My take on Boss Gear and Materia

[Alzelia]

I believe I thought of an incredibly simple way to keep crafting important while encouraging people to run dungeons. This is really based on 3 simple rules and their direct results.

Rule 1: Boss gear should be the best gear in the game, and U/U.
Result: People have to run dungeons in order to get the best gear.

Rule 2: You can add materia to dungeon gear just like any other gear. (with a system similiar the repair system added so a crafter can add materia to a DOW only players' gear)
Result: Crafters are needed for adding materia, and players would run have to run a dungeon again if they lost their gear trying forbidden materia. Dungeon runs would become more common.

Rule 3: ONLY crafted gear can be turned into materia.
Result: Crafters are still vital for the creation of the best gear in the game.

With this system, Crafters will still be able to sell gear really easily because people will still need gear to turn into materia. Crafters will still be a part of end-game gear. People will have to run dungeons again after destroying their gear trying to add forbidden materia to it. ( hopefully drop rates would be changed accordingly) Gatherers will still have a lot of demand. Everyone wins!

[Brannigan]

I agree that a system like the one you proposed makes the most sense, though I would maybe prevent u/u from attempting forbidden materia. I don't care about that too much, but one thing that's certain is that u/u gear needs to be able to attach materia if the game is actually going to have meaningful content.

[Alzelia]

I agree that a system like the one you proposed makes the most sense, though I would maybe prevent u/u from attempting forbidden materia. I don't care about that too much, but one thing that's certain is that u/u gear needs to be able to attach materia if the game is actually going to have meaningful content.

The reason I think U/U gear should be allowed forbidden materia is that there would be a chance that the U/U would get destroyed, and thus it would give people a reason to keep running a dungeon.

OT Edit: Anyone know why it says my main class is ARC 39 even though I've been lvl 50 since 1.17?

[Brannigan]

The reason I think U/U gear should be allowed forbidden materia is that there would be a chance that the U/U would get destroyed, and thus it would give people a reason to keep running a dungeon.

OT Edit: Anyone know why it says my main class is ARC 39 even though I've been lvl 50 since 1.17?

Yeah, I understand. With multiple drops from each boss as well as this game's class system I think there's plenty of incentive to do multiple runs of a dungeon. I don't really care how they do it as long as u/u gear gets materia somehow.

Currently you get the best gear via the slot machine that is forbidden materia with common crafted stuff. This is bad because the best gear is entirely luck-based and doesn't require the player to actually do anything except grind out gil.

Now a common counter-argument is "well the Ifrit weapons outclass any forbidden stuff so maybe dropped gear will just be good enough to not need materia!" but that is bad as well because materia keeps crafters relevant even when their mass-produced gear is old and busted.

If dropped gear doesn't get materia then I either see A) Crafted/forbidden forever being the best which means the game sucks ass because doing dungeons is a lot less attractive or B) Crafted gear and materia gets left in the dust by dungeon drops which is fine for the game but means that the whole materia system is a waste.

[Delmontyb]

I tend to go back and forth on this issue, but as of late I'm inclined to agree. I would also like to add that this gear can be converted into Materia because that also adds more incentive to run the dungeons again anyway. Also, of the drop rates stay low then crafters would still need to be made to keep Materia in the market.

Also, one option could be the amount of time it takes to spirit bond with the gear, making it take longer to bond with as well.

I agree, I have no incentive to go after this gear anymore. I hope, and believe, that Yoshi p is watching this issue closely and looking at the data. And with our feedback changes could be made. Anyway, we will see what happens,

[Alzelia]

I tend to go back and forth on this issue, but as of late I'm inclined to agree. I would also like to add that this gear can be converted into Materia because that also adds more incentive to run the dungeons again anyway. Also, of the drop rates stay low then crafters would still need to be made to keep Materia in the market.

Also, one option could be the amount of time it takes to spirit bond with the gear, making it take longer to bond with as well.

I agree, I have no incentive to go after this gear anymore. I hope, and believe, that Yoshi p is watching this issue closely and looking at the data. And with our feedback changes could be made. Anyway, we will see what happens,

I hope Yoshi sees this as I think something like this would be incredibly effective.