Suggestion: Merit Points

[Mimilu]

I suggest that we bring in a system like the Merit Point system from XI.

What are Merit Points?
Back when XI's level cap was 75, players could still collect exp after maxing a job's level and convert to Merit Points (10,000 exp = 1 Merit Point).
These Merit Points could then be traded in for improvements like stat boost or new abilities and traits or upgrades to said improvements. There was a total of 5 General Categories of improvements: HP/MP, Attributes, Combat (which was then split into Weapon Skills and Defensive Stats), Magic, and Other(Critical Hit Rate, Enmity, Spell Interruption). Each of the General Categories could be only upgraded a certain number of times, with each improvement having a max number of upgrades.
Additionally, each Job had their own unique Merits in the Job-Specific category.
The Job-Specific category was then split into two groups, Group 1 and Group 2.
Group 1 dealt with upgrading skills and traits the job already possessed, while Group 2 introduces new ones. Just like the General Categories, both Groups in the Job-Specific category could be upgraded a certain amount of times, with each improvement having a max number of upgrades.
Players could cancel any Merit Point spent but would not receive those spent points back. Additionally, a character could only carry a total of ten Merit Points on them at a time, with any new ones gained lost.

Okay but why bring them to XIV?
Well, for starters, the level cap. We already had people reach 60 during the game's early excess and more and more people are getting their main's and secondaries (and even more then that) to 60. Judging from how long it took for use to get an increase to 2.0's cap, we might have to wait til a new expansion til we get any new toys for our jobs. This is where Merit Points come in. A Merit Point system could easily introduce new skills to players with out handing it to them.

Additionally, this would add a semblance of customization to the game. There have been a vocal few who have voiced their their want for more choices in how their character/job grows, well this could help with that. Yes, I am aware that "Popular Builds" will spring up but a popular choice always comes with the ability to choose.

[StrejdaTom]

I really like this idea as I would love further character progression.
But I expect most people to flame this idea because they don't want to grind more or be pushed into some more grind by their statics.

Do I understand it right that there would be some limit which would make it unable to cap all the merit categories to max?

[Mimilu]

I really like this idea as I would love further character progression.
But I expect most people to flame this idea because they don't want to grind more or be pushed into some more grind by their statics.

We already have to grind for equipment and tomes and other stuff but it's all linear, going in one direction, versus this, where we are grinding for multiple choices on what we can get.

Do I understand it right that there would be some limit which would make it unable to cap all the merit categories to max?

Each Category has a max amount of merit points they can have and then each improvement in a Category has its own max amount of merits.
For example, in the Combat Category, you can have a maximum of 56 points total but then each individual improvement had a max of 8 points.
Additionally, as you spend more points on a specific improvement, the amount of points you had to spend on it could go up.
Taking the example of the Combat Category, the price for an individual improvement would start at 1 point to unlock it, then 2 for the first upgrade, then 3 for any further upgrades.
The cost of points varied with different Categories.
One thing I didn't mention in the OP, all the improvements from the General Categories were shared with all Jobs on your characters (with restrictions to lower level jobs, naturally). Naturally, I don't think this should be implemented, so I didn't add it. >w>

[StrejdaTom]

Yeah this game misses any form of horizontal progression. Your suggestion would add atleast a little bit of it and it would make the character progression feel much in-depth.

I really hope they will add something like this one day.
It doesn't have to be OP, even small bonuses would be appreciated.

[Kaedan]

If they add a merit point system, it should only be added when they hit the level cap they want to stick with for a long time. If the next expansion doesn't raise the level cap, then that would be a good time to implement it. But if the next expansion does raise the level cap, there's no point in starting the merit system yet.

[Moonleg]

I always kind of liked the AI and Research levels in Anarchy Online.

At any point while leveling or at max level, you could either go kill a lot of aliens for AI, or allocate a percentage of your normal XP to Research. As these gained levels, you got Perks; essentially a kind of skill point you could put in, for instance, getting +10 to all stats (would probably be more like +1 here, as AO left you at something like 1500 in each stat at max level), increasing specific weapon skills, getting better evades or tank skills and so on and so forth.

The point was that you could choose to do this at any time, meaning there were points in the game when you were better off switching to Research for a little while for faster stat gains rather than forging ahead for max level.

I also miss how advanced the game's skill system was for its time, so maybe I'm just nostalgic. I don't know if I would have the patience for that anymore.

[Galactimus]

It's a little too early for this. We literally -just- burned through 80 ilevels worth of gear in a month, gained 10 physical levels, and our stats were practically doubled. A Merit system works well but we still have Esoterics and Alexander drops on our plate.

[Dhex]

Just gonna drop this here; I would like to see Merit points.

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...ess-concept%29

[Bishop81]

Won't work in the WoW-like model FFXIV is pursuing.

It will be difficult for latecomers to "catch up" - unlike with gear which you can just buy of a vendor after a bit of grinding.

I can see the appeal of getting more (optional) abilities but that is a no-go as well as it will mess up raid balance - in addition to making it harder to for latecomers to raid.

Basically anything that has to come into "contact" with raiding is "constrained". There are many things you cannot do.

[Shougun]

To be honest I'd prefer something more blizzard*, I know - I'm an awful person, but I'd rather see something I can fiddle with easily than something that will probably compound punishment for poor choices. Besides the obvious "Meritlvl10 or kick" for some content I can't imagine trying to be a tank in the first level 60 dungeons as a fresh 60 and playing with completely decked ilvl250s full merit allocation, it'd be insane lol. So I'd like to see customization but I'm not particularly excited about a merit system for that.

*While yes there is WoW and their tree I was actually thinking more Diablo 3, a lot went wrong but being able to make a build without seppuku was nice imo. They made you live with your build during combat but beyond that just switch out whatever wasn't working for your style or team.