Simple Fix to PLD

[Klive]

Am I the only person to put cover on melee DD so they can start a front combo without the worry of them getting hit?

Oh wait... we don't use melee DD.

[NoctisUmbra]

PLD is clearly geared to benefit from melee DD, and assist them as well. That doesn't need to change.

[SwordCoheir]

here's a totally noob question, i havnt gotten that far into the game yet and i dont care to until the char ban is lifted, but can you change body/other gear slots during combat/active mode? if you can, then just change to surcoat for cover, change back when it drops. like XI, if you weren't changing gear, you're doing it wrong.

Negative, and as it stands Yoshi has no plans on ever allowing it into the game, though he did say if the game had evolved to the point it was necessary he would allow it. I doubt we will see such a change, even with the upgraded 2.0 servers taking alot of the lag/freeze/blinking when macro swapping gear in passive mode.

Gallant Surcoat is so horrible that cover's usefulness in boss fights really should not be tied to it.

Its a good FREE standalone piece, however it falls short when materia is added into the mix. Frankly I'd replace it as soon as possible just because we can get more out of a double/triple melded body piece in the long run. I agree in any case and cover should at least have a useful effect when not being utilized for it's intended purpose (which outside of hate reset will probably never happen for a good tank). I'd be more satisfied if Cover innately had the mp regeneration effect, but rather had a greatly increased effect with the Gallant Surcoat making it a commodity to use, not a dependency to make Cover viable.

[Brannigan]

Its a good FREE standalone piece, however it falls short when materia is added into the mix. Frankly I'd replace it as soon as possible just because we can get more out of a double/triple melded body piece in the long run. I agree in any case and cover should at least have a useful effect when not being utilized for it's intended purpose (which outside of hate reset will probably never happen for a good tank). I'd be more satisfied if Cover innately had the mp regeneration effect, but rather had a greatly increased effect with the Gallant Surcoat making it a commodity to use, not a dependency to make Cover viable.

Shit that's free is still shit, unfortunately. Surcoat is godlike town gear and the cover effect is useful, but you're basically giving up your body slot for MP regen and 12 mind. I'd be surprised if most gladiators don't have something better than surcoat (Cobalt Cuirass with any materia) by the time it's available. I doubt they'll tweak cover any in the coming update, but maybe we'll get lucky with an eventual Gallant Surcoat +1 or something.

[KumaAkuma]

PLD is clearly geared to benefit from melee DD, and assist them as well. That doesn't need to change.

Pld cries for ballad while other melees crie for peaon/minuet.

[Alerith]

I have to strongly disagree with the argument that the effect on the Surcoat isn't worth using. While I understand the benefits of materia melded gear, you have to weigh how it's going to affect the battle overall.

Take Ifrit or Garuda as an example. Enmity isn't going to be a problem for you as even a PLD can hold solid hate on them. HP and DEF are both important, sure, but if you can maintain your own HP and take a load off the WHM, why not? In doing so, you're constantly adding to your enmity and your mages have a little bit of breathing room.

For a majority of the fights, you have people in range to use Cover, and most bosses hit hard enough to give you excellent returns on MP, thus allowing you to cure yourself (or others) more over the course of a fight. I would certainly take this increased utility over a handful of extra HP or DEF.

Also, since Cover is just a forced hate shift, and you don't have to actually be between the mob and the covered individual to get the benefit of the MP return, it still has usefulness in fights where you use ranged damage. Like against the Darkhold Ogre, you're still going to have someone in range to Cover without putting either of you at risk.

[NoctisUmbra]

Pld cries for ballad while other melees crie for peaon/minuet.

Correction. A bad PLD cries for Ballad. With Divine Veil + Outmaneuver and Cover a PLD can regenerate a solid amount of MP to maintain it for a an extended battle.

[Enfarious]

Correction. A bad PLD cries for Ballad. With Divine Veil + Outmaneuver and Cover a PLD can regenerate a solid amount of MP to maintain it for a an extended battle.

That depends on how fast they spam Succor on others, and SS on themselves.

[SwordCoheir]

That depends on how fast they spam Succor on others, and SS on themselves.

Or how well your party avoids attacks and how well the WHM's keep you/party topped off, sense there's no Enmity gained from over-curing (which is why I love and hate regen). You also have to consider how unlucky a person is with interruptions due to latency, lag, movement, or whatever else.

[Enfarious]

Or how well your party avoids attacks and how well the WHM's keep you/party topped off, sense there's no Enmity gained from over-curing (which is why I love and hate regen). You also have to consider how unlucky a person is with interruptions due to latency, lag, movement, or whatever else.

All true, of course if your melees are on the ball and not taking much dmg your still taking plenty as the tank so turning those Succors round on yourself and letting your WHMs chill to maintain your enmity while keeping theirs from rising unnecessarily "should" be what happens next to burn up that massive(I kid) PLD MP pool.

That of course requires that your WHMs aren't trying to keep you @100% the entire fight so that Succor actually serves a purpose and isn't just wasting MP. That's half a PLDs hate control so on fights where your healers are keeping you @100% full time your going to have hate control issues, but yeah you'll stay near 100% MP.

Having DDs that occasionally eat a hit or 2 so you can heal them, and WHMs that recognize when they can ease up on the cures and let you get yourself are really useful to a PLD, finding DDs that'll eat a hit is easy, finding WHMs that aren't going to keep you @100% and try to get your DDs healed before you can do it: priceless.