FCoB ilvl Requirement too high?

[Caraway]

I'm with everyone else here: iLVL should not apply to premades, just like party composition does not. Can we at least still go to the actual entrance and queue there as before without iLVL requirements?

Just as a point of reference: BiS for Bards is ~118 because of the power of penta-melded gear. Why should someone with the best gear they can possibly get have to switch to inferior, higher iLVL, gear just so they can enter an instance?

[Malevicton]

Just as a point of reference: BiS for Bards is ~118 because of the power of penta-melded gear. Why should someone with the best gear they can possibly get have to switch to inferior, higher iLVL, gear just so they can enter an instance?

I mean, you don't have to stay in the gear, just swap it back out once you're in. I agree that it's inconvenient, but it's more of an abstract problem then a practical problem since it's so easily circumvented (kinda like character limits; the biggest problem is just that it's annoying, it doesn't actually stop people from posting >1k characters).
Also I know brd bis uses melded gear, and I think some WoD gear, but 118 still seems super low for a bis set. I don't main brd so I'll back down if someone has a source on that, but I'm skeptical about that number.

[Anneliese]

It's high enough for DF, but should not be enforced for 8-man premades.

[Alkimi]

HP requirements would matter if the ilvl calculation actually weighted slots differently. Or if ilvl were actually a reflection of HP. http://ffxiv.ariyala.com/QGBO +10% Echo should meet T13 HP requirements (based on a guide), yet you can't take that into T13.

Edit to remove mistaken sentence about a second gear set I had up.

Above all, weapon alone should be weighted much higher than any other gear. As it stands you could enter with an i55 weapon and still meet the requirements if the rest of your gear is 130.

[Viridiana]

All of FCoB can be done at i110 esp with the echo.

But that isn't the point. FCoB with a static is much easier then FCoB with randoms even experienced randoms. Add in DF option and the higher ilvl is needed to keep the wasted time to a minimum.

Any player that is farming FCoB can meet the ilvl check. Just shuffle in random i130 accessories to enter then swap back to your normal gear.

I don't think anyone's putting up serious complaint about the requirement being there for DF, though. But it doesn't make sense to put the same limit on a preformed party.

[Kaisha]

They really shouldn't apply iLvl checks to premades.

That and an accuracy check is probably more important to FCoB than a general iLvl gate, especially if folks are going to try and run them in WoD gear which has naught for accuracy.

[Zumi]

I'm with everyone else here: iLVL should not apply to premades, just like party composition does not. Can we at least still go to the actual entrance and queue there as before without iLVL requirements?

Just as a point of reference: BiS for Bards is ~118 because of the power of penta-melded gear. Why should someone with the best gear they can possibly get have to switch to inferior, higher iLVL, gear just so they can enter an instance?

No 118 set is BiS you are discounting the damage you get from your main stat, which is a lot more then you get from secondary stats.

[Viridiana]

No 118 set is BiS you are discounting the damage you get from your main stat, which is a lot more then you get from secondary stats.

http://ffxiv.ariyala.com/Q0OL

Is the current accepted BIS, as far as I can tell. The secondary stats at that point really do outweigh the main stat.

[Riepah]

Premades should be allowed to enter with ilvl 1 if they so desire, I hate the artificial restrictions the game imposes on everyone. For Duty Finder it's reasonable enough.

[Eidolon]

http://ffxiv.ariyala.com/Q0OL

Is the current accepted BIS, as far as I can tell. The secondary stats at that point really do outweigh the main stat.

I decided to take a look at it for myself just to see.

Math below

Bard Stat Weights
DEX: 1.000
DET: 0.320
CRT: 0.339
SS: 0.161

Best In Slot (Pentamelds)
DEX 626
ACC 535
CRIT 698
DET 380
SS 399

= 626 + 0 + 236.622 + 121.6 + 64.239
= 1048.461

Best in Slot using Drops/Poetics
*(Disclaimer: I'm sure there's a better way to optimize it, but I just switched 1 piece to hit the accuracy to a not-best piece.)*
DEX 660
ACC 541
CRIT 578
DET 341
SS 363
= 660 + 195 109.12 + 58.443
1022.563

Yea. You lose a little bit going with a full set of drops/Poetics, but as you can tell, it's really not that much of a difference in the long run, and only the most hardcore of players will be taking a set of i120 in instead of a set of i130. At this point in the game, if you're still using the i120 set and you have the full set, it's likely because you were there on week 1 trying to push DPS. Most bards don't go this far.

Not to discredit your thoughts on premades, though. I agree there 110% - your ilevel shouldn't matter. You should be allowed to do this however you want to if you're in a premade.

Edit: Text Limit + Formatting