Pipe Dreams: Squad training and recruitment

[Duelle]

A while back, the developers talked about the warrior of light (all five million of you) getting to lead their own unit and leveling them through dungeons and such. Setting aside the BRD diatribe, I figured I'd give some suggestions on how to do this.

The "why?"

Because you're the warrior of light and are so awesome that people want to do things with you in hopes of learning from you.

The "how?"

Upon reaching a certain rank in your Grand Company, you are given the option of taking part in training recruits. You're able to recruit the equivalent of a light party (3 recruits + you) and allow them to grow stronger to better serve their respective GCs.

The Mechanics

I. Recruitment

Upon reaching the Captain rank with your GC, you get a short quest that allows you to speak with GC recruitment officers to assemble your squad. Much like retainers, you can create and name recruits. You can recruit a maximum of 3 members.

II. Growth

Squad member stats are not determined by gear, but instead determined by their class and level. A good place to start would be to have them scale along the lines of the ilevel caps for dungeons.

Squad members can level in two ways. Dungeon runs and killing mobs in the overworld.

a. Overworld

One squad member can be summoned in the overworld as a companion. The consumable item required for this would be called "Battle Orders" and can be purchased from your GC's Quartermaster.

b. Dungeons

You have the option to queue for a specific dungeon with up to three squad members. Squad members are level synced to the dungeon like players.

If you queue for a dungeon while in a party with up to three people, the party leader can choose to have one of their squad members fill empty group spots before queuing up for Duty Finder.

III. Customization

Squad members can be customized via character creation. Aside from looks, a personality can be assigned (with a chat toggle to allow them to call you by name or simply refer to you as "captain").

In addition, their gear's appearance can be changed by using glamour prisms with items in your inventory/armoury chest as templates. You can glamour rare and exclusive gear on to a squad member, including artifact gear.

IV. Combat

Squad members can be assigned a class to start. This at first limits squad members to the DoM and DoW classes. Unlike retainers, squad members can be assigned classes that you have not unlocked.

After a squad member has leveled up to a certain point, you have the option of giving them apprenticeships in jobs you have currently unlocked. This is to allow squad members to be Dark Knights, Machinists and Astrologeans in addition to the current jobs in-game.

Notes

- I suggest staying away from item level grinds for squad members, as they're enough of a pain for retainers.
- Seeing that I want squad members to be able to take up jobs in addition to classes, being able to glamour them to look like they're wearing job AF would make sense.
- I would also suggest that a 4th squad member be available while giving you the option of changing the squad lineup when needed. This is so that if you start off leading a squad as a tank but want to switch to a DPS job, you could have that extra member become a tank so that you have your roles covered.

[Khalithar]

I do like the idea a lot. Having a party of GC npc's to level up to make you "feel" like you're this important person in your grand company. One of things Yoshi said in the recent letter is:

Q33. When are you planning to unlock new ranks for Grand Companies?

A33. We’re currently planning Grand Company-related content, so we believe we’ll release new ranks when adding this content. It’s not fun moving into the next rank just by collecting something, so we think it’s good timing to add new types of content when releasing the ranks.

One thing I'd really love though, would be a housing ward devoted to each GC that didn't force us to compete over a limited number of land. Rather than a set size house though, I'd rather have an outpost that you could build up over time in to a fort, you could still decorate certain areas like a normal house but there would be more military related options and of course, the ability to place faction themed NPC's. I'd love to have my character as an eternal flames captain with a personal outpost to command with NPC's standing guard that I could also send out on missions myself. That would be awesome. Hehe.

[Dekent]

I agree with this, there's one event in the story that has you run a dungeon with some of the npcs. I'd love to be able to do stuff like that more often.

[ValyrianBlood]

Only thing I read is 'You can have your own femroe party' YUSSSS

on more serious note this idea sounds really fun, I'd love to have something like this in the game, thumbs up!

[Cabalabob]

I'd kind of like it to be more like final fantasy tactics or real time strategy games. Instead of having 3 squad members, and being able to change their jobs like you suggest. I'd like to have 20 squad members who I can assign different jobs to and they are then locked in to that job and if I want to change it they reset, like retainers. It would add a level of tactical thinking to it so you'd have to assign your members jobs based on what you need.

Maybe start with 3 members so you'd have a kind of forced setup with that group, and as you complete dungeons and level them up you'll get squad points or something that you can use to recruit additional members.

[Marxam]

While I would love this idea to be implemented I'm pretty sure SE will just turn it into another time sink. Just look at companion leveling.

[Shurrikhan]

Tne thing I'd really love though, would be a housing ward devoted to each GC that didn't force us to compete over a limited number of land. Rather than a set size house though, I'd rather have an outpost that you could build up over time in to a fort, you could still decorate certain areas like a normal house but there would be more military related options and of course, the ability to place faction themed NPC's. I'd love to have my character as an eternal flames captain with a personal outpost to command with NPC's standing guard that I could also send out on missions myself. That would be awesome. Hehe.

So, WoW:WoD Garrisons but with many different templates, and maybe eventually even being able to own multiple outposts? May I ask where you imagine these would be located (e.g. like Camp Overlook, out in the main world, or just in some barracks back in one of the capital cities, etc.)?

FOR ANYONE NEWLY COMING TO THE THREAD, NOTE THE OP's DATE BEFORE HARPING ON REDUNDANCIES WITH 3.4.

[Kallera]

I'm feeling a bit concerned with the status screen that they showed in the 3.4 preview. It feels impersonal, hands off, and not the sort of thing we will be able to mold into our own personal band...which is kind of what I was hoping for.