Fix the Elemental Wheel

[Zyph]

So this has been bugging me since the game was released. What we have is two elemental wheels in this game.

Wind --strong against--> Fire --strong against--> Ice --strong against--> Wind

Water --strong against--> Earth --strong against--> Lightning --strong against--> Water

How does this make a lick of sense? Wind puts out fire? Maybe if that fire was a candle or a cub scout's feeble merit badge attempt, but as far as real fires go, wind usually exasperates the problem by giving fire mobility.

Water erodes earth? Sure does, see: the Grand Canyon, etc. But do you know what water could be doing instead of taking thousands of years to cause significant changes to a landscape? Putting out fires. There's more pressing matters for water to attend to.

The (theoretical) Wind --strong against--> Earth link has always been the weakest connection in my mind, looking back at FFXI, but I always thought of it as being similar to the reasons Flying type Pokemon are strong against Ground type Pokemon.

You can't even argue that one wheel represents astral elements and the other umbral elements, because when was the last time you thought of lightning as a "dark" element, it's got "light" in the name for pete's sake.

It's confusing for everyone who's played another Final Fantasy game, especially FFXI veterans. I see a lot of arguing going on (especially in that Garuda thread holy crap guys) about elements and their strengths/weaknesses (and that somehow translates into jobs being completely excluded from the fight, give me a friggen break) with people not knowing the way the elemental wheel works in this game and why they're confused. They're confused because it's a messed up elemental wheel.

tl;dr The elemental wheel is messed up and is confusing a boatload of players by having wind somehow strong against fire. It should be fixed to be

Wind --strong against--> Earth --strong against--> Lightning --strong against--> Water --strong against--> Fire --strong against--> Ice --strong against--> Wind


And before you go "Well water isn't even included in the game anymore" I can guarantee that it's not gone permanently, and that it'll be returning either when they readjust THM and CON or when they add a new mage class (probably Arcanist).

[Starlord]

Wind --strong against--> Fire --strong against--> Ice --strong against--> Wind

Water --strong against--> Earth --strong against--> Lightning --strong against--> Water

In real life according to this wheel of FFXIV:

- Wind Blows air and takes out Fire ( Like Blowing out a Candle, thats wind)
- Fire Melts Ice
- Ice Slows down Wind
- Water Turns Earth into Mud :P bahahaha
- Earth Grounds Lightening
- Lightening is Most Effective in water better than land

Makes sense to me

[Nixius]

While I agree with you OP, my current understanding is that the elemental doesn't really have that much of an effect anyway.

Please flame me if this is not correct, or (not as desirable) correct me; for instance, does it really help with Ifrit fight?

[Zyph]

- Wind Blows air and takes out Fire ( Like Blowing out a Candle, thats wind)

I know that's the way they described it, and that's the issue I'm having. Think back to any wildfire you've seen, whether on the news or in real life. When have you ever heard "Thank goodness the wind is so strong, that will surely put out the fire." You've never heard that, because actual fires are given mobility by wind, not put out by it. Putting out a spreading wildfire is a constant battle against the power of the wind more than anything.

While I agree with you OP, my current understanding is that the elemental doesn't really have that much of an effect anyway.

Please flame me if this is not correct, or (not as desirable) correct me; for instance, does it really help with Ifrit fight?

From what I've heard I don't think it has any bearing on Ifrit (so likely not Garuda either) but I know for certain it has an effect on normal mobs. I know gnats and hippogryphs (lightning based) get absolutely wrecked by earth, and I assume that if Water was still in the game, the ants in Cutters Cry would go down fast to that too (based on this current wonky wheel where water is strong to earth).

[Starlord]

I know that's the way they described it, and that's the issue I'm having. Think back to any wildfire you've seen, whether on the news or in real life. When have you ever heard "Thank goodness the wind is so strong, that will surely put out the fire." You've never heard that, because actual fires are given mobility by wind, not put out by it. Putting out a spreading wildfire is a constant battle against the power of the wind more than anything.

Same problem with water, some Fires can't be put out with Water either it's kinda the same Problem with Wind

[Zyph]

Same problem with water, some Fires can't be put out with Water either it's kinda the same Problem with Wind

Water doesn't cause fire to spread in any way. Fire dies when it's not exposed to oxygen (wind), which is what water does, it smothers it so it can't use the oxygen in the air (wind) as one of it's chemical reagents. Though the same thing can be said of earth, that would also smother fire. But you don't see firefighters spraying sand on housefires. You also don't see them using compressed air.

[KoujiGeki]

Tell the people at new orleans who had to deal with water that was on fire. God said F**k your logic.

[Answa]

In the real world none of these are elements.

[Starlord]

And Anyways, this is a FINAL FANTASY GAME!! Everything comes from the Imagination... Its not MEANT to be things that happen in Real life :P.

[Matsume]

You should meet today's earlier post...