Change/Repurpose Lancer's "Piercing Talon" from a Weaponskill to an Ability

[Jonnycbad]

Ever since Leg Sweep was changed from a damage skill to a stun only move in Stormblood, low level (pre-30) DRG/LNC has been really boring before gaining Jump to weave in between combos. What I propose is that Piercing Talon, which is extremely useless at high levels (or any level, actually) gets changed to an oGCD. Instead of removing the skill entirely (because it's rarely used and takes up a slot, make it upgrade into GSK and Nastrond via traits while under the BotD/LotD effects).

Level 16-59, Piercing Talon is a ranged oGCD single-target attack with 160 potency and a 30 second cooldown. Upon reaching level 60 and gaining a trait called "Enhanced Piercing Talon", Piercing Talon gets changed to Geirskogul while under the effect of Blood of the Dragon with all the same properties it currently has. Basically, what this means is, Piercing Talon becomes a pre-Geirskogul before a Dragoon learns Geirskogul. It's used as a simple ranged oGCD. At level 60, when under BotD, it gets upgraded into Geirskogul instead of being a separate and grayed-out button only useable under BotD.

This way, even if BotD is down/cannot be used, the button is still active as Piercing Talon. At the same time, it's an oGCD to weave for low level players and makes it a simple skill progression.

Piercing Talon
Delivers an attack with a potency of 160.
Blood of the Dragon: Changes to Geirskogul.
Recast: 30s
Range: 15y
Level 16 LNC

Geirskogul
Delivers an attack with a potency of 230 to all enemies in a straight line before you.
Can only be executed while under the effect of Blood of the Dragon.
Additional Effect: Changes Blood of the Dragon to Life of the Dragon
Dragon Gauge Cost: 3
Life of the Dragon: Changes to Nastrond
Recast: 30s
Range: 15y
Level 60 DRG

Nastrond
Delivers an attack with a potency of 330 to all enemies in a straight line before you.
Can only be executed while under the effect of Life of the Dragon.
Recast: 10s
Range: 15y
Level 70 DRG

[Kalise]

I think the issue is that, for whatever reason, SE want all melee classes (Except Pugilist/Monk) to have a GCD "Ranged" skill at level 15.

So, it's unlikely that they will change Dragoon's skill to be functionally different.

Without also having to change the functionality of Tomahawk (WAR), Shield Lob (PLD), Unmend (DRK), Throwing Dagger (NIN) and Enpi (SAM) too. (Even if Enpi actually has some usability in the form of comboing off their backstep skill to deal 320 potency damage)

But then again... They seem content with Monk not having an equivalent "Ranged" skill at all, which makes this entire design really confusing...

[Jonnycbad]

There's not 1 time ever that a Dragoon needs to use piercing talon. Unless you're bound for more than 10 seconds, it's never worth breaking your combo to use it. Having it at 30 seconds as an oGCD still gives you ranged damage, just not on demand. But when do we ever need ranged damage on demand that breaks our combo? The answer is never. Enpi has use, piercing talon doesn't. Hell Throwing Dagger could be made into a neat oGCD and have it upgraded to Shadow Stitch or something ninja-esque at higher levels. GCD ranged attacks on melee is outdated. But let us keep the animation as an oGCD because it's part of our class fantasy.

[Raldo]

They are definitely niche use, but I wouldn't say they're completely useless. I have found them quite useful for pulling stuff out of a pack of monsters in HoH/PotD/FATEs/Eureka. I would rather not have them on an oGCD, because the few times than I want to use it, I don't want to wait on some random cooldown.

I used Throwing Dagger just yesterday to pull crap out of a particularly monster-crowded FATE.

I will admit that it would be nice if they didn't break a combo, however. That would be the only change I would request.

[Jandor]

Making it not break combo would improve it somewhat, would at least allow it to fill what I assume is its intended use as filler when you have to move away from the enemy for a few seconds.

[Jonnycbad]

Maybe make it like Empyrean Arrow. GCD not tied to other GC, doesn't break combo

[Duskane]

Enhanced Piercing Talon
Delivers an attack with a potency of 160 and increases BotD timer by 5 seconds

[hijifa]

Easy fix here tbh.

Make Piercing Talon a combo action from Elusive Jump, its potency should be where its better for you to use it during downtime but not better for you to spam it (similar to sam's backstep combo). So then it has situational use without removing the skill completely since it can be useful in certain situations where you want to pull a mob when solo.

[Sylvain]

The best thing to do would simply to give to both NIN and DRG the SAM treatment in the form of a combo range attack (not breaking the cycle) in order to make them usable when you have to leave melee for a limited time.
Just something as simple as

[Trait lv X] : Improved Elusive Jump
Upon using Elusive Jump, you gain "Enhanced Piercing Talon"

[Skill lv 15] : Piercing Talon
Delivers a ranged attack with a potency of 120.
Enhanced Piercing Talon potency : 240
Additional effect (using Enhanced PT) : Spine Shatter Diver recharge timer is reset