New DPS Job Idea - Time Mage!

[Clouse_Cleyra]

What I would really like to see is a total support dps
A DPS that his really job is to buff the party and not doing dps by himself (only the basic to clear solo, quest content).

Im not a designer myself so I dunno how it should be but casts that make party buffs and constant casts that would make the next attack from a party member X% more powerfull, in this way u would have no need/time to cast ur own sucky skills and you would really have to be communicated with your party buffs attacks.

Anyway its just an idea I always had and would really like, dont think it would ever be made though

[wereotter]

So long as Astrologian exists as is I wouldn't count on ever getting Time Mage or Geomancer, no matter how differently you try to make them work from Astrologian.

Geomancers are pretty different from Astros from what we saw in the job quests. But they're prettt much identical to Conjurers and so are White Mages now.

[Joe777]

Geomancers are pretty different from Astros from what we saw in the job quests. But they're prettt much identical to Conjurers and so are White Mages now.

Astrologians picked up Earthly Star from Geomancy, or at least it makes sense that they did.

[Pastahnak]

I made a post about time mage a while back and ast is usually the rebuttal, but I considered it for the tank role(from ff12 zodiac age time battlemage) pretty much the same thing as what ur saying but using the time magic to negate damage from hitting you as much. Time magic is one of my favorite FF magics because of how useful it can be and I'd love to see a full on time mage regardless of what role it's put into.

[Eloah]

I'm just putting this out there, but the Devs have actively said that AST is FFXIV's version of a Time Mage ie, anything related to time will belong to them and a separate Time Mage will not exist. That being said, designing an idea is fine, just don't expect it to be implemented.

Also no offense, but the description OP gave is essentially AST... so...

Sorry one more thing. Also, these ideas need to have some form or consistency and need at least some form of explanation, if the actions aren't self explanatory. Right now OP your idea might look good on the surface but it has several glaring issues if you look at it more in depth. What is an Armageddan Counter, What does it do, you only mention it but never explain it, Why do "Abilities" have both a cooldown and an MP cost, Why are there so few ways of attacking/enhancing damage, Why have a skill that could potentially kill a party member, Having physical attacks is fine but why are to potencies so low, And what is with those traits?

I'm not trying to sound mean, as i'm sure this might, but would encourage you to go over the idea with a fine-tooth comb and revamp it. Also I would personally recommend finding other words and phrases to use for ability names, having obvious references to time/past/future can get a bit "lame" try Chronos, Kairos, Aion, Paradox, Ananke, Eon/Aeon, Kalachakra, Temporal, Intuition, Premonitions, Precognition, and I'm sure there are a boatload more. XD

[arctanx]

@Eloah,

I was posting the idea as an intellectual exercise, not to get it implemented. That being said, I'm fairly certain they have not said Astrologian is this game's time mage. Time Mage in FF has never been a healer and AST only has 2-3 time-related abilities. As I've mentioned several times in the thread so far, consider Astrologian an astrologer who dabbles in time magic, and a Time Mage a master of time magic itself. As for the name ideas, SE can choose whatever names they like, but I like the names I picked. I picked them for a reason.


To your consistency/explanation idea, I think I've given much more explanation than was necessary. I think Armageddon Counter was explained well in the first post. It builds from 1 to 10 when Prophetic Blow I, II, or III is used. After PB is used, the Armageddon Counter has a chance of activating equal to its level times 10%. If it activates, it resets to 0 then unleashes one PB attack (of the same level that activated it) for each Level the Counter had. So its a massive burst of (low) damage, but when 5, 6, 7, or 10 attacks come at once, it's a very potent burst of damage. So individual attacks of Time Mage are meant to be weakest in DPS, but in short bursts, it'd be the highest.


The MP cost on Abilities was an oversight. Time Mage is meant to primarily help the party and is supposed to have few ways to damage. The rotation for damage is simpler than most other jobs but gets slightly more complex at higher levels. And Time Shield can indeed kill a party member, but that's obviously not the intended use. They are nice uses for Time Shield I and II if you think about it.

And I'm not sure what you mean about the traits. They're pretty basic traits and make the job a lot more usable.

Please feel free to reply.

[Eloah]

@arctanx

Okay so I apologize in advance if any of this sounds mean; again its not intended but can come across as such.

In regards to the AST being the Time Mage of FFXIV, it was mentioned but it wasn't like someone asked a question, it was a passing response that was part of another question about future jobs/why certain jobs were implemented. A more accurate way of stating his response would be "when thinking what jobs we could implement we've had several requests for Job-A, Job-B, or Time Mage, but we thought Time Mage might be to similar to AST." It's not that it was stated outright no Time Mage, it was more like they aren't implementing it (yet) because they have't figured out how to differentiate it from AST. That being said I must repeat that your explanation mimics Astrologian's by wide margin.

As for the explanation with Armageddon Counter, I will admit I missed the gray text explaining it.

But going to the abilities. Based on your brief explanation here and the one I reread on page 1, your essentially making an RNG mage, which is basically how AST was when they were first implemented. You are stating that they are primarily supposed to support the party, which is fine, but they are primarily a DPS and they don't have a backing to be one with their low potencies, which match healers more

As for abilities like Time Shield, just remember there is a reason they changed barrier skills the way they have. And as far as traits go, some are okay but the ones that relate to action length and cooldown times are no longer a thing with the recent 4.0 overhaul. Granted you don't have to make the traits fit the currant game design, but it helps anyone reading if they can picture it in the game without a drastic break to the system. Admittedly Traits wont do that.

Again, I'm not trying to be mean just supportive with a critical eye.

[arctanx]

@Eloah, Time Mage (as designed by me) is meant to be the lowest DPS damage rate with individual attacks, but the burst damage more than makes up for it. Several of its attacks can easily have the highest output in the entire game under the right circumstances. And the Armageddon Counter is a massive source of damage output.

@Ceallach, your idea is essentially a stronger version of Time Shield as is, and I don't want to explicitly give the job a healing move. I've adjusted the move as follows now: It "partially turns back time" by resurrecting the target in a weakened state at 5% HP. This makes it much less powerful but basically gives Time Mage a resurrect move that can be cast before death. Feedback appreciated.

[Ceallach]

@Ceallach, your idea is essentially a stronger version of Time Shield as is, and I don't want to explicitly give the job a healing move. I've adjusted the move as follows now: It "partially turns back time" by resurrecting the target in a weakened state at 5% HP. This makes it much less powerful but basically gives Time Mage a resurrect move that can be cast before death. Feedback appreciated.

My idea wasn't meant to be implemented as-is. I meant it as an example, or a way to inspire ideas. What you're talking about is basically just Raise, which would be okay (it would make three of four DPS Disciples of Magic with such a spell), but you know how a paladin's Hallowed Ground takes a moment to kick in? So should this.

[Eloah]

@Eloah, Time Mage (as designed by me) is meant to be the lowest DPS damage rate with individual attacks, but the burst damage more than makes up for it. Several of its attacks can easily have the highest output in the entire game under the right circumstances. And the Armageddon Counter is a massive source of damage output.

The key to what you said is "under the right circumstances". If history has taught us anything, it's that the player base does not want abilities that are so niche they are nearly useless. The whole of circumstance and RNG needed moves is one of the reasons why certain jobs had an issue when going into 4.0, DRK and MCH come to mind based on what i've seen, but I can't say I've experienced it myself; it's also one of the primary reasons enochian got changed. Also out of curiosity why does the counter have to be "activated" wouldn't the move just add 1 to the counter.

My personal suggestion would maybe be to make the counter similar to the tank gauges, and using certain moves ups the counter, then you can spend parts of the counter to use on certain skills, attacks, heals, buffs, etc. You could also make a full counter act similar to MCH's, in that if it goes to its max level it gives you a buff that increases your DPS output. But that's my interpretation, you might have something else in mind. Also, unless I missed it you have no AoE, and sadly your level 68 action does not count, as its too "timed" to do any significant damage and given too late.