Two Months of BLU: Discuss!

[Hasrat]

I'd much, MUCH rather than instead of locking BLU spells behind instances like dungeons and trials, they were tied to FATEs, amplifying that open world context and doubling down on that identity.

While I was sorta disappointed they didn't take more opportunities to have open world spells, this would still run afoul of the issue that BLU can do just about any ARR open world content while still in the 30s.

For all the cries of BLU being too weak, at least when it comes to open world, it really is kinda OP. Not sure how well any other job would handle killing stuff in North Thanalan at level 35.

[Valdegarde]

While I was sorta disappointed they didn't take more opportunities to have open world spells, this would still run afoul of the issue that BLU can do just about any ARR open world content while still in the 30s.

For all the cries of BLU being too weak, at least when it comes to open world, it really is kinda OP. Not sure how well any other job would handle killing stuff in North Thanalan at level 35.

Easier than you might think. In Heavensward, I did the regular hunt marks every day to level my jobs, and I'd routinely kill everything on a level 51 job including Azys Lla stuff.

[BubblyBoar]

Heres hoping something makes it better in 5.0 and it's not more of the same. I really hope Yoshi-P considers BLU feedback one day instead of being stubborn about it.

[Corue]

I got all the spells and the Perfect Blue title. It sucks.
Yoshi couldn't decide if he wanted it to be a meme job or an actual job so it's stuck in a kind of limbo between the two and it's not quite as good as either. But what really kills it for me is the fact you can't queue for anything at all with it unless you undersize. I can already undersize everything as a level 70 job. What is its purpose?

[Jonnycbad]

Having been a BLU main FFXI, I am really disappointed in BLU's implementation so far. If it were up to me, I would have:

-Basically copied BLU's lore/concept from XI but into XIV. In other words make them Thavnarian Elite Guards/Special Forces.
-Scimitar as main weapon.
-Scouting Gear Melee DPS with a unique casting system (like Ninja). Main stat=DEX
-Blue Magic is part of their rotation like Ninjutsu is for NIN. Fewer spells but more impactful and are mostly used as oGCDs/buffs/debuffs(like Trick Attack) on target.


Moving FORWARD, I'd like to see them split BLU into 2 jobs. This can be accomplished using 2 different job crystals. BLU (limited), and BLU. The BLU (limited) job stone is the job we have for BLU now. Overworld and Carnivale centered, cannot enter duty roulettes, etc. The normal BLU stone would be released and start at level 60 and would have a limited number (~25)of pre-determined spells/skills/actions BLU can use (players cannot customize). Some of these spells and skills would have the same animation and name as the BLU (limited) version but have modified effects/potencies to balance them for real content, as well as a job gauge unique to them. For example, Offguard could be a 30s recast oGCD for non-limited BLU.

[MrKimper]

Having been a BLU main FFXI, I am really disappointed in BLU's implementation so far. If it were up to me, I would have:

-Basically copied BLU's lore/concept from XI but into XIV. In other words make them Thavnarian Elite Guards/Special Forces.
-Scimitar as main weapon.
-Scouting Gear Melee DPS with a unique casting system (like Ninja). Main stat=DEX
-Blue Magic is part of their rotation like Ninjutsu is for NIN. Fewer spells but more impactful and are mostly used as oGCDs/buffs/debuffs(like Trick Attack) on target.


Moving FORWARD, I'd like to see them split BLU into 2 jobs. This can be accomplished using 2 different job crystals. BLU (limited), and BLU. The BLU (limited) job stone is the job we have for BLU now. Overworld and Carnivale centered, cannot enter duty roulettes, etc. The normal BLU stone would be released and start at level 60 and would have a limited number (~25)of pre-determined spells/skills/actions BLU can use (players cannot customize). Some of these spells and skills would have the same animation and name as the BLU (limited) version but have modified effects/potencies to balance them for real content, as well as a job gauge unique to them. For example, Offguard could be a 30s recast oGCD for non-limited BLU.

To expand on this I think it'd be cool if they borrowed from Khimari a bit when making it a normal job, I think trying to make useful versions of the skills we have is kind of asking for trouble, I'd rather see a melee support BLU with like, goblin punch, thrust kick etc as it's GCD combo and have lancet or some sort of drain that generates "beast blood" gauge to unlock primal abilities that's only usable after you do a full combo. You can have stuff like white wind and mighty guard as party buffs on a oGCD cooldown.

[Auryan]

Having been a BLU main FFXI, I am really disappointed in BLU's implementation so far. If it were up to me, I would have:

-Basically copied BLU's lore/concept from XI but into XIV. In other words make them Thavnarian Elite Guards/Special Forces.
-Scimitar as main weapon.
-Scouting Gear Melee DPS with a unique casting system (like Ninja). Main stat=DEX
-Blue Magic is part of their rotation like Ninjutsu is for NIN. Fewer spells but more impactful and are mostly used as oGCDs/buffs/debuffs(like Trick Attack) on target.


Moving FORWARD, I'd like to see them split BLU into 2 jobs. This can be accomplished using 2 different job crystals. BLU (limited), and BLU. The BLU (limited) job stone is the job we have for BLU now. Overworld and Carnivale centered, cannot enter duty roulettes, etc. The normal BLU stone would be released and start at level 60 and would have a limited number (~25)of pre-determined spells/skills/actions BLU can use (players cannot customize). Some of these spells and skills would have the same animation and name as the BLU (limited) version but have modified effects/potencies to balance them for real content, as well as a job gauge unique to them. For example, Offguard could be a 30s recast oGCD for non-limited BLU.

Having played XI, I really wouldn't like it if they shipped XI's iteration into XIV. While I liked the XI's story, tone and look, it felt right at home with the Aht Urhgan expansion and less so in Eorzea. The whole New World story line is actually more interesting for me. Especially if it someway leads to BLU getting an opportunity to venture there.

I like your option of creating a sorta "advanced" job with the limited aspect attached to a standard job, but I realize that it's not very friendly on resource management. You'd have to constantly create new content for one job's quirky attachment and at the same time have to keep the standard aspect constantly balanced to other jobs. Not to mention that BLU is meant to be the first of its kind. Would they have to do the same for potential future jobs like BST, PUP, GEO, MIM etc? And I'm not even considering the complaints on why certain jobs are getting this treatment and why not the existing ones. I'm sure some SMNs out there would love to, you know, actually summon things besides Bahamut every 2 mins.

What is likely going to happen is that they will work on refining the limited job concept. Tweak the numbers, add more exciting rewards, more and different content. As more limited jobs come in, I can see them consolidate them under one roof like how the other jobs and crafters/gatherers are. Perhaps shared content exclusive to limited jobs. Who knows?

[Shougun]

Having played XI, I really wouldn't like it if they shipped XI's iteration into XIV. While I liked the XI's story, tone and look, it felt right at home with the Aht Urhgan expansion and less so in Eorzea. The whole New World story line is actually more interesting for me. Especially if it someway leads to BLU getting an opportunity to venture there.

I like your option of creating a sorta "advanced" job with the limited aspect attached to a standard job, but I realize that it's not very friendly on resource management. You'd have to constantly create new content for one job's quirky attachment and at the same time have to keep the standard aspect constantly balanced to other jobs. Not to mention that BLU is meant to be the first of its kind. Would they have to do the same for potential future jobs like BST, PUP, GEO, MIM etc? And I'm not even considering the complaints on why certain jobs are getting this treatment and why not the existing ones. I'm sure some SMNs out there would love to, you know, actually summon things besides Bahamut every 2 mins.

What is likely going to happen is that they will work on refining the limited job concept. Tweak the numbers, add more exciting rewards, more and different content. As more limited jobs come in, I can see them consolidate them under one roof like how the other jobs and crafters/gatherers are. Perhaps shared content exclusive to limited jobs. Who knows?

YEEEAAAAH someone used advanced job! lol. Unlimited job sounds about as lame as limited does imo.. /petty reee over here haha. Just sounds great imo, Advanced Job, it's so FF and fitting in concept. Have my silly +1 for spreading the good name XD.


I'd like to argue a little on resource management though. So let's say they went the advanced route, and clearly your argument is to say that would make blue mage costly. Could I suggest the counter to that?

I think at this time making Blue Mage advanced is LESS costly than making a new job, we have so many resources developed for the job even lore, graphics, and basic mechanics. We're half way or more to a job already. Also the limited side doesn't need to be updated at the same rate as the main job side. In this way it's like reusing code when programming rather than reinventing the wheel.

One of the posts I made was a timeline into making Blue Mage an advanced job, so lets say in the timeline where by 5.3-.5 (early better but far less likely) that blue mage has caught up on level and is fully unchained into it's advanced status. Now when they add new spells every other or less frequent patch consider that they're also developing "expansion" content for the job, so this work is even more effective than it would have been if blue mage is just limited. Designing limited content just became an even more effective use of time, and also assures players that blue mage wont become some forgotten mini game too (since they're encouraged to work on it at least occasionally).

I know what you're suggesting with keeping blue mage up and all but IMO I'd strongly suggest that Advanced Job blue mage is the most effective use of resources compared to limited job blue mage, because you're able to create a side content, a main content, and have them strongly marry each other (while separate balance and mechanics out enough that main job blue is fun to play and limited job blue is OP and unbalanced).

So I guess in other words while it's true not doing any work costs less resources than some work that technically (imo) advanced blue mage is a more effective use of resources than many things right now (like upgrading/extending existing infrastructure vs starting from scratch, when you get in a comparison like that advanced blue mage actually becomes very resource friendly).

[Jonnycbad]

I don't think it would be bad to make Limited Jobs/Advanced Jobs a thing. BLU BST PUP can have Limited Job stones and Advanced Job Stones. Limited is for the fun side content but not required AT ALL for Advanced. For Advanced, you learn the spells normally by leveling just as any other job. If you equip the Limited BLU stone, you'd have to learn them normally, but none of them would transfer over to the Advanced. It would just be side content/fluff/minigame stuff like we have with Carnivale.

For example, BST could be a ranged physical job like MCH and BRD, where the BST uses a whip and has a pet tiger auto attack not unlike the MCH's Turret. The Limited version of BST would be weakning mobs below 20% and using Capture/Tame on them to acquire an ability which summons that monster into battle to fight along side you. Then there'd be its own version of Masked Carnivale where you defeat waves of mobs using the most out of your pets to exploit weakness in mob type (e.g. Cloudkin>Vilekin, etc). PUP could be similar too, but instead of learning spells, or taming weakened mobs, you defeat mechanical mobs on the overworld/dungeons and collect parts/attachments or maybe have someone craft more advanced ones. Your pet menu could have 16-20 attachments which you build your Mammet up and change its logic (fight as a caster, fight as a ranged, fight as melee, give it oGCDs, etc). MIM/Freelancer could have the same thing but you mix/match GCDs and oGCDs from all the DoM/DoW you have leveled so far and complete content that requires various combinations of skills, e.g. removing Doom from yourself, beating a DPS check, tanking a big attack, AoEing something down, etc. The weapon or MIM/FRL could appear/vanish between GCDs like Noctis from FFXV. Like you do Chaos Thrust with a spectral spear, then follow up with a Souleater with a spectral claymore, etc.

[Auryan]

-snip-

Interesting points, but I think we have to keep two things in mind with regards to BLU and limited jobs.

The first being that it's nice to come up with a standard job idea to go along with the limited part, but that kind of ignores why BLU is a limited job in the first place. After theorycrafting ways to bring BLU into XIV and scrapping all of those ideas, they kind of gave up on the idea of adding BLU. Until the limited job idea popped up. Feel free to disagree with that being the only option for jobs like BLU, I know many do, but that's how the devs see it. Adding a regular job to BLU would kind of make the need for the limited job system moot.

The second being that we focus too much on just BLU. It is the first job used for this system and it's not planned to be the only one. The other potential candidates that will come up will also need to go through the advanced treatment. And that takes more and more time and energy. At that point, these advanced jobs are becoming such a drain on resource. And then, why bother?

Don't get me wrong, I like the idea. For starters, it certainly will lower the chances of seeing yet another BLU hate thread. I just don't see how adding two separate experiences to one job is going to be more attractive for the devs than just adding one or the other. Sure, standard jobs, besides their own stories, don't have a lot of content attached to them. They are more tools to do content, but they do require attention in other areas. Like balance, ability creation/refining, stat adjustment, etc. I imagine creating standard jobs takes a lot more work than coming up with ideas for a flashy rotation. Which somehow circles back to my first point.