Ditch TP in exchange for unique systems.

[Tibian]

I've never been a huge fan of TP -- so I'd enjoy seeing the investigation of alternate systems being applied to other classes. I do feel TP makes gameplay sort of like a "waiting game" but it really depends on how responsive 2.0's systems are. With 2.0 so close, I can't imagine any radical systems being changed this late in the game.

For instance, lets assume Summoner is going to be implemented. How is the pet going to be mediated and how are the Summoner's spells going to be mediated?

I'd really enjoy seeing a pool of runes mediate the pet abilities. Ie: Carbuncle has a starting rune pool of 5. With upgrades via leveling and talent systems, it can be increased to 7. The runes naturally regenerate over time, and each skill Carbuncle uses takes a varying amount of runes. So, Carbuncle's basic healing move on a party member would take 1 rune, whereas a party wide heal would take 2, a basic attack take 1, and aoe attack take 2, and "super move" take 3-4.

I think there are ways to implement the aforementioned example into other classes and jobs; thus increasing diversity in gameplay (rather than relying on a TP/MP system for everything) and making classes/jobs more unique and gratifying to play.

[Ava]

I had a huge detailed post written up about 6 months ago with ideas for alternative resource systems, but the reason I never posted it is because I wasn't really sure if TP was the problem for me, or if it was the combat in general. Now, I don't think TP is the problem, but rather class design. As others have pointed out, I'd rather see classes that use the resources we have in unique ways, maybe a class that spends HP to use spells, but can restore HP with TP, or classes with spells that costed TP instead of MP (think Dancer from XI).

Alternatively, since I think the major problem for me (a main mage player), is that on casters TP is useless and just wastes space on the UI. Perhaps a unique system for DoM could be a fair compromise, while experimenting with the aforementioned ideas (or others) on DoW classes.

[northernsky]

Alternatively, since I think the major problem for me (a main mage player), is that on casters TP is useless and just wastes space on the UI. Perhaps a unique system for DoM could be a fair compromise, while experimenting with the aforementioned ideas (or others) on DoW classes.

We have mostly discussed about ways to gain TP, but not much about ways to use it.

Mages don't necessarily have to use, or consume TP the same way the other classes do. There could be modifiers on certain spells, specific combos, or abilities (think blissful mind, necrogenesis, parsimony) based on TP.

TP in this case could be harder to build, i-e longer to accumulate and faster to deplete when the weapon is not pulled (which would actually lead to interesting strategies), but would not be consumed by individual abilities.

Just random examples based on the current system that could promote class differentiation

[Jinko]

TP in this case could be harder to build, i-e longer to accumulate and faster to deplete when the weapon is not pulled (which would actually lead to interesting strategies), but would not be consumed by individual abilities.

I don't believe you can regen MP whilst in battle stance. (besides the +3 refresh effect and Magi)

[northernsky]

I don't believe you can regen MP whilst in battle stance. (besides the +3 refresh effect and Magi)

Yeah, that's the trade-off if TP considerably boosts spells and abilities potency.

You could alternate, for a moment in the fight, between a more agressive style based on TP-boosted abilities but fast MP depletion, and a classical system with little to no TP gain but steadily replenishing mp pool.
Also, if, say, thundaga consumes half the mp when used in combo and tp > 1500, or parsimony recovers more mp proportional with TP, there would be ways to play for a while on "TP mode".

Honestly I have not thoroughly thought up that idea, just said that, if well balanced, it could lead to interesting strategies