Ability Leveling Suggestion

[Stanislaw]

The biggest problem with such a system is that everyone will, eventually, go for the 'template' setup - as in, choosing skills that will most benefit a character rather than go for individuality - so in the end, you will have, say, 90% of the entire WHM population choose specific set of skills while the other 10% will not, and because they don't, people will not take them/choose them to go to raids. Other MMOs solve this problem by allowing multiple characters, but because FFXIV can be played with one, such a system will cause imbalance between the population.

[Dreamer]

The biggest problem with such a system is that everyone will, eventually, go for the 'template' setup - as in, choosing skills that will most benefit a character rather than go for individuality - so in the end, you will have, say, 90% of the entire WHM population choose specific set of skills while the other 10% will not, and because they don't, people will not take them/choose them to go to raids. Other MMOs solve this problem by allowing multiple characters, but because FFXIV can be played with one, such a system will cause imbalance between the population.

This is why Blizzard butchered the skill trees in WoW - everybody used certain templates, making the trees themselves largely irrelevant to everyone except those who like unusual setups and roleplayers. I really don't want to see anything that even remotely resembles a skill/talent tree in this game.

[Avraym]

This is why Blizzard butchered the skill trees in WoW - everybody used certain templates, making the trees themselves largely irrelevant to everyone except those who like unusual setups and roleplayers. I really don't want to see anything that even remotely resembles a skill/talent tree in this game.

They are reforming them in the new expansion to be more relevant and diverese. From the look of it, there is no longer "the best path". EG: One build is ideal for Solo DPS, another for Party dps and another for survival (PVP). Each path also gives unique skills/spells that only that path can obtain.

What suggestion do you have for skill customization?

Or do you think the current system and job system is enough (Every WHM has more or less the same spells and build as me (Hello there predictable PVP!))

[Eruantien]

I don't agree, one thing that is different in xiv the same as in xi, is the fact that you can play every class and have all abilities. If you go down the skill tree path you will need multiple characters which is something I don't want, I like being able to do everything with the one character.

Eventually I would guess the specialization is what sits on your bar as you will not be able to fit everything on your bar as it only allows 30 abilities.

Also the main point of jobs is for specialisation of the class, as said.

[Mychael]

This discussion actually came up in LS chat earlier... because the extent of the "variety" between your CNJ and my CNJ is that your cure might happen to restore about 100 more hp than mine.

What we came up with was basically that no matter how finely you balance a chart there will always be a better choice--if not overall, then for individual situations. If anything, a tree of this sort should not make any part of your character better or worse; rather, they should simply serve to make a character more suited to your playstyle. For example, rather than having slow, high damage nukes, someone might be able to make their BLM/THM have faster, lesser nukes, so long as they end at the same DPS. A melee character might swing faster for less damage--but these would be incredibly difficult to balance as well...

By the time we reached this, though, we realized that we really weren't describing skill trees anymore, but things that the job system could accomplish. Faster, lower hits? Thief. Slower, higher hits? DRK. Etc.

So no, I think that what others have said holds--the job system might be small at the moment, but we have to hope that when(/if) they add more jobs/classes, your concerns about uniformity will be taken care of.

[Fiosha_Maureiba]

Although considering the direction that the game is taking, it seems like things are going away from that level of customization.

Removal of Physical Levels. Which I imagine was meant to be the specialization of sorts, rather than folks constantly switching classes and wanting to optimize for each class.

Removal of guildmark use and possibly consolidation of all guildmarks ~ which was kind of that additional investment scheme going on.

Heavy-duty overhaul of our class actions down to the 15 we have with lots of exclusive incentives and reduced cross classing incentives, especially on weapon skills. Throw in 5 more for jobs. And that *may* even be what we have until 2.0.

I feel we're going more toward "everybody is the same" with only playstyle and gear to separate us for the time.

[Avraym]

I feel we're going more toward "everybody is the same" with only playstyle and gear to separate us for the time.

I agree. And as someone with a short attention span, I hope don't find the gameplay stale after some time has passed.

Part of the things i enjoyed about mmorpgs is the diversity.

Everyone says cross classing abilities is fine, but as a primary disciple of magic user, only having a small hand of skills which barely complement the other, its not enough for me personally.

I'm optimistic jobs will bring diversity, but would be dissapointed if this was as far as it went.