Thread: Samurai 5.0 Changes

Originally Posted by Shurrikhan

[B]This is the main takeaway for me. I don't understand how one can say that Hagakure makes our rotation more complicated without also noting that it makes it more flexible and convenient.

Because it has 3 possible ways to be used (1/2/3 sen consumption), the use of which conflicts directly with the idea of the core rotation before it's gained (which, unless you're going to forums or discords, is limited to in-game tooltips/Job Guides), and while having one 'ideal/optimal' use-case scenario (3 Sen), it won't be used that way 100% of the time. That doesn't even get into the issue of lining it up at different points of the rotation, which varies based on SkS, and encounter. There's a LOT going on with Hagakure, and very little of it can be gleaned through intuition or in-game resources.

When you approach it from a logical standpoint, without theory-crafting, rotation simulations, or outside resources, the ability looks like a flat out loss against Midare, especially with your previous leveling experience with the core rotation. (As a note, you have to consider that not every player has the mind for optimization and theorycraft, and might not know the resources exist for them). Which then, as far as game design is concerned, isn't exactly ideal. At best, the player is confused at how it's useful, compared to what you taught them to be the more intuitive alternative (Midare/immediate damage) and they are forced to do outside research on ONE ability. At worst, the player considers it a 'niche' skill, and uses it only in certain scenarios (which you can see in this thread). None of this to say that the ability is big-galaxy-brain type stuff. A simple explanation is enough to help literally anyone understand it. That doesn't mean you can't appreciate the flexibility it offers. It just means that you appreciate the flexibility, while feeling that there's baggage that comes along with it.

I think that any disagreement about Hagakure comes down to this- You have to understand that it's basically objective that the ability offers flexibility most importantly, but also variety and depth. That's where facts end though, and opinion begins, and that's what I think is lost in the conversation. Some people prefer spamming shinten over Midare. Some people like Midare more. Some people play a Job for the aesthetic first, and rotation/mechanics second. Some people need the mechanics and rotation to be a certain way or they just won't play it, aesthetic and Job fantasy be damned. Ask yourself why, on god's green earth, anyone in their right mind would play SB MCH, with it's mechanics being the way they are. Or NIN with Mudra latency. Probably because they favor the fantasy and/or the aesthetic over all else. Nobody's gonna argue about the fact that Mudra's and their input method gives the Job undeniably a different feel than other Jobs, but you can also have the opinion that it feels like garbage clipping GCD's for some of them. How about people that jumped ship from those Jobs? Probably because they put the mechanics of a Job over all else. Apples to oranges and all, but you get the point.