Red Mage is Range Combat? (Discussion)

[BubblyBoar]

Can people please please PLEASE stop using the fact that it is categorized as Ranged Magic DPS as a reason that it barely uses melee. Doing so just means you didn't listen to anything Yoshi P said about the job. And since everyone is ignoring the point I made before about it, in this very topic, I'll quote it here for you.

I dont understand how you can be worried about RDM being mainly caster when it uses 3 sword skills in the video. It is categorized as ranged DPS because all jobs have a role that shares a specific LB and soon to be specific cross class skills. If things stay the same, this means RDM will likely get things like swiftcast, Raging strikes, Bliz 2 and other junk. It does both ranged and melee, as seen in the video, but it is classified in the "Rnaged Magic DPS" role for the sake of classification within the game.

Why did the red mage start at ranged position and cast? That's simple, to show positioning aspect of RDM. Namely, being far for cast and close for weaponskills. Alternatively, they could have just did it in reverse. Weapon skill first, backflip and start to cast, gab closer, and then finish with a presumed melee chainspell finisher. Would the compliant then be that RDM has too much melee and not enough magic? Would there be another topic with someone crying that RDM isn't mage enough even though it has MAGE in it's name?

Do you see why your judgment here is a bit silly and why people are wondering why you are so disappointed? From what is shown, RDM mage has an even amount of magic and melee based around chainspell and positioning. You can literally see it in the video as I explained in my previous post. I wouldn't be surprised if, instead of rear and flank positionals, RDM had far and close instead, considering Yoshi said it's gameplay would be based on high-speed positioning. You know what doesn't have those things, other casters. You know what does have postionals, melee classes.

My previous post in case you missed it:

[EdwinLi]

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A bit off topic...

Not going to lie but if that "Repelling shot" skill is a required combo skill for Red Mage just to get into proper distance I will be laughing like crazy when a bunch of Red Mages "jump" off to their death on Primal Fights or any Dungeon Boss Fights that have dangerous zones that made the stage too small to jump back.

Back on topic...

Well looking at it this way the most effective way to handle Red Mage once they get their melee skills would certainly be to keep the Red Mage Melee Range so it does not need to waste time running back and forth between melee and range combat. This way the Red Mage can get strait to their melee attacks and chainspell attacks much faster and only need to "Repelling shot" if things are safe to jump back.

[Gemina]

A bit off topic...
to jump back.

Back on topic...

Well looking at it this way the most effective way to handle Red Mage once they get their melee skills would certainly be to keep the Red Mage Melee Range so it does not need to waste time running back and forth between melee and range combat. This way the Red Mage can get strait to their melee attacks and chainspell attacks much faster and only need to "Repelling shot" if things are safe to jump back.

It's interesting to find out exactly how RDM positionals will come into play, should they exist. Part of me wants to say there should be a penalty to dmg if casting in melee range, because something needs to force the rdm to retreat back into a ranged stance, otherwise what is the point. The other part of me though doesn't see a big issue with not having a penalty because it is generally bad practice for ranged fighters to remain in melee range. A future vision I have of bad rdms, and complaints about rdms are those who refuse to move out of melee range to cast.

The penalty for remaining in melee range while casting will likely be around the same as it is for our current positional fighters, and certain mechanics and bosses take away optimal positioning. That is just how it is and part of how difficulty is engaged. The difference here though is taking a penalty on something with a cast time.

In any case, the video suggests that optimizing rdm requires tactful positionining, and I am quite sure that in the end, a big challenge with playing rdm will be using these draw/retreat methods of positioning along with proper timing and coordination of their abilities. It would be crazy boring if a set rotation forces you to use the draw/retreat instead of giving that flexibility to the rdm to choose when it is the best time to.

Not going to lie but if that "Repelling shot" skill is a required combo skill for Red Mage just to get into proper distance I will be laughing like crazy when a bunch of Red Mages "jump" off to their death on Primal Fights or any Dungeon Boss Fights that have dangerous zones that made the stage too small

Back flipping to their doom? I'd honestly laugh so hard whether I see it, or do it myself. Enjoy those derps while they can be laughed off! "p

[EdwinLi]

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In my opinion I don't think they may go with the positioning mechanic but instead go for a Stack Buff mechanic with one providing a boost to melee skills by building it through using range skills then a seperate for the range skills by using melee skills to stack the buff. However, this could get a bit iffy on fights with heavy AoE and constant movement since most fights currently expect players to stick with Melee or Range but never both thus the push on Heavy AoE mechanic bosses in 3.X.

Or they could go with.....


a type of stance switch mechanic where players set up their stance by casting it then certain skills will change the stance for a certain combat style. For example using what we see in the Red Mage Trailer as visual image, the Red Mage cast itself into a Range stance and during that stance they get a boost in faster cast time along with chainspell effect and a damage boost to their range skills. Then they use their Charge skill to go into melee range for battle which then the skill will automatically switch the Red Mage Stance into its Melee Combat Stace thus they get a increase to their Melee Damage and a melee chainspell. Then they use their "Repelling Shot" skill and jump back which then their stance is switched back to Range combat Stance.