How Blue Mage Could Exist in FFXIV

[Kazrah]

I mean, that's true, but in the world of FFXIV, maybe it's been upgraded via Garlean/Allagan/Ascian tech. Doesn't hit the same level of power, but gives you an ability similar. Radiant Plume as a targeted fire AOE, Landslide as a linear push, etc. You'd still get monster attacks, but since a LOT of the FFXIV monsters use similar attacks, it'd be tough to fill the roster.

Then it incurs another problem: every job has its own individual theme, and we already have a job themed around primals. Sure, SMN isn't the best job--quite far from it lately, or so I've heard--but it's the primal job nonetheless.

As for monster attacks, check the original post. I know, shameless plug, but I have proven there that there are plenty of sources which you can draw beast attacks from, and that was just a good number of examples of what BLU can bring up, and I made sure that all of those attacks are from monsters that more or less exist in FFXIV. Just have to remember that unlike past games, BLU doesn't need a bazillion skills, so that desperate draw for beast attacks won't quite happen for a while given all the sources of inspiration available.

[Brightshadow]

As said by Kazrah. Blue mage should never have access to primal abilities that infringing on summoner territory.

Just because garlean tech has been used for primals doesn't mean that it cannot be used instead for regular enemies. They would just have to create some mumble jumbo about how their physical form cannot handle too much energy or it converts them into a beast. The hunting aspect can be used to perhaps increase the spell tier. Or just glamour with the same spell stats.

[Mapleine]

The big problem with BLU in FFXIV is that the game just doesn't support the huge number of abilities a BLU would be expected to learn. Even if every ability is learned from a monster, it would pale in comparison to the total from FFXI (which everyone seems to use as the gospel of blue mages). More succinctly, given the way things have been going, blue mages would gain abilities from a whopping five (5) monsters per expansion, at maximum.

Don't base it on XI, base it on a modernized V.

Blue Mage would have the luxury of being made in a 5.0 climate which Summoner, which was rushed into a WoW Warlock-styled joke for launch, will never have.

V is the gospel of the job system, not XI, which is an EQ-styled game that can't relate to anything these days.

I'm more concerned on what classic job will be co-opted into a tank no one wants to play, next. I'm so sick of the tank conundrum in MMOs I could puke.

[ADVSS]

Don't base it on XI, base it on a modernized V.

Blue Mage would have the luxury of being made in a 5.0 climate which Summoner, which was rushed into a WoW Warlock-styled joke for launch, will never have.

V is the gospel of the job system, not XI, which is an EQ-styled game that can't relate to anything these days.

I'm more concerned on what classic job will be co-opted into a tank no one wants to play, next. I'm so sick of the tank conundrum in MMOs I could puke.

I wouldnt mind, as long as they figure out what they want tanks to do, seems like they slipped up yet again this go around. Maybe by 6.0 ...

[Kazrah]

I wouldnt mind, as long as they figure out what they want tanks to do, seems like they slipped up yet again this go around. Maybe by 6.0 ...

5.0 will likely bring the next new tank. Likely not because of the "we need more tanks" argument, but rather because of the current lack of variety of both tanks and healers compared to melee and ranged dps. After two years, hopefully they'll figure it out.

I do agree though that FFXI isn't a good model to follow not just for BLU, but for any future job. RDM and SAM I think showed that you don't need to follow FFXI to have good, playable jobs.

[TankHunter678]

I feel that BLU would work best as a tank class, have some of the permanent monster/beast abilities learned from job quest beasts/monsters while also providing a skill that allows them to get monster/beast ability charges they could use for later.

For instance they could use a beast ability from their job quest that renders them temporarily immune to status effects for a short while so they could intentionally take a Malboro Bad Breath attack, granting them a Bad Breath charge they could save to use later on a pack of mobs. Using the inflicted stack of debuffs as a form of defensive cooldown, seeing as it inflicts blind, paralyze, etc. With a later high level ability they could unlock being the bad breath attack so they do not have to go out and pick up a charge to take into the dungeon.

[Gemu]

I too think that BLU would be most interesting as a tank class. As for a weapon, I feel that maces and hammers would be most interesting, as we basically have most iterations of swords already implemented, and it gives monk a buddy to share blunt damage with. As we once had a BLU who wields forks, the kind of weapon shouldn't matter much.

In order to make it tanky but not seem too much like a beefcake such as the existing tanks, I think a system where your MP bar functions as a "shield HP Bar" just like damage MP would be cool. You'd have to maintain your MP to maintain your mitigation like how BLMs regen their MP for consistent dps, albeit through a different mechanic. If that would seem to broken (as healers need to heal HP) it could be mitigation based rather than full damage substitution based.

(Also, as a tank the job icon would be blue. (>_o)b Very important.)

[Sandoria]

I want Beastmaster as there are so many fun and different creatures out in the world to collect. BLU could be fun too though.

[Kazrah]

In order to make it tanky but not seem too much like a beefcake such as the existing tanks, I think a system where your MP bar functions as a "shield HP Bar" just like damage MP would be cool. You'd have to maintain your MP to maintain your mitigation like how BLMs regen their MP for consistent dps, albeit through a different mechanic.

So this was done before with Aion's Aethertech class, where it could reduce damage by a smaller amount, but most of that damage was dealt as MP damage. It also had many, many means of regenerating MP, most of which being either passive or oGCD. The only concern is if a such a dynamic gameplay system like that could work with the combat flow of this game, which could be rather tricky to pull off.

As for the weapon choice, BLU has had all sorts of weapons throughout its storied past, yet oddly no hammers. There might need to be a suitable lore reason for that as well.

[Claire_Pendragon]

So this was done before with Aion's Aethertech class, where it could reduce damage by a smaller amount, but most of that damage was dealt as MP damage. It also had many, many means of regenerating MP, most of which being either passive or oGCD. The only concern is if a such a dynamic gameplay system like that could work with the combat flow of this game, which could be rather tricky to pull off.

As for the weapon choice, BLU has had all sorts of weapons throughout its storied past, yet oddly no hammers. There might need to be a suitable lore reason for that as well.

Personally see BLu with swords in my own mind, but I wouldnt mind if their were BLus who used swords, and the job quest teacher and you didnt use a sword for lore reasons. As I would grow more accepting of it. (I also imagined Gun Blades as well.)

As for how to implement "Damage MP".
Id personally allow them access to PIE as a stat, and then have the caster gear, but I doubt SE would let them have PIE. (Also dont think they would be in caster gear instead of fending, but lets pretend they do.)

Looking at the 2 main tank stances;
-X% dmg taken
vs
+X%HP and +X% amount healed.

I think there is a sort of middle ground between them that works better for damage MP.

With your "Tank stance", You can now learn enemy magic.
While you have MP above, lets say 5%, you gain -10% damage taken.
If you're at full HP, any healing received will instead transfer to your MP pool. (A sort of Over healing benefit to regens etc)
As long as you have MP, 20% of the damage you take, is removed from your MP instead.

So this sort of acts liek both tank stances a bit, and since caster gear is lower defense/hp, it shouldnt be too broken. (Heck it may not be strong enough, to which we would need to raise some of the %'s)

Id also have a sort of "Gain all MP back, and if MP is above 95%, mitigate 25% of damage taken for X seconds" Resembles Thrill of Battle from WAR somewhat. Also helps the BLU get MP back for spells.

Id also imagine there are spells that are MP costly, and they wouldnt use while MTing, but would use when OTing.
With your DPS stance, you have more means to regenerate your MP, but you're now almost as squishy as a caster w/o damage MP. (This is probably unfair, due to other tanks being able to drop tank stance and still tank, so id have to think of a way to balance this.)

I'd also like to see more 0.5s cast spells, including tank stances, since this is a mage.