Thread: Patch 1.20 Notes (12/12/2011)

Hi All,

While seemingly "light" on content, there are a lot of fundamental, interesting changes in store. Some are shocking, many are exciting or different.

Here are some highlights / notes that stuck out for me:

• The effects of Protect and Shell have been made mutually exclusive, and one now overwrites the other. There's a thread on this. Definitely very weird or broken or mistranslated. Or that Protect w/ Enhanced Protect is both now. But it still makes no sense with the mention of Shell, though, since Shell doesn't exist now.

• I'm glad there are new Hunting Grounds for Parties. I can't wait to see these new EXP Areas (hopefully it helps and encourages players to move about and explore more).

• Are ALL current HQ Items (+1, 2, 3) going to be upgraded into the new "+1" (New HQ) status? It would be a nice surprise for all.
  
  "All HQ items have been consolidated into +1. All HQ items synthesized after patch 1.20 will be +1. Existing +2 and +3 items will continue to exist and will sell at the same price as before; their attributes, however, will be unified with those of their +1 counterparts.]"

• I LOVE how the Attribute Points Customization is what SE promised us: Some Points to Redistribute with most of the Stats Auto-Shifting still. This allows SE to properly balance each Class and Fight, and still grant some Customization. And it makes Stats still valuable (instead of the old way of being able to move HUNDREDS of Ability Points at once). Win-Win for everyone.

• Parry restored back for Gladiators? New Equipment for Gladiators now grants Parry Effect, so I hope this is SE acknowledging that Parry has been restored for Gladiators.

• Provoke - Not a Gladiator Ability? It's interesting / odd if they want to make Gladiator / Paladin the main tank, that they give Provoke to Marauder instead. I know they get Flash (nice to see a comeback) but still.

• 2 of the "biggest" Weaponskills for Gladiator are most effective as a Rear Attack? I can understand one, maybe, in case they lose aggro and it's a chance to do something chasing down a mob from behind, but 2 of their biggest Weaponskills grant bonus only from behind? Huh?
  
  Perhaps it's a move to make the Tank move (someone else stuns a target, the Gladiator runs behind and uses WS, but still).

• Conjurer: Auto-Refresh - Gradually regenerates MP. Nice!

• Protect vs. Enhanced Protect - One increases Defense. The other increases Magic Defense. Is that a typo? Or does Protect w/ Enhanced Protect Trait basically equal = the old "Protect & Shell"?

• Removing Rebirth, so now 1 Conjurer can Raise only 1 person every... 5 minutes. It makes dying more of a bad thing now, for sure. Less Raises available. BUT, looking at the White Mage Ability to "Remove Recast Time of next Spell," I think that'll make White Mage Job more valuable for that reason. Too bad we won't get that until 1.21, so we have to be more careful during this patch for sure.

• Traits have Recast Times. Interesting and different from the "always on" way they were before. Since Traits are passive, though, I'm not sure how easily we'll see or "know" if they're "on" or in the middle of "recasting."

• Interesting that they make all Conjurer Elemental Spells (Aero, Stone series) open to anyone, but Thaumaturge Elemental Spells are all Exclusive, except Fire.

• Using Numbering on *some* Abilities but removing them for others: It's a minor note, but it strikes me as a bit inconsistent for Square to remove the Numbering System for Weaponskills and Spells (e.g., Provoke, Provoke II, Fire I, II, etc.), but keep the Numbering for Gathering (Prospect I, II, III, IV).

• One thing that confused me for a sec was how the new list only includes the *Class* Abilities, and *not* the Job Abilities we got hinted at a few weeks ago. So those Job Abilities (not on this new list with Names) should make each "Class / Job" even more exciting and enjoyable.

While I'm listing mostly concerns, there are lots of good things in the patch! I love the Dyeing recipe changes. The Grand Company Ranks and new equipment!



I look forward to the class changes the Individual Combos.



I just hope we get some clarification on some of these issues.


Can't wait for the patch!