Thread: Machinist extinction in 4.0?

Originally Posted by AxiomPITCH

I've been playing since 1.0, still haven't touched Machinist. I won't deny that it is extremely strong in the early moments of a fight, but other than that it seems like such a bland job whose only saving graces are immense burst and a defense down debuff for your physical dmg dealers.

I say Slap on a Gunblade Mod skill that can be used on level 1 but unlocked in 4.0 or 5.0 or etc that completely changes the Machinist Job combat style into a Melee DPS Job. Include Damage buff to the Gunblade Mod and replace the RNG mechanic in Gunblade mode with a Heat Mechanic focus on using Ammo to boost the Damage of attacks with Explosions just like how Squall uses his Gunblade.



As much as I enjoy playing Machinist as my main character I can agree with the Majority that the major fault of Machinist is that it depends too much on RNG which has damaged the reputation of the Job badly enough that no matter how much SE can buff its damage it would not bring enough players back into considering Machinist as a Main or Sub played Job.

Originally Posted by EdwinLi

I say Slap on a Gunblade Mod skill that can be used on level 1 but unlocked in 4.0 or 5.0 or etc that completely changes the Machinist Job combat style into a Melee DPS Job.

Eww, Why, how, in what world is this a good implementation of it? Changing a ranged to a melee for no reason is shortsighted. As it's said here (in brief, so benefit of the doubt) it's implying you just want it to be a damage gain overall, which is also a poor idea.
This is equally as bad of an idea as adding a feature that makes NIN turn both of his daggers into a double-sword so he can fight like Darth Maul. Just add a new job if you want something like that. Much less there's no way they can make this look good with actual gunblade models, Gauss Barrels look tacked-on, so would this.

Originally Posted by EdwinLi

Include Damage buff to the Gunblade Mod and replace the RNG mechanic in Gunblade mode with a Heat Mechanic focus on using Ammo to boost the Damage of attacks with Explosions just like how Squall uses his Gunblade.

This sounds a BIT like some of the early articles for Heavensward. Saying that Ammo is spent on certain attacks and MCH players have to decide how to spend ammo. (This was apparently communicated poorly, or changed heavily. ) Any MCH player knows that there's only 2 real uses for ammo, your combo chain and AoE burn phases with no other decisions to be made.

A heat mechanic/resource could be neat. Why are we latching it onto MCH? What does it have to do with turrets? For whatever reason, they didn't give us a cool cowboy gunslinger. They gave us a nerd with a lunch box full of turrets, gizmos, and gadgets, they should be involved here. They should be the focus.

I disagree that RNG has any heavy effect on overall damage output. The amount of GCDs you go through tends to even itself out (See, the Law of Big Numbers). In a fight of about 300 GCD or more, you're only losing an average of 30 potency on a lost 'flip' that doesn't proc Clean or Slug shot. It's not that great of a loss.

Originally Posted by EdwinLi

As much as I enjoy playing Machinist as my main character I can agree with the Majority that the major fault of Machinist is that it depends too much on RNG which has damaged the reputation of the Job badly enough that no matter how much SE can buff its damage it would not bring enough players back into considering Machinist as a Main or Sub played Job.

I'd say that the perception of them being RNG has damaged them, as this was the case in earlier patches. I don't see it as holding true since Midas. Any mathematical or statistical evidence I've seen doesn't suggest that's the case anymore. It might be the felt perception of it (which matters for popularity to be sure) but it's not the reality of the matter.

I don't really care or mind how many people play MCH, that doesn't hamper or benefit my enjoyment of the class in any way. They use a gun, I like guns, that's about the extent of it. What does hamper my enjoyment of them is a lot of their flavor and story choices, but I don't think turning them into Squall would begin to fix that, nor would it be a good direction for them to take.

Originally Posted by Andres_Lonegrief

I've mained MCH since 3.1 and I love the job, but since RDM as always been one of my favorite jobs in FF I'll give it a try and see if I like it more.
Regarding MCH, it's quite technical and requires people to be careful to quite a few BUFFs and DEBUFFs plus failing to do so is more punishing than other classes (IMO). I wouldn't be surprised if less people would play it, still it has been acknowledged as a useful party member for raids so I doubt it will disappear. Also, it might receive the same treatment SMN received in 3.X where SE turned it into a warmachine and everybody were loving it .. we'll see

Give it a Gunblade Mod then people may drop all other DPS for that Squall job.

and hopefully have that warmachine power feeling with lots of explosions.

interesting thing about Machinist Job was it was originally going to focus on a Weapon Modification Mechanic but of course rush release and issues with the original design had it changed to current Machinist gameplay design.

Originally Posted by CyrilLucifer

But that changes the core of the job. I quite enjoy Machinist as it is, I wouldn't want that all.

Well the original Core design was to have Machinist to have multiple Weapon Mods for different Core gameplay styles.

Remember the constant complaint about Machinist not having Unique GB design on each gun? Well Original Design Machinist was going to have Unqiue Weapon mod desgin for each gun in their Weapon Modification Mechanic with each Mod changing the Machinist to a certain Core Gameplay style. The first two weapon mod were going to be a Laser Sight Mod and a Grip Mod.



Sadly we will never know how these Mods would have changed the Machinist Gameplay wise since rush to release of 3.0 and issues with the original concept development got in the way forcing SE to give us the current Machinist we have now.