Shell would be nice.
Protect I - very long duration (20min+), low damage reduction (~-5%), very low MP costs
Protect II - long duration (10-20min), decent damage reduction (~-15%), low MP costs
Protect III - medium duration 3-5min, high damage raduction (~25%), high MP costs

Protect II would be your allround Protect, which you are spamming during leves, battles and so on.
Protect III would be for really important fights, when you need every % reduction.

And i also would like to come back on my sugeestion to bind the duration with stats, f.e. Mind.
So the stats are going to balance it for you.

This would be also a nice additional motivation to increase your stat points, which is in my opinion extremely important for an rpg.

[Illy]

I honestly don't get the devs logic behind this. I mean in FFXI protect and shell has the same if not more of a effect as FFXIV's does and those lasted far longer so why not do the same in FFXIV? I mean with how fast paced the battles tend to be it's somewhat annoying having to stop and cast the spells over and over(what is basically every battle unless you are fighting something really weak that dies quickly).

[Meleena]

Also to make things "fair" if the spell is used cross-class or casted by/on someone under optimum level the effect is 5 minute duration with a POSSIBLE reduced effect?

What reduced effect?
You mean that theres an effect right now and you want this to be nerfed on non mage classes? :P
Anyway joking aside, seriously, make spells working!
I could notice the damage decrease on my charactr in FF11, but I cant even see the changes in this game...

Oh and no!
Shell and Protect should remain 2 different spells, never combine them!

[Phenidate]

Honestly I agree with the sentiment that these two spells fail to matter during their duration.

Choosing whether or not you cast protect is about as compelling as taking a daily vitamin. Its not fun but you should do it because its supposed to be good for you.

If the Dev Team's stance on abilities is: powerful buffs should have shorter durations... I'm afraid I must report a massive game balance breaking ability. This spell is like punishing barbs but stuns a monster every time it hits you PLUS dealing damage back at the monster. Whats worse though is the negligible MP cost, a short recast time and a duration that's almost as long as protect! I'm sure you know what spell I mean, but I'll refrain from mentioning it on the forums so that other users won't pick up on it and exploit it at every opportunity.