The Ways of Enfeebling Magic

[Asiaine]

I've been looking at this game from an Enfeebling point of view (I used to be an RDM and enjoy the art of Enfeebling).

I notice that a lot of the enfeebling skills from pre 1.20 are gone, however there are still a handful that remain in a different form (Heavy, Stun, etc, disguised as 'specials' on an elemental attack).

However, my question really is: Is there really a need for Enfeebling Magic anymore?

Granted, I'm only a lowly Level 35ish THM and have much to learn, but so far:

Solo Play -- Enfeebling is an option, but often it is easier to start with an elemental attack rather than try to enfeeble (and get hit before moving onto more powerful spell). Also, the mob tends to die relatively quickly so that the benefit of the Enfeebling is not overly enjoyed.

Party Play -- So far (two parties, do not know if this is the norm) a massive group of mobs are gathered and then slaughtered at once. Usually so quickly that there is no point to enfeeble them.

In FFXI (before most of the recent patches, lets talk early CoP era) Enfeebling was needed as each monster fight was long enough to take advantage of the mob being enfeebled. Therefore, Enfeebling's biggest advantage is in fights that take a while to complete.

So far, up to level 35 at least, this is not the case. Each fight is so quick there is no great gain from enfeebling them.

Therefore, enfeebling may only be needed for battles that take a long time (HNM, Boss Fights?). Which makes the Enfeebling Skill rather 'limited' (in comparisson to other types of skills like healing and elemental attacks).

So my question is: What is the future of Enfeebling Magic?
Is it meant to be only of significant use in boss/HNM fights?
Am I doing something wrong that I am not fighting the right type of 'grind mobs' that could take advantage of the enfeebling?

(Note, this is different from other discussions on future jobs/classes that have better enfeebling skills. This is not THM or CNJ specific, but rather, a question on the concept of Enfeebling itself and how this mechanic works in the present battle/grinding/HNM system.)


Thank you.

[Klive]

With the removal of all enemies not having ranged attack, the bind from blizzara is extremely useful. I do GC leves and chocobo escort missions as THM, blizzara alone can be a god sent. The protection missions, GC leves, the ability to sleep or bind the enemies can and will save your life. Plus the enfeebling magic stat affects all enfeeble effects, even WS skill ones. So THM, with thier bonus enfeeble, can stun every time with shield slam.

The next mage class is said to be a debuffer, so I see more enfeebling spells coming soon.

K

[Kiara]

So my question is: What is the future of Enfeebling Magic?
Is it meant to be only of significant use in boss/HNM fights?
Am I doing something wrong that I am not fighting the right type of 'grind mobs' that could take advantage of the enfeebling?

Thank you.

Hi Shayla,

It's a good topic and there are a few things some players are hoping to see changed in 2.0 that may alleviate your concerns. Thoughts / Notes:

1. "Yes," as you noticed, just based on basic Leveling from 1 and on (via Leves or EXP Parties), mobs *do* die relatively quickly, so right now, if they gave us an Enfeebler / Debuffer Class, it might feel a bit useless with spells like Bio or Dia or Poison. For *NMs* / Long Fights, of course, they are very beneficial still.

But I could see a Debuff Class that had a Vicious Poison spell (so a potent DOT effect), Gravity / Slow (to slow down an incoming mob), and then using stuff like Bio or Dia and a light-damage Pure Damage Spell to be viable to solo or help in EXP Parties still.


2. Some people have speculated that the super fast Leveling / fast kills are only temporary measures for the current state of our game: That since most of the New Content each Patch is for Max Level (50) Characters, that Yoshida-san is purposefully keeping a very lenient / easy / fast pace for Leveling Up so that more players can get to Level 50 faster, to experience the majority of the New Content for each Patch (until 2.0).


3. And some people are hoping (me included) that with 2.0's Launch, that with the entire World Map Redesign (New Lands, New Monsters, Rebirth), that *then* adjustments will be made (slowing down leveling / speed of kills in regular battles) so that players can have more time to enjoy the new 2.0 world (with new camps, ways to explore, level, advance, etc.).

But this is all speculation.

We'll see where this goes as we inch towards 2.0's release.

[Seihi]

The next mage I feel might be coming sooner then later considering the current set of mages are lacking water elements, but a buff/debuff 'water mage' may be something that shows it self(at least that is what my friends and I have discussed) I know they have spoke of a mage that gets bubble like spells similar to the one NPC. so perhaps we will see a mage with water attacks, and a bunch of enfeebling/enhancing spells?