Thread: 5.0 Combat changes: What do you expect?

I try to temper my expectations. They've been pretty vague regarding battle system changes so I don't want to fall in love with any ideas born in my head, only to find out I was completely off the mark in May.

But what I'm hoping for is that the MCH rework they announced a while ago will do something to fix its clunkiness, ping-reliance and how hard it gets punished for any interruption in uptime. Like... come on. Wildfire is both too short to be reliable with even the slightest amount of lag and too long not to get screwed up by bosses deciding to invuln/phase/disappear before it detonates. Every fight has different timings for those moments, and knowing that one is coming up soon doesn't make the awful feeling of having to hold back our only significant way of contributing personal damage feel any less awful. Nobody else has an attack with (effectively) over 10s cast time...
And even if MCH is not supposed to be dealing consistent damage, then it must at least be able to match BRD in the support department.

Ahem... I should probably stop going before it turns into a rant. Moving on...

I hope role actions take an axe to the face. There are so many that would be better served merged into job-specific abilities instead of existing as separate buttons. Like... Diversion. Why isn't it a secondary effect of Embolden for RDM? Why does SCH/SMN have to have Lucid Dreaming when it could simply have more MP return on Energy Drain/Aetherflow instead? And why does Protect even need a button to cast? It might as well be a passive aura for all it does. Ugh!

But really my main reason for disliking them is how many hotkeys they take up. Their existence will one day cause me physical injury as I try to twist my fingers in ways they were never meant to bend.

Also, one little wish I have is gear consolidation. The 4 melee DPS do not need 3 gearsets between them. I wish left-side gear classification would match the way accessories are organised (Maiming + Striking = Slaying, Scouting + Aiming = Aiming)

Originally Posted by Bonbori

I try to temper my expectations. They've been pretty vague regarding battle system changes so I don't want to fall in love with any ideas born in my head, only to find out I was completely off the mark in May.

But what I'm hoping for is that the MCH rework they announced a while ago will do something to fix its clunkiness, ping-reliance and how hard it gets punished for any interruption in uptime. Like... come on. Wildfire is both too short to be reliable with even the slightest amount of lag and too long not to get screwed up by bosses deciding to invuln/phase/disappear before it detonates. Every fight has different timings for those moments, and knowing that one is coming up soon doesn't make the awful feeling of having to hold back our only significant way of contributing personal damage feel any less awful. Nobody else has an attack with (effectively) over 10s cast time...
And even if MCH is not supposed to be dealing consistent damage, then it must at least be able to match BRD in the support department.

Ahem... I should probably stop going before it turns into a rant. Moving on...

I hope role actions take an axe to the face. There are so many that would be better served merged into existing, job-specific abilities than existing as separate buttons. Like... Diversion. Why isn't it a secondary effect of Embolden for RDM? Why does SCH/SMN have to have Lucid Dreaming when it could simply have more MP return on Energy Drain/Aetherflow instead? And why does Protect even need a button to cast? It might as well be a passive aura for all it does. Ugh!

But really my main reason for disliking them is how many hotkeys they take up. Their existence will one day cause me physical injury as I try to twist my fingers in ways they were never meant to bend.

Also, one little wish I have is gear consolidation. The 4 melee DPS do not need 3 gearsets between them. I wish left-side gear classification would match the way accessories are organised (Maiming + Striking = Slaying, Scouting + Aiming = Aiming)

That feel when your party is doing just enough damage to push phases that causes the boss to leap off screen before wildfire goes off, but not enough dps to down the boss and you're tagged as the low dps.

Originally Posted by Ogulbuk

I want combos to be consolidated into a single button the way it works now on PvP. I play on a console with a gamepad and its too annoying to have all those buttons on screen (I use macros to manage some but its still too much for the console UI to handle.)

There is zero reason to use combo abilities out of order anyways other than accidentally messing up your click.

Hotkeys are crowded enough with a keyboard I can't imagine playing with a gamepad.

I was surprised at how much better things felt in PvP; it's definitely more slim than PvE can handle but the design was much more elegant and it just felt better to play. There weren't abilities taking up space for the sake of taking up space. I'd enjoy jobs a lot more if they borrowed some of that design in PvE.

Another thing I'd love to see is the removal of role actions, maybe implement some as job-specific abilities where appropriate, but that whole section is bloat.

Originally Posted by Ogulbuk

I want combos to be consolidated into a single button the way it works now on PvP. I play on a console with a gamepad and its too annoying to have all those buttons on screen (I use macros to manage some but its still too much for the console UI to handle.)

There is zero reason to use combo abilities out of order anyways other than accidentally messing up your click. The game has been about weaving ogcds in between attacks and positioning for a long time anyways.

I would love this. I play on Pc but it would still be a much welcomed change. It would free up so much room.

As for other changes i would like, i would love for them to get rid of RNG for MCH/BRD. But especially MCH. It doesn't feel good using your Split Shot/Heated Split Shot over and over because you can't get a proc.

They should just get rid of the RNG factor, and make the bullets do something else to effect the abilities.

I think it would make MCH 10x more enjoyable.

Originally Posted by Wynn_Storm

As for other changes i would like, i would love for them to get rid of RNG for MCH/BRD. But especially MCH. It doesn't feel good using your Split Shot/Heated Split Shot over and over because you can't get a proc.

They should just get rid of the RNG factor, and make the bullets do something else to effect the abilities.

I think it would make MCH 10x more enjoyable.

I feel like that would make the job even more repetitive. A common complaint is how the rotation is really static at level 70, and removing the need to react to procs would make it even more so. It would also remove WF optimisation based on your current set of procs, and MCH is lacking in ways to optimise as it is. Additionally, with Reload at a 30s CD and QR at a 15s CD, very rarely do you get extended periods of time of only Split Shot, especially if you are 1213ing like you're supposed to with MCH.

Originally Posted by Seraphor

I personally feel like MCH has far too much going on to keep track of the RNG aspect. It's part engineer, it deals with mechanics, it should be predictable.

RDM and BLM have a sort of RNG that works for them, I don't feel like MCH's RNG does.

I feel like MCH should have been the NIN of the ranged DPS jobs. Like they would combine different parts to create fancy weaponry attacks (looking at Edgar from FFVI). So theoretical examples; bio+tech+aether parts (made-up MCH Mundra) create a Bio Blaster or tech x3 creates Heavy Crossbow etc, I'm sure there are lots of possibilities. I'd prefer to tinker with parts than mess about with overheating and ping effected wildfire.

Originally Posted by Wynn_Storm

I would love this. I play on Pc but it would still be a much welcomed change. It would free up so much room.

As for other changes i would like, i would love for them to get rid of RNG for MCH/BRD. But especially MCH. It doesn't feel good using your Split Shot/Heated Split Shot over and over because you can't get a proc.

They should just get rid of the RNG factor, and make the bullets do something else to effect the abilities.

I think it would make MCH 10x more enjoyable.

the most enjoyable thing about mch imo is deciding how and when to use the bullets. having a garanteed combo at all times is boring.

Originally Posted by Wynn_Storm

I would love this. I play on Pc but it would still be a much welcomed change. It would free up so much room.

As for other changes i would like, i would love for them to get rid of RNG for MCH/BRD. But especially MCH. It doesn't feel good using your Split Shot/Heated Split Shot over and over because you can't get a proc.

They should just get rid of the RNG factor, and make the bullets do something else to effect the abilities.

I think it would make MCH 10x more enjoyable.

The RNG for BRD is fine. The only QoL I change I would want would be a cooldown to force proc a Refulgent Arrow. Put it on an 80 second CD to stay in line with your Minuet/Raging Strikes/Barrage rotations. :3