Pet AI Rework Suggestion

[Kurando]

So you're saying Embrace will have insta-cast? This would have to be turned in to an ability, and because of that no doubt it will be nerfed in potency (just like Whispering Dawn) to reflect the change or Physick would be buffed.
Embrace would also no longer benefit from Rouse, making the potency increase from it worthless. Also you said auto attack for pets, so I'm assuming you include the fairy? Why does it need a DPS auto attack, SCH already brings plenty of it itself.

Wind Blade to instant ain't so much a bad thing though, it means Contagion had more chance of going off correctly as opposed to it requiring multiple clicks, because it doesn't always register the first time. The Bahamut changes seem ok, considering it's actions have a lot of range it could work in most environments (i.e. not chasing mobs).

[Kalise]

So you're saying Embrace will have insta-cast? This would have to be turned in to an ability, and because of that no doubt it will be nerfed in potency (just like Whispering Dawn) to reflect the change or Physick would be buffed.
Embrace would also no longer benefit from Rouse, making the potency increase from it worthless.

Any particular reason why instant cast means "Ability"?

Typically "Abilities" are oGCD's. But Embrace would remain a GCD action, just instant.

Potency nerf... Is to be expected, given it no longer having a 2s cast.

Though how much, given that it will only be tied to your GCD heals now instead of auto-firing whenever the fairy exists near people below 80% life, is hard to say.

Rouse, probably could do with an overhaul anyway given how limited it already is for SCH.

Also you said auto attack for pets, so I'm assuming you include the fairy? Why does it need a DPS auto attack, SCH already brings plenty of it itself.

I wasn't sure about adding in fairy to the AA addition. So I left it vague instead of specifying anything.

DPS AA for fairy could be interesting so that it wouldn't be literally useless for the majority of the time (Especially with this new Embrace tied to GCD heals) - Though I could maybe make a case for it also having a weak GCD ability for it to use alongside your damaging GCD's...

I had also thought about letting the fairy have a "Healing" AA where it will continuously heal players for a small amount... But this would then have the similar effect as current fairy where it's passive healing while you're spamming damage which is causing some balance issues as is.

Either way, this would be a concern for fine tuning balance, my initial focus lies in trying to iron out the mechanics of pets and their finicky ability usages due to things like cast times and everything being queued as GCD skills.

Wind Blade to instant ain't so much a bad thing though, it means Contagion had more chance of going off correctly as opposed to it requiring multiple clicks, because it doesn't always register the first time. The Bahamut changes seem ok, considering it's actions have a lot of range it could work in most environments (i.e. not chasing mobs).

Yeah, with Wind Blade being instant and Contagion being oGCD it should be the case where Contagion is fired off the second you press the button, rather than some point in the future after 1-20 clicks of the button... Maybe...

With Bahamut change being focused around the fact that while he DOES have plenty of range, he gets on people's nerves by spawning like 2 ilms away from the SMN and thus blocking everyone's view... The only issue with this change is it might make him feel a bit like MCH Turrets, though the fact that he'll move with his target if relevant (Though, shouldn't happen too much given his limited duration and range as well as you not being too likely to drop him in a poor location right before a boss moves a long distance)

It's also to note that Bahamut will also get benefit from Akh Morn also now being oGCD so he'll be more consistent with its cast to boot. As well as having some AA's between Wyrmwaves you make him cast with GCD's.

[JunseiKei]

So you're saying Embrace will have insta-cast? This would have to be turned in to an ability, and because of that no doubt it will be nerfed in potency (just like Whispering Dawn) to reflect the change or Physick would be buffed.

That would be unnecessary. What was being proposed is Embrace would activate on a GCD from the SCH anyway. On top of that, there are still cooldowns, even with instantly activating spells/weaponskills. It just means that the fairies can heal while you tell them to move (following you or placing them), but there would still be a 2 to 3 second cooldown. It doesn't need to be turned into an ability. Turning it into an ability removes ALL defensively oriented buffs from effecting them: Rouse, Fey Illumination, Nature's Minne, Mantra, Convalescence, Defiance or triggering the occasional Divine Veil for you. That unto itself is enough of a nerf to not warrant a potency reduction, in my opinion.

I wouldn't mind this as long as offensive GCD skills on SCH also triggered Embrace to be cast. Maybe something like your target's target.

[Kurando]

That would be unnecessary. What was being proposed is Embrace would activate on a GCD from the SCH anyway.....

Ok so what would be the GCDs you would use to activate Embrace? Now the first one at get that actually can target an ally is Lustrate at lvl 50, so up until that level the fairy would have no way to be commanded to use Embrace if we base it around this idea. What about multiple target GCDs such as Idomability and Sacred Soil, how do you choose who to target with Embrace in this situation, because currently you can not. What if the SCH has no GCDs available for whatever reason, that would mean no fairy Embrace.

We could use PvP SCH as a better example on how this works. When summoned, Eos's Embrace is insta-cast (and it's still a spell) but it only goes off when you use an healing action on a target, but considering there are no multiple target heals to use in this mode it's quite easy to specify the intended target. However considering the abilities and jobs are balanced much different in PvP, it's not too easy to replicate how it works in PvE.

As for the defensive oriented buff debate (Rouse, Fey Illum, Mantra etc), considering Whispering Dawn benefited from all these effects when it was a spell means there is nothing to stop Embrace being sent down the same route. Buff Physick (closer to Cure, Benefic), nerf Embrace and there you have SCH taking advantage of the heal buffs instead of the pet. Also the fairy doesn't really suffering from movement issues much anyway (unlike SMN pets), so being able insta-cast just doesn't seem like it's necessary in comparison..

[Kalise]

Ok so what would be the GCDs you would use to activate Embrace?

Physick

Adloquium

Now the first one at get that actually can target an ally is Lustrate at lvl 50

Lustrate is an oGCD

What about multiple target GCDs such as Idomability and Sacred Soil, how do you choose who to target with Embrace in this situation, because currently you can not.

Firstly, when using an AoE, Fairy would simply do standard AI things. Heal the person with the lowest percentage HP.

Secondly, Indomitability and Sacred Soil are both oGCDs

What if the SCH has no GCDs available for whatever reason, that would mean no fairy Embrace.

You can't ever not have Physick or Adlo available, unless you're out of MP.

We could use PvP SCH as a better example on how this works. When summoned, Eos's Embrace is insta-cast (and it's still a spell) but it only goes off when you use an healing action on a target

That's literally how I'm suggesting it works.

Also the fairy doesn't really suffering from movement issues much anyway (unlike SMN pets), so being able insta-cast just doesn't seem like it's necessary in comparison..

It's not just movement issues that this is designed to fix, but also ability queuing, which is made infinitely worse by having cast time skills. With Fairy being the worst because Embrace is 2 second cast time (Compared to Garuda-Egi's Wind Blade at 1 second cast time)

[Kurando]

snip)

Yeah I noticed my oGCD and GCD got confusing there...

Though if the fairy can cast Embrace for free without any command, why would being forced to use a GCD (or oGCD) be any better? Also several players choose to Macro the fairy so it only uses Embrace when they use a particular action (such as Physick), so they have actually that degree of control you are suggesting here apart from the spell casting time

The fairy doesn't suffer as bad of issues with ability queuing though (again unlike SMN pets). If your fairy is casting Embrace, they will cancel it and use anything else if you command it (such as Whispering, or Fey etc), this was fixed several patches ago. Wind Blade on the other hand cannot be cancelled once it's casting which is what causes issues with Contagion, Devotion etc.

[Kalise]

Though if the fairy can cast Embrace for free without any command, why would being forced to use a GCD (or oGCD) be any better?

It would create a situation where the Fairy is more controlled.

Also, it would make it easier to balance, given that Yoshi has been talking about how the fairy providing free heals is causing some balance issues with healers.

With the fairy now being locked to GCD heals outside of Fey Union, it makes it much easier to adjust the strength of the Fairy and her actions. Without having to worry about SCH having a passive smart HoT.

Also several players choose to Macro the fairy so it only uses Embrace when they use a particular action (such as Physick), so they have actually that degres of control you are suggesting here apart from the spell casting time

Well, that and they have to put up with the janky mechanics that are Macros in this game.

The fairy doesn't suffer as bad of issues with ability queuing though (again unlike SMN pets). If your fairy is casting Embrace, they will cancel it and use anything else if you command it, this was fixed several patches ago. Wind Blade on the other hand cannot be cancelled once it's casting which is what causes issues with Contagion, Devotion etc.

Well, I've noticed some delays in casting fairy skills, while being stood still.

So unless my Fairy is running around of her own volition, it doesn't seem like the spell cancelling AI is working perfectly.

To say nothing about if this is the case, well, then it's a buff because instead of missing out on that Embrace cast... You'd get it and the ability you wanted to use too.