Thread: 4.0 Ideas

Originally Posted by Xenosan

Where would you place the divide, then? I'm just wondering, (Chains of Promanthia? Off topic about FFXI:

I'm honestly not sure. It's not something I've really thought deeply about from the XI perspective.

Originally Posted by Xenosan

I'm mostly just worried that if they made RDM a utility focus DPS, (especially if it's off-healing utility), it will end being implemented poorly because that doesn't really fit the model for what FFXIV raid/dungeon DPSers want. If it was an off-healer that could help push away SCH's monopoly on that role, that'd be different. But can you imagine RDM as primarily a healer?

In short, no I cannot imagine it as primarily a healer. But I do pretty well imagine it exactly as a DPS with a versatile, largely utility-focused DPS. That's partly because that's the only thing I can imagine warrant even calling it a RDM, and partly due to personal wants.

To put those wants concisely, I really like having extra options and tend to enjoy burden of knowledge aspects. I like close combo play between different players, methodologies, and/or classes. I tend to dislike anything that standardizes or flattens choices that could otherwise bring out those aspects. I love undermechanics, and tend to dislike redundancy or lacking identity/distinction (as between two abilities identical except in name, etc).

What I ultimately hope RDM will do is bring some consideration back into matters of composition, especially for sort of "midcore" content (essentially, casual contents being played by try-hards, if you will), and introduce a bit more synergy and broadened view of responsibilities and opportunities into the otherwise rigid role system. I'm tired of so rarely having to think of anything outside of damage-dealing as a DPS. Dealing the most I can over a mechanics-heavy fight is fun, no doubt about that, but it lacks a lot of the satisfaction of doing that while kiting around a giant who likes to one-shot people. Honestly though, the best examples go much further back...

I'll just put it this way. When leveling in ARR, it was often faster for me not to take a tank at all for certain dungeons if a had a CNJ or post-sleepga THM. I've commonly Bard tanked them without taking any melee damage, even while holding enmity just fine. My all-time fastest dungeon spams were as BLM and 3 SMNs. One Titan, two Garudas. Sleepga, focus, Bane, melt. If heals were necessary, Physic was still 400 potency to Ruin's 80, so until MND was split from INT, it really was a better use of output for a SMN to heal than for a SCH to waste pet dps. Granted, especially prior to the AoE damage taken, this meant certain vulnerabilities as well. Various dungeons had different ideal combinations back then. But then for whatever reason development decided to make most dungeon mobs immune to not just sleep, not just binds, but just about everything but stuns, limiting such options. The dungeon-running conventions we have now are often a result of that in combination with the comparatively massive healer burst output available in XIV, wherein a tank will doubtlessly be needed anyways—well, technically not; I've tanked every HW dungeon as DRG and MNK each, and healers can probably technically solo most—and the bigger pull, the better because what control can you really lose out on that would matter? I that this exclusion of fine control and alternatives would exist in raid settings, but consider: it's actually fairly new for that to be the universal rule. Heavies and binds were still of massive use in certain parts of Coil, and it's only after level 50 that sleep immunity went ubiquitous in dungeons.

Altogether, I'd just want to see almost anything that could shake up that setup, and provide some thought and alternatives. Granted, it'd currently be hugely difficult to implement in a DF setting, where you do need a minimal level of mitigation, healing, and DPS between all party members, and can't typically rely on hybrid capacities or components with the community as it is right now—even if a party of DPS did, between them, have all the factors necessary to run a particular dungeon, between burst healing, sustainable healing, mitigation, utility, or just the eHP enough for large pulls or tankbusters, most DPS aren't used to thinking outside of their own role that much. But that's the optionality I've love to see down the line. Jobs as toolkits, not just split roles. Even if RDM could only just barely introduce that mindset right now, with certain balancing or instance design changes or additions to come much later, I'd love it for that. I want broadened responsibilities, more interaction, more coordination, more synergy, more use of my full toolkit... and in some cases a slightly larger or better toolkit may be needed to allow any of that seemingly extra stuff to come in handy at all.

Originally Posted by Xenosan

Other than the new jobs,
I think the best approach to simultaneous adjustments for current Jobs is replacing cross-class skills.

......

There are a lot of cross-class skills - if replaced with new versions which offer their own nuances that cater specifically to their respective job - could redefine jobs, enhance their playstyles, their utility, etc etc. There's a lot of flexibility and design freedom if this were to happen.

Continuing to build 'on top' of this antiquated cross-class system just isn't wise, imo.

I feel kind of conflicted on this subject. For one, I like what 1.0 seemed to be going for originally, when you were creating your own job and hero simultaneously through various learning paths. I find it sad that cross-class skills are all that remains of that, and am therefore hesitant to wish them gone—especially being the very last thing going for the all-classes-on-one-character selling point of the game or pushing for players to even experience more than one class, where in fact putting all on one character disadvantages alt-gearing where using separate characters would not—but it often has all the attractiveness of refuse. It feels immensely awkward to have 80% of your SCH or AST's dps gated almost arbitrarily behind a level 6 CNJ ability, GLD 22 just to participate in raid tanking, or LNC 34 just to get the most out of your Machinist. That said, I'm not sure I'd like to see entirely seperate near-equivalents either. I'd probably prefer that Warriors have Challenge, Dark Knights have Beckon, and Gladiators have Provoke, for instance, but can choose to swap out their native ability for another's or even take both. To me the big issues are simply identity, engagement, and intuitiveness of acquisition. There are plenty of other changes that can better secure identity or engagement than trading out all cross-class skills for class-specific versions. Nor do class-specific version necessarily mean, or are the only means to, better integration with class gameplay for the function that cross-class or newly native skill covers.

Ideally, I'd like for classes to be revised to carry more significant, gameplay-affecting or undermechanics-creating traits, many of which can be cross-classed. But what do I know? I still want physical level back so that the whole leveling experience across or including multiple classes actually feels cohesive.

No idea bout new skills/classes, but here's some ideas for existing PLD skills, talking trait wise. Yes I'm a PLD Fanboy.


Skill: Flash
Trait: Flash of Light[Lv.53]

Effect: Flash now causes AoE damage with a potency of 150.

---

Skill: Divine Veil
Trait: Divine Blessing[Lv.56]

Effect: On successful activation of Divine Veil through healing, the amount of initial healing will be cast as Regen effect over 10secs(1tick/sec) in addition, for the entire party.

---

Skill: Sword Oath/Shield Oath
Trait: Oathkeeper[Lv.59]

Effect:
Sword Oath - Additional attack potency increased to 70 from 50. During Sword Oath, all damaging skills gain a potency of 20(initial hit only, not DoTs). During Sword Oath, whenever Royal Authority is used in combo, cooldown of Circle of Scorn/Spirits Within is reduced by 2 seconds.

Shield Oath - Attacks generate even further enmity. Damage dealt is reduced by 10% while damage taken is decreased by 20%. Blockrate is increased by 15%. During Shield Oath, Defensive skill effects are increased by 5%.

4.0 Ideas? Here they come:

• New playable Race: Viera (because everyone asked for it)
• New areas: Xelphatol, Gyn Abania, Ala Mhigo
• New classes: Samurai, Dancer and Red Mage
• New Raid: Doomtrain
• New Primals: Anima, Omega-Weapon
• Features: Rework for 2.0-areas (flying enabled, larger areas)
• Features: Swimming and Diving
• Max Level: 70
• New traits for all jobs, no additional skills
• Skills can be upgraded
• Classes removed, Cross Skills enhanced
• Personal Limit Break
• Open World PvP (Warriors of Light vs. Warriors of Darkness)

I made these for fun. Not to be taken seriously. Intended to be over-the-top.


PLD:

62. War of Attrition -
Counterattacks for 25% of the damage received when blocking or parrying an attack. Blocks under the effect of this ability and Bulwark have 10% chance to reset each other’s recast timer.
Duration: 30s: Recast: 180s.

64. Enchanted Shield -
Enables use of Halonic Trance.
Shield Oath Additional Effect: Enables the blocking of magic. Physical damage can no longer be blocked. Absorbs 100% of blocked damage as MP.
Sword Oath Additional Effect: Enables a third auto-attack using the shield. Auto attacks restore MP.
Duration: 15s Recast: 60s

66. Anointed Soil -
Creates a patch of anointed soil that grants +15% defense and magic defense to all standing within its effect.
Duration: 15s, Recast 180s

68. Halonic Trance -
Consumes 100% of maximum MP to increase damage dealt by 10% and reduce the recast time of any abilities used under its effect by 20s. Enables the use of Climhazzard.
Duration: 25s, Recast: 120s.

70. Climhazzard -
Deals damage with a potency of 400 to all targets in a cone in front of you. and heals party members for 100% of damage dealt. Consumes Halonic Trance upon use.
Additional Effect: Ensures critical damage and generates a combo bonus for Royal Authority, Goring Blade, or Rage of Halone.
Recast: 60s.


WAR:

62. Axe Thirst -
Removes all additional effects from combo-based weaponskills while increasing their damage dealt by 25%. Increases Fracture potency to 300 in addition to its damage over time effect.
Can only be used in Deliverance. All Abandon is consumed on execution.
Duration 20s, recast 120s.

64. Storm’s Surge -
Delivers a ranged attack with a potency of 100. Deals 100 extra potency for each of Storm’s Eye and/or Storm’s Path on the target, and refreshes their duration.
Additional Effect: Storm Surge -
Storm Surge effect: For every Fell Cleave used under Storm Surge’s effect, a stack of Sleeping Beast is granted. For each stack of Sleeping Beast, the duration of the next Inner Beast used is extended by 6s up to a maximum of 18s.
Storm Surge Duration: 30s.
Sleeping Beast Duration: 30s.
Range 10y, Recast: 60s.

66. Combat Assimilation -
For the next 10 seconds, 10% of all damage you take is compiled and then converted into a shield of equal value.
Duration 10s, recast 80s.
Shield Duration: 30s.

68. Growing Threat -
Increases Vitality, Strength, Defense, and Magic Defense by 10%. Can only be used when HP is under 20%.
Duration 15s, recast 150s.

70. Berserk II -
Increases Attack Power by 75%. Only weaponskills may be used under its effect, and Wrath/Abandon can be generated but not consumed. Can only be used after dealing critical damage.
Duration:15s, recast: 180s. Effect does not stack with Berserk.


DRK:

62. Immortal Surge -
Restores 15% of maximum MP.
Grit Effect: Sacrifices 15% of maximum MP to restore 40% of maximum HP.
Dark Arts Effect: Grants Bubble. Doubles the maximum HP of a non-tank party member. Cannot be cast on self.
Duration: 15s. Recast: 80s.

64. Extraplanar Inversion -
Increases MP drain from Darkside by 300%, while causing Dark Arts to restore 1768 MP. Dark Arts can no longer boost skills. Unlocks Abyssal Shock and Rend and Sever. Can only be used With 5 stacks of Abyssal Blaze. Abyssal Blaze is generated by using Darkside abilities (Dark Arts, Dark Dance, Dark Mind, Dark Passenger). Effect fades if Darkside is lost.
Additional Effect: Increases potency of magical abilities and spells by 30%
Additional Grit Effect: Heal over time with a potency of 75.
Duration: 30s. Recast 120s.
Abyssal Blaze duration: 30s
***Potency increase affects: Unmend, Unleash, Abyssal Drain, Dark Passenger, Salted Earth

66. Rend and Sever -
Delivers 3 separate attacks with a potency of 120 each. 30% chance to reset the Carve and Spit recast timer.
Additional effect: Blood Weapon 10s.
Additional Grit effect: Reprisal 10s.
Combo action: Power Slash, Delirium, Souleater, Scourge. Consecutive combos may not end with this ability.
TP cost: 60

68. Abyssal Shock -
Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 320. 30% chance to reset the Dark Passenger recast timer.
Additional Effect: Heavy. Has a 100% critical hit rate.
Additional Grit effect: Silence. Ignores Grit damage penalty.
Combo action: Power Slash, Delirium, Souleater, Scourge. Consecutive combos may not end with this ability.
MP cost: 353

70. Void Paling -
Casts Dark Mind and Dark Dance on all allies in range. Cannot be used in Grit.
Recast: 80s, MP cost: 1326 Range: 15y

Personally I would like to see a morph of two classes that makes you become a "specialist" (similar to crafting where you have a limited number of free specialisations and any switching from there out would require some work).
Example:
1. For those looking for "samurai" class... DrK + Ninja = Samurai (hybrid DPS with MP management and 2 handed sword like DrK but with SkS of NIN)
2. "Berserker" = WAR + DrK (tank with high HP and highest DPS output of all specialist tanks)
3. "Grey Tank" (lol name) = PLD + DrK (highest mitigation on both mag and phys dmg)
etc

Also, this would give a lot more depth for end-game raids and such because you are able to provide more than just conventional TANK/HEALER/DPS setup.

A Teddy Bear Outfit A Teddy Bear Outfit

I ascribe to the "more traits less abilities pls" school of thought.


PLD:

Traited flash: enemies vulnerable to flash's blind effect now also suffer vuln up 10% and a 30 potency dot tick for 6 seconds. Normal repeat casting resistances apply

Traited cover: The pld now gains a 50% Det up buff for 10 seconds when their covered target takes damage(of any sort). This buff refreshes but does not stack if the target takes damage more than once.

Traited sheltron: either any hit you take while in shield stance (or possibly any block) refreshes sheltron (like 20% chance), or procing the actual 100% block effect further triggers a magic damage reduction 20% ability for something like 6 seconds. I think I like the second more.

Valiance: Casting no longer interrupts combos. Using an ability that targets another party member gives you a potency up buff until your next action (good before a combo finisher or for casting heals) Alternately instead of potency up it could turn your next action into a wide AoE action.

Sword and Shield: The positive effects of sword oath and shield oath now linger for 6(or possibly 9 or 10) seconds after swapping stances


Warrior:

patch update that makes Deliverance simply switch inner beast to Fell cleave and steel cyclone to Decimate.

Warcry(traited infuriate) this ability now grants all allies either 5% damage or 10% current and max hp and healing received for 10 seconds depending on whether it's used in deliverance or defiance.

Further enhanced Fracture: this ability now inflicts slow and damage down in defiance or enhances the DoT from 20 potency to 40

Further enhanced foresight: for the 20 second duration all gcd actions generate a stack of wrath/infuriate, and combo finishers generate 2.

traited unchained: gain some sort of use in deliverance. I figure anything I could suggest would be shouted down as overpowered. I'm sure people would've thought war getting a 500 potency attack was overpowered too before 3.x did it.

-some sort of actual new ability to make up for the fact that fel cleave and decimate are basically already traits and should really be patched into such. I like the idea of an AoE leap attack with a targeting circle that inflicts very minor damage (like 30-40 potency) along with a stun or vuln up effect.

I don't play drk enough to form any opinoions on what it needs. :x