Horizontal progression? In MY theme park?!

[Sacred_Nym]

thoughts?

My thought is that there's just going to be a single BiS set that gets one particular set of effects that everyone is expected to shoot for. It'd add another layer to BiS solving, but wouldn't change the fact that there's only going to be one BiS.

[CreinCrein]

If implemented correctly there could be possibilities for different BiSs for different raid situations. Sets that effective in dummy fights, sets that work better for movement heavy fights, sets that work well in prog scenarios, sets that help preserve resources through fights that are heavy on intermissions, sets for heaving AOEing (for the heavy padders :eyes: ) to name a few. Definitely a lot more interesting than what we have right now.

[Bacent]

I think we need a leveling experience after we reach max level. I've always said they need to add job specific materia. In that way you still have the vertical gear grind but a horizontal xp grind to keep improving.

They used to have materia for everything back in 1.X actually.

Some materia could only be used by certain classes, and materia could only be put on certain pieces of gear

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/M...sy_XIV)/Legacy

If you want to see what it used to look like.

There's also the fact that in anything sync'd in game, we lose materia bonuses.

[Adeacia]

If implemented correctly there could be possibilities for different BiSs for different raid situations. Sets that effective in dummy fights, sets that work better for movement heavy fights, sets that work well in prog scenarios, sets that help preserve resources through fights that are heavy on intermissions, sets for heaving AOEing (for the heavy padders :eyes: ) to name a few. Definitely a lot more interesting than what we have right now.

Where would be put all these sets? In the armory chest that is too small? This also sounds like a waste of time. People aren't going to be able to catch up when they need 10 different sets of gear.

[Sebazy]

My thought is that there's just going to be a single BiS set that gets one particular set of effects that everyone is expected to shoot for.

Played correctly, I think it's possible to actually brute force a bit of a variety into the proceedings TBH.

The reason why I went straight to adding a VIT bonus on my idea was because that will immediately be the go to for progression or simply content that's not quite farm status for your group.

Sticking with the healer side of things, it'd be very possible to put in a number of decent bonuses that are more of a QOL thing than a raw numbers boost.

A 1 second reduction on the recast of Regen is an example that comes straight to mind for WHM for example. As an AST you could mix it up and offer something like a -15 second reduction on the recast of Spread. Both of these are somewhat low PPS impact but big QOL tweaks, they aren't remotely game changing in terms of 'muh logs' but they would have an impact on the feel of the job which is the aim here.

People aren't going to be able to catch up when they need 10 different sets of gear.

This is FFXIV, you don't need anything, a trip to the AH for some crafted or a couple of weeks of 24 man/dungeons/eureka is enough for everything except Ultimate. This is really just something to let the min maxers go that little extra mile. Don't forget that a good portion of the raid community used to carry a variety of sets to handle varying accuracy caps from turn to turn. Crein's suggestion is effectively bringing that back in a less cheesy or mandatory manner.

[Lambdafish]

I really think that XIV needs an "augments" system. Replacing the current gear system with a more horizontal skill affecting gear system, perhaps players could unlock augments (which would be equipped in separate gear slots and have unique effects) by doing content. These could either be skill affecting, or even glamour affecting, and would allow a sense of horizontal progression laid on top of the existing vertical progression.

In a way, gearing up isn't the main draw of running content in the slightest, and being BiS is simply a means to an end. People raid for the achievement, not the gear, with things like mounts and music rolls adding the additional incentive. Ex primals are the same, the most sought-after items from that content is the whistles, and I think what people are wanting is gear, or at least something that has the same kind of draw, instead of BiS being achieved over the course of time and not bringing any kind of accomplishment with it.

[CreinCrein]

Where would be put all these sets? In the armory chest that is too small? This also sounds like a waste of time. People aren't going to be able to catch up when they need 10 different sets of gear.

You'd only need 2 sets of gear; for example 370 tome/370 raid. You'd just switch out individual pieces to meet the stat caps you need to trigger the effects on the abilities. I don't think that's too much of a hassle?

[AxlStream]

Horizontal this, horizontal that. Doesn't matter folks, always a cookie cutter build that will be preferred/required for certain benefits. That's how it is with any MMORPG.

[KisaiTenshi]

You'd only need 2 sets of gear; for example 370 tome/370 raid. You'd just switch out individual pieces to meet the stat caps you need to trigger the effects on the abilities. I don't think that's too much of a hassle?

If we can do Glamour Plates, we can do Effect plates.

[Dyvid]

They used to have materia for everything back in 1.X actually.

Some materia could only be used by certain classes, and materia could only be put on certain pieces of gear

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/M...sy_XIV)/Legacy

If you want to see what it used to look like.

There's also the fact that in anything sync'd in game, we lose materia bonuses.

Yea I remember. The key point I"m trying to make though is people do need goals not only to gear up but continue to expand. Since materia was of a similar vein of FFXI Merit system it would be logical to have it as the means to expand our characters job beyond that of just xpac grinding.