Samurai and Red Mage

[Hyrist]

I think the issue with Red Mage is a bit easier resolved than indicated. We don't need to be inventing new concepts to be balancing the matter.

If we are preserving the number of skills we have for the class, I do believe automatically converting Jolt II into Impact is necessary for what I am going to suggest.

We need not look far to understand that Red Mage has something in its PvP skills that is bar non far and away different than what it currently has - that being Monomachy. If we can apply this concept to utilities in PVE, we can make a checklist of what we want to cover within that.

Monomachy could potentially be a static single target buff that raises damage for the RDM as serves as a form of damage mitigation for the RDM as has been stated. Obviously in single target sitiuations this would be good, but in multi target its strengths would fall off, which would be balanced. The adjustment of flat gains can be monitored over time and given a tweak up or down as needed by the developers, but its the secondary effect of Monomachy that I feel raiders would be most interested in -

In PvP, Monomachy unlocks debuff potential in additional offGCDs the two that the PvP RDM has being CaC and Displacement. The first provides weight, and the second Bind - both useful debuffs in PvP. But what if we were to expand what skills could proc various effects? For instance, Fletch under the effect of Monomachy could be Physical damage or Piercing damage up. CaC could inflict vulnerability to slashing or perhaps magical damage, Displacement could inflict a Enemy Damage Down Debuff, Etc. To balance this, instead of a damage buff, Monomachy unlocks these various additional effects in Red Mage's offGCDs giving more utility for the class, including more damage for itself when needed. We can add more depth to the job by putting Monomachy on a Cooldown and wearing off on the first additional effect inflicted forcing Red Mage to decide which additional effect to use when within a Raid - and just insure that the potency of these debuffs are balanced out (which could take time).

And it would also solve my huge annoyance of Monomachy existing in PvP with absolutely no reference to its PvE incarnation whatsoever. >.>