Thread: Consolidated White Mage 4.0 Feedback Thread

Originally Posted by KDSilver

The knocback was great.



in PVP.

In other words, it was primary used for the damages in PVE.
So it becomes useless.

And the fact most oGCD CC losing their damage component is hinting fairly strongly that CC could be a lot more important come SB. I wonder how many times that's been stressed in this thread. "Fluid Aura does no damage!" Should really be a meme.

Originally Posted by KDSilver

The knocback was great.



in PVP.

In other words, it was primary used for the damages in PVE.
So it becomes useless.

I will agree with you there. It saved my life a few times. I wonder if that's ultimately why it's sticking around.

Why are you attacking us on the fact that nobody here understand why they remove the damage on Fluid Aura that now become a useful skill on pvp only?...

The removal of the damage was totally free.
Make a meme if you want but that's not the entire problem anyway.

It's just one of those change that are changed for nothing.
But the main problem isn't here so.

If you're just focused on the fluid aura problem, please just say nothing.

Originally Posted by KDSilver

Why are you attacking us on the fact that nobody here understand why they remove the damage on Fluid Aura that now become a useful skill on pvp only?...

The removal of the damage was totally free.
Make a meme if you want but that's not the entire problem anyway.

It's just one of those change that are changed for nothing.
But the main problem isn't here so.

If you're just focused on the fluid aura problem, please just say nothing.

Well, I'm pointing out that it's not a change that only affected WHM, so it's a moot point to try to pursue the lack of damage because CC has lost its damage effect across all jobs, not just WHM. If you really think I'm attacking you because I'm pointing out your own inconsistency...

I think Square-Enix made an error in believing the class fantasy is just healing. It's not! People want to play a SCH because of books and fairies. They want to play AST because of time magic, cards, and space nukes. But they're both mainly healers. So if you have a class that is just a healer, without any other identifying features, you don't have a White Mage at all. You have nothing. People want to be WHM to be an instrument of divine power. This requires more varied divine magic—a choice between healing and offense.

To accomplish this, Square-Enix should put Holy II in the game and make it prohibitively expensive, but let you instantly cast it for free by expending all Lillies. They should introduce Banish and Exorcism spells for damage and CC / enfeebling options and variety. They should introduce tactical conflict by giving the WHM the choice of whether to expend all Lillies on Holy II, a huge damage burst, or Great Gospel, a huge buff to one's own healing potential for a short time. I think they should also look at using Confession stacks for more than just healing. They should let you eat a minimum number of stacks to instantly cast certain offensive spells for free. But that would require giving WHM more offensive variety, and that would mean shifting to the idea that WHM's class fantasy is about being a conduit of divine power. Because it comes down, essentially, to “how” you heal, and in the case of AST and SCH, how they heal is colored entirely by what they do other than healing. That is my assessment as a professional game designer.

On the subject of Lilies as power representation, Aerith in FFVII was originally going to be a Geomancer, and Conjurer draws much of its power from the nature-forces of the Shroud (and I suppose the whole planet), so they should make WHM's "style" a push and pull between the divine / holy magic of a priestly divinity (ala Rosa, Yuna, and various others), and the geomantic healing of Aerith. I think Lillies are trying to point to lore elements of Conjurer, but it's been done in a somewhat obtuse way. Moreover, people are looking at White Mage expecting more of the priestly, divine power character less than an evolution of the Conjurer.

I think Square-Enix could use both of these aspects to improve the feel of White Mage overall. If I could expend all Lillies to do Great Gospel—and say that it makes me invincible for a short time and amps up my heal speed and potency—and that decision was in conflict with another choice, like the chance to rip off Holy II for free instantly, then WHM would have the edge it needs to color the way it heals. It would also feel more like an instrument of divine power, as well as an evolution of the Conjurer's lore.

Originally Posted by Floortank

>w<

Yes, please! SE read this! That's exactly what I feel when I play any of the healer classes. You worded it perfectly.

Personal opinion warning!

Originally Posted by Floortank

People want to be WHM to be an instrument of divine power.

I think I am probably in the minority here, but this is one of the things I increasingly dislike about XIV's iteration of WHM. White Mages throughout Final Fantasy have had connections to divinity and prayer (eg. Holy, Pray), but for me they are first and foremost mages, not priests. Healing is so often connected to religion and divinity in fantasy games, and I always found White Mage to be a refreshing semi-departure from that trope. For me, the defining aspect of White Mages (and White Magic in general) is that it's about compassion and the desire to help, not being the instrument of some divine power. Conjurer taking a nature-themed path was something I welcomed in XIV.

The names of Tetragrammaton and Assize, and terms like "Confession" and "Indulgence" - these things seem very alien to me as a White Mage fan. I believe the term "Indulgence" even refers to members of a church literally selling people a place in heaven! I can't imagine a less White Mage thing to do.

Astrologian has the idea of reinterpreting fate, SCH has the "military tactician" aspect. I'd like to see XIV's WHM go forward using its Conjurer origins, and for its theme focus on compassion and protection. Defying an enemy's attempts to bring low the people you want to protect, and removing their pain in the process - that is White Mage to me, and what the red-on-white triangles represent. However, I suspect the "divine conduit" idea has many more fans. To each their own!

Originally Posted by Jerbob

snip

Just pointing out you might have forgotten something:

Fifth Astral Era
~3000 (YA) ---
Eorzeans discover magic and ultimately bring about the end of the Fifth Umbral Era and usher in the Fifth Astral Era.
Shatotto, a very talented thaumaturge, casts Meteor to bring down a 'Star' and uses the fragments to create the Stardust Rod.
Many White Mages abuse their power and ultimately cause the Sixth Umbral era to be ushered in. As a result the art dies out.
Grand Companies come together to prepare for the Sixth Umbral era.

Sixth Umbral Era - Element: Water
~1572 (YA) ---
A Great Flood submerges and damages many parts of Eorzea. Caused by the abuse of power with the White Mages, as a result the art begins to die out.

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...rzean-Timeline.

While I can agree that as the WoL we would want to bring about the good aspects of the job, sometimes the "good" of something is about restraining the "evil" and using that for the greater good. WHMs have caused destruction, they're not all heals.