Is TP interesting as a mechanic?

[Duelle]

Hmm...my take on this has been sort of split for a while. On the one hand, I've always had a problem with the fact every class is tied to TP. It limits what you can do mechanically with resources and resulting gameplay. You can't have anything like DK runes or WoW monk Chi units because the limiting factor is TP regeneration (a rule the devs have set for pretty much every melee job). You run the risk of trivializing TP if you were to lean more towards extra resources while still keeping TP.

On the other hand, removing TP could negatively affect a couple of things. Firstly would be BRDs. As much as I hate that they were given TP/MP regen as a gimmick, BRDs would essentially lose one ability from the change. Jobs like MNK wouldn't be affected by the removal of TP too much, but you'd need to redesign DRG and NIN around some new gameplay mechanic to act as their limiting factor. There's also the matter of cross-classing, though Invigorate no longer being mandatory can be seen as a good or bad thing.

It's a mess, simply put.

--------------------------------

Something I could suggest is creating a distinction between STR jobs and DEX jobs by splitting how TP works for each. PLD, WAR, DRG and DRK could work with TP being a resource you build and consume on stronger abilities. NIN, BRD, MCH (and RDM assuming it enters as a DPS) on the other hand would have TP working similarly to what we now have, as a pacing mechanism. The only issue I see with the former (outside of having to redesign WAR, PLD, DRG and DRK) is that this system clashes with combos unless we make the "main" combos free and anything outside of that cost TP.

I know I didn't mention MNK, and that's because I'd make it the exception and balance it around a brand new resource with even more emphasis on Greased Lightning.

The thing that people do not realize about tp is that it worked both ways for the player and the mob, at least in XI, which added an extra element of challenge. Since I do not have any experience with 1.0, would I want a tp system like XI in the current game? No. Why? Because, in all honesty, XI was a niche game, so people liking the main stream aspect of this game like either wow or some wow clone which is very present in this game.

You forgot to mention XI's TP system created a bias towards big damage classes and burst damage in general. That was yet another reason why people didn't like RDM melee or sub A-rank skill weapons: "you're feeding the mob TP".

[Shurrikhan]

Sorry to lead only with questions but:

You forgot to mention XI's TP system created a bias towards big damage classes and burst damage in general. That was yet another reason why people didn't like RDM melee or sub A-rank skill weapons: "you're feeding the mob TP".

Did all attacks in XI give a (near) equal amount of TP to the mob, regardless of the base or actual damage dealt, or have a set additional enmity per action, etc.? I've done XI raiding, but never where this was a concern, so I honestly have no idea as to the nuances of the XI system. I could have sworn the 1.x TP gains were based on damage, plus maybe a flat amount per hit.

PLD, WAR, DRG and DRK could work with TP being a resource you build and consume on stronger abilities. NIN, BRD, MCH (and RDM assuming it enters as a DPS) on the other hand would have TP working similarly to what we now have, as a pacing mechanism. The only issue I see with the former (outside of having to redesign WAR, PLD, DRG and DRK) is that this system clashes with combos unless we make the "main" combos free and anything outside of that cost TP.

Let me check if I'm understanding. In either case, the STR use of TP or the DEX use of TP would function as buildable resource spent to in some way empower your rotation? STR pulls this off by spending it to empower certain abilities, where as DEX spends it to attack more frequently, say by rushing a given GCD (most obvious use being the allowance of a "rapid string" every X buff/debuff windows, or so)?

I'm similarly stumped as to how the automatic consumption of (STR) TP should be done, or if it can even be automatic. Certain normal weaponskills might be a good choice, such as combo-enders or stack moves. Alternatively you could role it up into abilities like Life Surge, exchanging certain CDs for a more bankable means of effect. Not sure.

Moreover, there may be issues of Speed scaling for the STR consumption system, wherein if Speed only accelerates your rotation, it increases the actual but not the relative rate of TP gain and frequency of TP-consuming abilities, whereas Crit and Det would do both. In other words, Crit and Det would have an effect on the consumption and everything else, while Speed would only affect everything else. We already see this largely in how Speed works currently, or normally — seeing as it can only make up for a lack of individual skill enhancement (apart from to DoTs, wherein it is still weaker than Det or Crit) by having a higher output over a filler spam than the other two stats, and inversely drops in value on any class with a large per-execute range — but losing out on a whole new mechanic would be especially disappointing. This could easily be overcome (or even over-buffed) by giving TP gains only on direct damage, reducing the effect DoTs have on TP gain, or by giving a small bonus TP to every damaging skill. And it can be mitigated by just having the whole system give only infrequent usage (TP consumption).

I'm not sure if Speed in the DEX consumption system would cause the bonuses to be worth less or not. Would probably depend on how the costs for the pace adjustments are calculated... Totally up for grabs.

[Duelle]

Did all attacks in XI give a (near) equal amount of TP to the mob, regardless of the base or actual damage dealt, or have a set additional enmity per action, etc.? I've done XI raiding, but never where this was a concern, so I honestly have no idea as to the nuances of the XI system. I could have sworn the 1.x TP gains were based on damage, plus maybe a flat amount per hit.

To my knowledge it was never based on damage received, but rather per hit. The more hits a mob took, the faster it would get enough TP to deal an attack. The reason why you had MNKs using Chi Blast and only Chi Blast for mobs like Fafnir was because it didn't get as much TP for the amount of damage dealt; raids also favored BLMs (read: burst damage) for the same reason.

I'm similarly stumped as to how the automatic consumption of (STR) TP should be done, or if it can even be automatic. Certain normal weaponskills might be a good choice, such as combo-enders or stack moves. Alternatively you could role it up into abilities like Life Surge, exchanging certain CDs for a more bankable means of effect. Not sure.

Giving an example via PLD (the job I know best), your "main" combo would be free (Fast Blade => Savage Blade => Rage of Halone), but skills outside of that would have a TP cost (Riot Blade, Goring Blade, Royal Authority). So your main combo would be only limited by your GCD, but your extra skills would have a TP cost. Obviously TP costs for these abilities would have to be relatively higher and you'd probably have to reduce TP total down to 100 for STR jobs. If need be, your main combo could actually generate TP.

Moreover, there may be issues of Speed scaling for the STR consumption system, wherein if Speed only accelerates your rotation, it increases the actual but not the relative rate of TP gain and frequency of TP-consuming abilities, whereas Crit and Det would do both.

This is the problem Blizzard ran into with Rage and its numerous iterations, and I will admit we'd probably favor Skill Speed if we were to go with my suggestion since PLD, DRG, DRK and WAR would benefit from being able to generate TP faster and thus use their stronger skills more often.

I'm not sure if Speed in the DEX consumption system would cause the bonuses to be worth less or not. Would probably depend on how the costs for the pace adjustments are calculated... Totally up for grabs.

I'd probably tune TP costs to be higher but regeneration to also be faster while keeping the rest of the existing system intact. As for bonuses, you could give jobs like NIN a combo bonus to enhance TP regeneration to further play into this.

Bonus:

MNK and DNC (if it were to be implemented as I envisioned it) would instead go off a momentum system. Using PGL as an example, your TP bar initially goes from 0 to 100 when you get your first stack of Greased Lightning. Once that happens, the TP bar decays over time and subsequent skills restore some TP. Getting a second stack of Greased Lightning increases your TP to 200, with it decaying faster while your TP is between 101 and 200. Getting a third stack of Greased Lightning would increase your TP to max at 300, and it would decay even faster when your TP is between 201 and 300. If you fall below 300 TP then you lose your third stack of Greased Lightning and go back to 2 stacks. If you fall below 200 TP you lose your second stack of Greased Lightning. If you let your TP hit0 you lose your sole stack of Greased Lightning.

The bonuses for staying over 200 TP would be increased speed and damage and access to certain skills (thus making certain skills require a specific level of Greased Lightning). The bonus for staying over 100 TP would be just increased speed.

Note: I got the idea from the difficulty level gauge from the game Godhand. >.>

[Shurrikhan]

[1]Giving an example via PLD (the job I know best), your "main" combo would be free (Fast Blade => Savage Blade => Rage of Halone), but skills outside of that would have a TP cost (Riot Blade, Goring Blade, Royal Authority). So your main combo would be only limited by your GCD, but your extra skills would have a TP cost. Obviously TP costs for these abilities would have to be relatively higher and you'd probably have to reduce TP total down to 100 for STR jobs. If need be, your main combo could actually generate TP.

[2]I'd probably tune TP costs to be higher but regeneration to also be faster while keeping the rest of the existing system intact. As for bonuses, you could give jobs like NIN a combo bonus to enhance TP regeneration to further play into this.

[3]Bonus:

MNK and DNC (if it were to be implemented as I envisioned it) would instead go off a momentum system. Using PGL as an example, your TP bar initially goes from 0 to 100 when you get your first stack of Greased Lightning. Once that happens, the TP bar decays over time and subsequent skills restore some TP. Getting a second stack of Greased Lightning increases your TP to 200, with it decaying faster while your TP is between 101 and 200. Getting a third stack of Greased Lightning would increase your TP to max at 300, and it would decay even faster when your TP is between 201 and 300. If you fall below 300 TP then you lose your third stack of Greased Lightning and go back to 2 stacks. If you fall below 200 TP you lose your second stack of Greased Lightning. If you let your TP hit0 you lose your sole stack of Greased Lightning.

The bonuses for staying over 200 TP would be increased speed and damage and access to certain skills (thus making certain skills require a specific level of Greased Lightning). The bonus for staying over 100 TP would be just increased speed.

Note: I got the idea from the difficulty level gauge from the game Godhand. >.>

I feel like [1] would have significantly more change to gameplay than people are looking for. In my own opinion, we don't need additional limiters to skill access. Rather, the most obvious alterations to TP, either through systemic changes to the mechanic itself or through very fine changes to TP-consuming classes/jobs, would be anything that introduces new rotations with an idea of TP efficiency, gives greater control over one's TP level, and/or gives reason to try to keep it within a certain range without that itself seeming a chore (there need to be reasons both to blow and sustain).

Take Monk's Purification, in this case without a CD, for instance. If Meditation scaled with the GCD, damage with current %TP, and haste with missing %TP, playing around certain levels would give you certain rotational variance. You'd want to be unleashing your oGCDs and DoT-cleaves at upper levels, but diving lower allows new rotational opportunities as well. If you want to be able to do a perfect Demo-dropkick with no uncovered AAs (Dragon Kick drops right after True Strike, rather than using it up on Demolish), you'd need to start within 20 or so of X TP point. Per-execute range is increased at high TP, decreased at low TP, while oGCD and AA damage outright favor high TP (the latter balanced by a stronger haste scalar than damage's).

Alternatively, should TP be exchanged for a new resource that doesn't mess with the original rotations, but adds some aspect of tactical augmentation, I think that'd see positive feedback. I'm just guessing, though.

[2] If costs and regeneration rates are both increased, there's no real change made, I would think? I'm not sure what this is trying to accomplish.


[3] To be honest, the only model I've really be fond of as an alternate to the current Greased Lightning system would be based on the Legion Shadow-priest, especially when it was still capable of stacking the Haste buffs from accrued Insanity of Voidform burst phases atop each other when played well (and with a bit of luck) even in entry-level gear. That said, that could as easily apply to a Chakra system (releasing the gates) instead.

To start with the Chakra/Opened Gate example: You enter a new level in which attacks generate, say, TP (or "GL"; here tentatively assuming a job-unique replacement for TP), which increases your attack speed but also increases the speed at which TP is drained, and slightly decreases the duration of the haste buffs maintained after losing the state (in addition to losing half, or up to an integer*quantized amount similar to the multiple levels of GL, of all accrued attack speed). This could lead to banking oGCDs to be used as a last resort via damage dealt to keep TP up in order to get the most haste possible, setting up for accelerated rotations to come, etc., all to start ramping out of control when you hit that switch. Alternatively, we could make it so you control the gates yourself, rather than it scaling automatically. Do you have the resources to sustain the sixth gate without burning out or burning up? Then fifth Chakra click it is (first click is second gate). The sad thing is that this system would make current TP a very real and almost even an attractive concern.

I'm still working on how I'd like to see GL work, but it'd probably just be a blend of that and what you've suggested, which are rather close in the first place.

[Duelle]

I feel like [1] would have significantly more change to gameplay than people are looking for.

This is understandable. I've always been a fan of resources being a way to differentiate classes from one another, and ideally I would like PLD, DRK, WAR and DRG to have their own unique takes on STR TP instead of being held to a universal system.

[2] If costs and regeneration rates are both increased, there's no real change made, I would think? I'm not sure what this is trying to accomplish.

The intent with my suggestion is to have DEX TP work similar to how Energy works in WoW. As you know, it's a resource that is spent quickly but regenerates quickly to reward the player learning how to pace themselves. Admittedly this is the intent behind the current iteration of TP, but it hasn't worked out due to several factors.

[3] To be honest, the only model I've really be fond of as an alternate to the current Greased Lightning system would be based on the Legion Shadow-priest, especially when it was still capable of stacking the Haste buffs from accrued Insanity of Voidform burst phases atop each other when played well (and with a bit of luck) even in entry-level gear. That said, that could as easily apply to a Chakra system (releasing the gates) instead.

What I was aiming for was for MNK building up momentum and then focus on keeping that momentum. It wouldn't be that different from what they currently have, except that instead of Greased Lightning dropping all three stacks once the timer hits 0, you just lose stacks over time.

Non-sequitur:

Chakra

Chakra as a whole is flawed and something I'd love to see scrapped and redesigned. The main flaws are that a) fifth chakra is the only one that matters and b) you have to spam a button to attain fifth chakra. I equate it to character dialogue that breaks the flow of gameplay in a platformer/action game. The system breaks the flow of gameplay for MNK.

Real-life Chakras all mean different things and have different properties. The 7th/final Chakra is not the only the only one that matters like in-game, and I think a MNK should have skills determined by what Chakra they've activated.

[Shurrikhan]

[a] This is understandable. I've always been a fan of resources being a way to differentiate classes from one another, and ideally I would like PLD, DRK, WAR and DRG to have their own unique takes on STR TP instead of being held to a universal system.
[b] The intent with my suggestion is to have DEX TP work similar to how Energy works in WoW. As you know, it's a resource that is spent quickly but regenerates quickly to reward the player learning how to pace themselves. Admittedly this is the intent behind the current iteration of TP, but it hasn't worked out due to several factors.
[c] What I was aiming for was for MNK building up momentum and then focus on keeping that momentum. It wouldn't be that different from what they currently have, except that instead of Greased Lightning dropping all three stacks once the timer hits 0, you just lose stacks over time.

Non-sequitur:

Chakra as a whole is flawed and something I'd love to see scrapped and redesigned. The main flaws are that a) fifth chakra is the only one that matters and b) you have to spam a button to attain fifth chakra. I equate it to character dialogue that breaks the flow of gameplay in a platformer/action game. The system breaks the flow of gameplay for MNK.

Real-life Chakras all mean different things and have different properties. The 7th/final Chakra is not the only the only one that matters like in-game, and I think a MNK should have skills determined by what Chakra they've activated.

[a] I get that too. I just want that resource system to work atop what we have now, rather than being a limiter for it, if that makes sense. If TP is going to prevent you from being able to use the rotations you know and maybe even enjoy, that seems unnecessarily problematic to me, especially if it's not almost entirely sure to produce a preferable result.

[b] Makes sense. I just wonder at that point how it'd be any different than the original stamina bar, except that the stamina bar at least toyed (for all of one beta build) with the idea of regeneration speeds decreasing with progress/fill, and damage dealt via TP-spending moves increasing with fill, so you had a haste vs. damage mechanic. If it were like stacking a skill speed resource to be used when you want, and otherwise rotations go on as normal, then it feels like augmentation rather than a limiter.

(I'm faintly reminded of the fatigue system, where you could potentially reach half or more level max level classes (if not for the obvious leve issues those days after skill-farming was removed) faster than when the system was replaced with bonus exp. Bonus exp felt faster, but unless you were disinterested in leveling more than a couple classes, that wasn't necessarily true; it just depends on the actual exp rates more than the system. Nonetheless, it was that feeling that condemned the first and praised the latter, more so even than people specifically wanting to focus on a single class.)

My only other potential issue here, and this is a stretch, is that an energy bar is basically a redundancy (with the simple GCD) unless it creates additional gameplay components as a result. Things like holding onto a GCD, and its variable energy costs, while waiting for a DoT to reach the brink of falling off (or the pandemic / roll-over) are things that require a energy system that ensures that the holding time won't go to waste. But at the same time, without a sense of compromise between the two system, it adds no more complexity than the GCD system alone does, especially once you attach issues like combos (wherein to take advantage of the filler space before refreshing a DoT, you might have to be even later in refreshing it) or preferred abilities and syncs (such that the DoT is worth waiting a half GCD, or to clip an oGCD into the GCD prior, to perfect). As long as energy always binds you, you will always wait that X duration remainder for the debuff's perfect refresh. There's no decision.

[c] (Non-sequitor) [RANT] Yeah, it's hard for me to really even envision where they were going with the Chakra system. Meditation's failure to scale with the GCD, even after having its recast reduced, means it would only be viable in combat if Tornado Kick and Forgotten Chakra were each buffed, at which point it would be usable after Tornado Kick used at the tail of your CD-window after refreshing all DoTs and unloading all oGCDs so that the amount time spent prepping damage in terms of a fifth each of a Forbidden Chakra would be a smaller portion of the GCD (1.4s of 2.38s or so, instead of 2.15 or less). And even then, it'd probably be more of a TP-efficiency alternative than the optimal choice... Purification being attached to that system would seem to make sense, except that it has a long cooldown, meaning that you can't use it for extended AoE any more than one would a Form Shift spam between Twin Snakes (or DK-TS-RB only if focusing a single target with all AAs). I get that they didn't want us to have unlimited TP by Purifying between every pull while our Bards are forced to Swiftsong instead of restore their own TP and Machinists only get mild contribution from tossing out and promoting their Rooks every 5s or 2 bonus ticks as we run, but it makes the ability feel more like a capacity change than any sort of job ability. During downtime, once per Invigorate period, you get 67% more Invigorate...

When I first heard about the Chakra system coming into play, I imagined it either be gradual gates of release or a series of gameplay-affecting mechanical additions, each adding a higher priority mechanic that effectively or entirely replaces the last. Instead its a stack charge system used only for an opening oGCD and then more Invigorate or another opening oGCD during each encounter break thereafter.

But hey, I still dislike that Form Shift doesn't even have any uptime single target uses. It has AoE TP efficiency implications as long as you absolutely would bottom out and clear the AoE pack more slowly without it (rarely the case). It has downtime uses, for returning to Coeurl or Coeurl minus whatever GCDs' worth of duration of GL remains and you'd rather open with something else. But never uptime single target.

[Duelle]

[a] I get that too. I just want that resource system to work atop what we have now, rather than being a limiter for it, if that makes sense. If TP is going to prevent you from being able to use the rotations you know and maybe even enjoy, that seems unnecessarily problematic to me, especially if it's not almost entirely sure to produce a preferable result.

I personally don't think it's possible to do anything to TP without major changes to either gameplay or ability structure. The system is literally entrenched between how TP currently works along with the combo system. If you increase ability costs you thus make BRDs and MCHs that much more desired. If you decrease ability costs you further trivialize TP as a resource. You can't really "empower" moves via TP because you then have to design two sets of abilities and balance them.

Moving to my STR TP suggestion, the idea behind locking abilities behind TP does several things. For one it gives the "baseline" rotations additional weight in the combat model. Secondly it would justify making certain TP-consuming abilities stronger and possibly allow for more variety in abilities (specially in the case of tanks; WAR in particular could get defensive abilities that consume TP). Thirdly it leads to a sort of stagger in strict rotations (DRG comes to mind), which means memorizing a rotation written on a piece of paper is no longer the way best way to play. Lastly, it gets rid of certain superfluous systems while keeping certain concepts intact.

PLD: An idea here would be causing Sheltron to cost TP while entirely removing its cooldown. If you want to ease the burden this places on damage dealing abilities, you could make the block from Sheltron partially refund the TP spent. You could also justify giving PLD more than just Circle of Scorn for AoE with TP cost as a limiting factor.

WAR: Entirely remove Wrath/Abandon and make abilities like Inner Beast cost a good chunk of TP. Additional abilities along this theme that benefit WAR defensively. You could tie a Wrath-like theme to the job by causing these abilities to enrage/infuriate the WAR, benefiting the WAR (placeholder idea for this is that certain abilities' true potential doesn't unlock unless the WAR is enraged/infuriated) and encouraging the WAR to remain enraged/infuriated as part of its gameplay.

DRK: Tying Souleater to TP is a no-brainer, and would justify making it stronger than it currently is. You could also add reactive abilities that consume TP. Not to mention that you could remove Reprisal's cooldown and have it cost a lot of TP.

DRG: Invigorate could be turned into a cooldown that reduces TP cost of non-"main" combo attacks. Blood of the Dragon could be turned into a DPS cooldown that would consume your full TP bar but increases damage dealt and removes TP cost from all skills for a set duration while still giving you access to Wheeling Thrust/Fang & Claw.

These are just stuff off the top of my head. I'd probably have to do a full design write-up to flesh it out and balance it.

[Alaltus]

To be clear:
You'd be adding additional oGCDs (all weaponskills are instant, so I'm assuming you meant off-global cooldown, or essentially abilities in every case?) that you can spent TP on?
Or would certain current weaponskills/abilities be capable of consuming TP for bonus effect? (Possibly spells and caster abilities as well, if we decided to make TP universal?)

Set TP costs, or just a minimum TP cost, and then scaling bonuses with the additional TP consumed when using up all of it at once?

Any particular gameplay goals for this system, however vague they may be? I could try to whip up something to see if it's anywhere close to what you're looking for if you'd like a second take.

Off-global cool down actions yes much like the current Limit Breaks but personal to you. The limiting factor for drg or for all aoes could be that aoes generate much less TP maybe. You don't generate tp per mob you hit but for each action you make that connects.

In XI 1000 TP was 100% and the minimum requirement to perform a weapon skill; weapon skills used all TP no matter how much you had. TP went up to 3000, saving beyond 1000 increased the modifier. Some weapon skills were better at 300% than others like Spirits Within. Weapon skills also skill chained which were a bit like battle regimens; did a bit of extra damage and left an opening for a mage to use a corresponding elemental spell for increased macc/damage.

If the mob gained TP in the same way you can do what many are asking for; break scripted boss fights. Trash are gonna die before they get enough TP but bosses won't and it will add an element of unpredictability that SE already has experience with handling. The bosses will still mostly be scripted but you will also have to be ready for which ever TP action the boss decides to use at random.

"We had the battle down, but then Bayohne started spamming super bad breath!"

[Shurrikhan]

If the mob gained TP in the same way you can do what many are asking for; break scripted boss fights. Trash are gonna die before they get enough TP but bosses won't and it will add an element of unpredictability that SE already has experience with handling. The bosses will still mostly be scripted but you will also have to be ready for which ever TP action the boss decides to use at random.

I'm not sure why TP and random actions would necessarily be related though? Even without a TP mechanic, whereupon a boss spends its 1000+ TP on any of random abilities, you can have a set of abilities, each with different cooldowns shared with the others on activation, and each time the boss cools down he choose another at random. And if bosses could de-pace (and therefore to a sense de-script) their actions, you'd run into severe issues with the current tank CD model. Why should a boss bother attacking normally with its skills if it could just save up for a whole minute, and then hit you so hard that you need HG/HG/LD to possibly survive? In either case it's dependent on the enemy's AI to consider whether or not it should bank its resource. That AI would be only thing breaking scripting directly, but without a sense of internal rotations there's nothing for the boss to do but run the tank's day by, say, using only burst when it pops -flat damage or using only machine-gun attacks when it pops 'for X hits' mitigation, etc. Which certainly wouldn't provide interesting gameplay. The primary difference I can see from using a TP system is that a boss can then accelerate output based on damage dealt. In other words, the more you fail to mitigate, the worse it gets. That can be especially punishing for certain strats and compositions. I wouldn't mind seeing that on some fights or on some mob types, and likely therein taken to the extreme because that can be really flavorful, and create some compositions you don't see elsewhere (like a half tank party being not at all a joke) but it's not a system I'd personally like to see made universal (much like I wouldn't want to see such strange comps necessarily replace the standard 2/2/4 in but a couple select fights).

To review and summarize, AI is the core component, not the backing system or weights, which can be adjusted per mob. You can have different mob personality types that can generate any combination of adjusted TP (or none) and/or enmity from various sources and conditions. You can have a set rotation, an randomized rotation on a single shared cooldown, use two tiers of shared cooldown, or more. You can have combo systems. You can have weights of estimated actual damage vs. base potency that may cause a boss to consider whether its wants to continue its established combo, which the tank has set matching mitigation against, or abandon it and its bonus for something that's not being mitigated against. They could take additional enmity from healing done, mitigation done, damage done, or even... damage taken (fixating on something they've wounded, more and more - such that you'd need to sacrifice some amount of mitigation > health to secure future mitigation when it really matters), or even upon "thwarted" actions (its AI decided it should kill X player, and that healing or that covering mitigation prevented it... Now I really hate that guy.) Enmity might be abandoned entirely at points for a tactical decision. It can check for weakened targets every so often or under certain conditions, or every N enmity or TP gained. So on and so forth. And that's not even getting to positioning, attacking vs. retreating, coverage, suppression, and so forth. It doesn't have to feel like you're hitting striking dummies who have periodic attacks and stances. It can feel like you're playing a chess setting one too high for you (at least until you learn to bait it).

[Alaltus]

I'm not sure why TP and random actions would necessarily be related though?...

No your right they wouldn't necessarily be. In XI i think some moves were random, some health based, some phase based, some were a mix of all of those. Depended alot on the boss/monster in question.