[Dev 1206] Newly Updated Ifrit Drop Rate.

[Claire_Pendragon]

Greetings, Earlier I took a look at Bayohne's post http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...l=1#post455631
where he quotes Yoshida.
Yoshida talks about the upcoming changes to Ifrits Drop Rates.

Over all I am glad you are taking steps to improve the loot mechanics.
But I do feel that this system was designed either because;

(1) It was just easier to give Ifrit a Drop. Than to do it any other way. (Nothing wrong there, since more pressing matters need attention.)

or

(2) This was designed to still keep the chances of getting the weapon rather low.

The reason I bring up #2, is because of a problem that has rose up in other MMOs, mainly mentioning FFXI, where friends of mine, and myself included, have found Hard Work, to never end in drops.

"Chance Drop Rates" are a bit out of control.

Yes they are designed to be fair, but because of the nature of "Chance", some people NEVER get the drop.

I'm not asking for you to "Give me my gear, I don't want to work for it!"
I'm solely talking about how I spent 5 years, wasting time farming for enough gil, to enter Limbus, to which I went to every single time, never missing a run, Having the highest Attendance possible.
(Sorry for a comparison to FFXI, as I know this game is not, but just to help explain the situation.)

Out of everyone, I was the 1st to get any Gear I wanted from Limbus.
Mainly Haste Gear, for my PLD to tank in.
Because my LS already had a NIN and a Geared PLD tank, I wasn't allowed to come as PLD.
I took up RDM and BRD, not because I enjoyed them (I most definitely didn't) but because I wanted to be useful, and work towards getting the gear that would allow me to finally play PLD in most of the endgame content.
(More so content made after limbus, since it's plenty possible to find a new LS doing old content. and Also referring to the game before good alternatives for homam was finally released.)

I spent 5 years, barely getting to do anything, and not ONCE has anything but the head dropped off Omega.
I can't stress enough how absurd this was.
it was something like, a 30% chance to drop.
Heck, having ANYTHING but the head drop was rather high.
Because of this, LSs would never let me play PLD in any challenging content. (And I understand fully.)
Doing only the same thing endlessly for 5 years shows I'm patient, and willing to work hard.

I'll be grateful for every step forward the FFXIV team makes, and be forgiving for steps backwards.

But I will again, do as I did in FFXI, and just up and quit, if I continue on too long, with a "chance drop" that will not drop.
(With a side note, which is still slightly funny, that LS continued to do Omega runs, and to this day, has not once seen anything but the head, and 2 bodies drop. And no one in the LS even wanted the bodies lol.)

So what is the TL;DR?
Reverse the idea you have for 1.20 when it comes to Primal drops.
I'm not saying now, but at least for 2.0 .
Have the "Trade in Items" go directly to your inventory.
And have Ifrit (and other future encounters) have a "chance" of dropping the same said gear you are after.

This way;
(1) You can never start to lose interest and feel like all hope is lost. Hard word WILL show results.

(2) This is the big part for the Majority of people! The excitement that something could drop this fight! and today might be the day you get it early! (Or speed up the process of obtaining multiple items.)

If something is meant to be rare, and not something easily grinded for.
Literally make the number of "Trade in Items" really high.

But also don't make it grind only.
Since half the excitement comes from the wonder of "What will drop from this Boss?!"

[Chinook]

It's not a popular opinion, but I expected they'd make Ifrit (or at least the next primals) drop a horn/mat that can be crafted into a weapon, exactly like the gear that came from the first wave of NMs almost one year ago (Champion Lance, Dodore Doublet, etc ...).

It was the simpler way imo to keep these weapons rare while removing the frustration ("oh noes, another dildo"). And make the min/maxers replay the content to try and make a better HQ version, making a balance between craft and loot since both are needed.

[Rau]

It's not a popular opinion, but I expected they'd make Ifrit (or at least the next primals) drop a horn/mat that can be crafted into a weapon, exactly like the gear that came from the first wave of NMs almost one year ago (Champion Lance, Dodore Doublet, etc ...).

It was the simpler way imo to keep these weapons rare while removing the frustration ("oh noes, another dildo"). And make the min/maxers replay the content to try and make a better HQ version, making a balance between craft and loot since both are needed.

Could not have said this better.
You can even put materia on it.

[EcchiMan]

It's not a popular opinion, but I expected they'd make Ifrit (or at least the next primals) drop a horn/mat that can be crafted into a weapon, exactly like the gear that came from the first wave of NMs almost one year ago (Champion Lance, Dodore Doublet, etc ...).

It was the simpler way imo to keep these weapons rare while removing the frustration ("oh noes, another dildo"). And make the min/maxers replay the content to try and make a better HQ version, making a balance between craft and loot since both are needed.

I like the Idea, but they should make the drop non trade able, instead the crafter would access it through bazaar like repairs and still have a chance at HQing it...that way people couldn't sell or trade it for an insane amount of gil.

[EcchiMan]

Could not have said this better.
You can even put materia on it.

I doubt they will let you add materia to Ifrit loot anytime soon, as it beats out even HQ weapons w/ multiple melds.