Letter from the Producer LIVE Part XXI Digest Thread

[Bayohne]

*The stream shows off a video demonstration of bard actions. Please note that all action names are tentative.

New song: The Wanderer’s Minuet
This is a song that is very unique as it can be used while the effects of other songs are up and it is also an action that kind of changes your stance. While under the effect of the Wanderer’s Minuet, you’ll be able to deal high amounts of damage by charging up your bow. However, casting times will be added to your actions and you won’t be able to use auto-attacks while under the effect of Wanderer’s Minuet, meaning that you won’t be able to attack while moving anymore. Different from other songs, the Wanderer’s Minuet will not consume MP.

New ability: Sidewinder
This is a special physical attack that will increase the effect of your DoTs already applied to enemies.

(*Edited information on the Wanderer's Minuet at 4:37pm on 5/22)

[Bayohne]

*The stream shows off a video demonstration of ninja actions. Please note that all action names are tentative.

We haven't made any drastic changes to ninja.

However, currently there are more times where you continuously use Huton which caused many situations where other ninjutsu wasn't being used as effectively. Therefore you'll be able to extend the effect of Huton. By combining new weapon skills in the rotation you’ll be able to maintain the Huton effect, so you can now use ninjutsu other than Huton to output much higher DPS.

Furthermore, we have added positioning to several weapon skills. Current ninja doesn’t have much positioning and was able to attack from any direction freely, so we included positioning for some.

Other than this, we added an ability which adjust another party members enmity. Ninja’s specialty is to be able to deal large damage from the start of the battle, so this skill is in place to support the tank in a situation where the enmity becomes unstable.

[Bayohne]

*The stream shows off a video demonstration of monk actions. Please note that all action names are tentative.

The original concept for monk was to maintain Greased Lightning III, but instead of adding actions to aid in maintaining this effect, we added technical elements where you can utilize Greased Lightning and also made adjustments to eliminate the downtime during phases or mechanics of a boss where you can’t do anything.

We’ll be adding a system known as Chakra. You’ll be able to gain up to 5 stacks of Chakra, and once reaching the maximum amount you’ll be able to execute a high damage weapon skill. Additionally, you’ll be able to use Chakra to restore TP to yourself. Furthermore, there will be an ability that will allow you to change your form and a weapon skill that consumes Greased Lightning.

With all of these new elements, you’ll be able to spend your Greased Lightning right before a boss becomes invulnerable, progress through your forms while saving up Chakra until you can attack again, and then gain Greased Lightning again. With this, there will be no downtime.

[Bayohne]

*The stream shows off a video demonstration of machinist actions. Please note that all action names are tentative.

Machinist's role is similar to bard. However, the play style and the awareness for the job will greatly differ.

Their major speciality is to use buff called ammunition, and by using stacks of these it’ll add various additional effects to the weapon skills.

Reload
By using this, you can reload five stacks of ammunition. Not only will you reload when you use up all the stacks of ammunition, but you can reload when not out of any ammunition to increase the damage efficiency. Additionally, there is an action called quick reload which will instantly load one ammunition for use in dire situations, so use these utilities to manage the amount of ammunition you have.

Weapon skills work a bit differently. There are weapon skill combination where you use shot 1, shot 2, and shot 3, but using shot 1 gives a 50% chance of boost to shot 2, and another 50% chance to boost shot 3. By using ammunitions you can make sure the boost procs. Furthermore, machinist has many unique actions, such as Wildfire which charges the damage and attacks at once, and turrets which will affect party members in range, so we would like for you to try it out.

[Bayohne]

*The stream shows off a video demonstration of summoner actions. Please note that all action names are tentative.

We’ll be making various adjustments to summoner which includes an action that simultaneously applies Bio, Bio II, and Miasma effects in exchange for Aetherflow, an attack that deals magic-based damage, and two other new actions at level 60 that will largely change your current rotations.

The ability Tri-Disaster has had its name changed to Tri-Bind since the effect didn’t make sense with the original name. In exchange, the aforementioned ability action that applies all three DoTs will be known as Tri-Disaster.

During development, we thought long and hard about this, but we will not be adding new egi at this time. Looking at the long-term, instead of adding more pets, we felt it better to give more use to the job by adding actions to summoner. However, I’m sure many are wondering if they will have to continue looking at the same egi forever, but we are planning to add a system in the future that will allow you to change the appearance of your egis, including Carbuncle, but their stats will remain the same.

New action: Dreadwyrm Trance
Considering rotations with an Aetherflow recast of 60 seconds, the first 30 seconds are spent casting DoTs, and the remaining 30 seconds is where this action comes into play.

Dreadwyrm Trance is an ability that summons the power of Bahamut. While under the effect of this ability, you’ll be able to gain stacks of Bahamut Aether, which you can then spend with an action.

[Bayohne]

*The stream shows off a video demonstration of white mage actions. Please note that all action names are tentative.

White mage is designed as a pure healer job, so we introduced additional healing abilities and other abilities which they are currently lacking.

There are abilities, such as Asylum, that creates a healing field, and a skill that can be used to attack and heal at the same time called Assize.

Additionally, Benediction was the only healing ability which can heal instantly, so we will introduce another single target instant healing ability with a lowered effect.

Furthermore, we will introduce Stone III and Aero III which will be the main attack spells, as well as new ranged DoT spells.

Aside from additional components, white mage was the only job that could increase magic defense by using Protect; however, with the addition of a third healer job, we made it so other jobs will also can use the fully buffed effect of Protect as part of a balance adjustment.

[Bayohne]

*The stream shows off a video demonstration of scholar actions. Please note that all action names are tentative.

Instead of just simply increasing a scholar's abilities, we made adjustments by adding actions that require you to really think about their use and the best time to utilize them. There are many actions which are useful during boss battles, so you may feel that it hasn’t changed much while running through instance dungeons.

New action: Indomitability
A new AoE healing action will supplement scholar’s current AoE healing strength, which may have felt a bit weak up until now.

New action: Deployment Tactics
This action will extend the effect of Adloquium and Eye for an Eye that is on the target player to other party members in range.

New action: Emergency Tactics
Instead of adding a barrier effect to Adloquium, this action will give addition healing power for the amount of the effect of the barrier.

New action: Dissipation
With this action, you dismiss your fairy in exchange for magic power.

[Bayohne]

*The stream shows off a video demonstration of astrologian actions. Please note that all action names are tentative.

There are two stances, Diurnal Sect and Nocturnal Sect, which you can switch between. One of them is simply a healing stance much like white mage, while the other uses barriers much like scholar.

Depending on which stance you are in the effects of each ability and spell will largely vary, so first it would be best to get used to one stance and then try and master the next.

Additionally, you’ll be able to use actions such as the barrier created by Y’shtola in the main scenario and you can draw cards which will give various types of buffs.

Depending on the card that you randomly draw, you can gain effects such as enhanced attack power, haste, and also damage reduction. Furthermore, you can use the ability Royal Road to return the card you draw to your deck and enhance the next one you draw. There is also an ability to set aside a good card you drew and an ability known as Shuffle to redraw a card. It’s a really fun job where you will have to consider how to use your cards depending on the situation and the card you draw.

[Bayohne]

And of course, you will be able to set additional skills for the new job as well. For example, dark knight will be able to set gladiator and marauder actions.

[Bayohne]

There are multiple levels to Ishgard and when players first visit the city, they will enter through the Gates of Judgement and walk into the Foundation in Ishgard where the scars of war are deeply visible. It’s an area that hasn’t really been repaired.

This area is home to a great deal of lower class citizens, but there is also a building that houses the knights that Aymeric belongs to.

Past the market district, there is an area where the nobility live. This area has been well kept and it is quite beautiful. Additionally, there is a giant tower that has been placed in the center of the area, and the great cathedral of Ishgard is located here as well.

Adventurers that arrive to Ishgard will first walk around the city, and explore using the aetheryte network while grasping the current situation of the town.

Additionally, the guilds for the three new jobs will all reside inside Ishgard, therefore you’ll first have to come to Ishgard if you would like to become one of these new jobs.