Job/Merit points? (Idea)

[Tracewood]

Okay, before people get irritated that I'm bringing up FFXI hear me out.

Among the complaints of "ded gaem" (dead game) between patches, would it be a good idea to put in a way to earn points to enhance our jobs?

Even after hitting level 60, you could still earn exp and say 1,500,000 exp = 1 merit point.

You could then allot it to improve the jobs skills by a small percentage. For example:

For MNK, each merit point into "Greased lightning" will increase the duration by one second for a total of five seconds maximum.
Or say MCH, each merit point into "Turret Damage" will increase damage dealt by turrets by 5% for a total of 25% when upgraded fully.

It doesn't have to be related to skills for job, but can affect stats as well like "Curing potency" for healers, Defense for tanks, STR, DEX, MND, Critical Hit, etc.

This way there would be something for players to work on between patches who complain that there is nothing to do. It would also breathe life into dungeons (in theory), beast tribe dailies, fates, etc.

[Darkstride]

Only if it were implemented in a way that actually promotes choice and diversity with enhancements rather than just a set, clear path.

However, SE doesn't seem to like integrating any real choice into FFXIV and would rather have more homogenized jobs. I think with the current game design, we would just end up with everyone allocating merit points identically for every job, the same way we do with stats (for the most part).

[AlphaFox]

Then we get into the whole PF of "Must have maxed merit points!"

[Mael-bess]

Sorry but i don't like this idea, this would just be something else to grind on instead of something to do when bored, and like Alpha said this would turn into a priority for end-game content since it affects the overall performance of your Job.

[Enkidoh]

The thing is, players who want the Merit Point system forget the whole reason it was even in FFXI in the first place - it was not to give players extra customization of stats, but to compensate for the fact the level cap was frozen at level 75 for over five years, and Job Points only built on that again because the level cap has now been raised as far as it can logically go (level 99).

FFXIV is a long way away from ever reaching that point so I won't hold my breath ever seeing such a system be introduced here in FFXIV, at least not for a long time yet, if at all.

[Artemiz]

I liked the merit point idea in FF11, if implemented right it could encourage a little diversity and give people a reason to do content on their level 60 jobs, which would help out others who are leveling.

I doubt it will happen though, ideas from FF11 seem to be like Kryptonite to many FF14 players.

[Nalien]

Give me three things;

Physical Level - Your current Level, so Level 60 Ninja, for example.
Job Level - Effectively the same as Item Levels currently, but not attached to Gear, instead you raise this by simply doing content, similar to a Merit system, albeit far more specific.
Item Level - Working somewhat similar to Morale in PvP, acting as a boost, though with a cap. Item Level 200 would boost you up to to Job Level 200 stats, for example, to open you up to do more content to raise your Job Level with.

Gear effectively becomes something to "train" in, then. The aim would be to cap your Job Level by doing everything. Content would still be readily accessible, you'd just need the gear as you currently do, but the long term goal in the game would be capping your Job Level. 3.0s cap could have been Job Level 210 after Esoterics and Alexander (Savage) were applied, 3.1 then added new dungeons and Void Ark. That would be easier than Alexander (Savage), but it would help people raise their Job Level, as it did with Item Level. The Job Level cap would then move to 215 though, doing everything but Alexander (Savage) would get you to 210 in 3.1. If you'd done Alexander (Savage) and everything 3.0 offered before 3.1, you'd be at 210 already, and new dungeons/Void Ark maintain relevance because of the extra 5 Job Levels they'd provide you. You wouldn't sit there going "I don't need to do Thordan (Extreme) of Anima weapons, because I've already got an i210 weapon from Alexander (Savage)", you'd go after that content to raise your Job Level by 5.

Problems like Bismarck (Extreme) then don't occur. You'd be able to skip over Bismarck (Extreme) in terms of Item Level as we currently do, but in terms of Job Level? No, you'd need to do it still, it would be worth some Job Levels. If you don't do it then you'd never cap your Job Level. Old content like Coil and Crystal Tower then become very relevant, because you'd want to do them in order to max out your Job Level. In the sort term, Job Level doesn't matter, because Item Level will carry your stats. In the long term though, it's a status symbol, something to work on, and ultimately a bonus. Right now the Item Level cap is 210, but the Job Level cap would be 215. People would jump back into Crystal Tower to grind up their Job Level as a result.

Arguably the only problem with this is elitism... You'll see people saying "Must have Job Level X", but... We already see elitism... We already have people going "No Bonus" or "Item Level X", what would a Job Level really change? It would be a significant grind that makes all content relevant. Casuals can ignore it and continue chasing Item Levels. Other than the extra 5 levels provided in our odd number patches, it doesn't really change anything. It's just a long term goal for the "hardcore" players (something entirely missing from the game currently), that can arguably help queues on old and irrelevant content.

Granted, it's not exactly a Merit type system, not the second level of Merits at least. The original Merits in XI were stat based, then they added Job specific Merits. Job specific Merits would be hard to work into XIV though, they allowed for choice in a game with very loose balancing... Here things are balanced very tightly, we'd just get a situation where X Job is best off with Y Merits, better to just cut out the choice ultimately IMO. There is still a choice involved though, it just comes in the journey. The destination is an ultimate cap where you've put points into everything, the choice comes in the journey and what points you prioritize as you're capping.

[Warlyx]

customization in FFXIV? thats madness!

[Whocareswhatmynameis]

[l---------------l]

customization in FFXIV? thats madness!

+1...

(The idea is extremely good, I didn't make post myself because people turns salty when I do, but, yes, we deserve some more customization, at last.)