Suggestion: Mage weapon in active mode adds magic attack bonus

[Whisp]

I don't see anywhere to post suggestions about non-website related gameplay stuff.

I was thinking, it's a shame that mages have these cool new weapons coming out that dance around in active mode--mages are never in active mode due to passive MP refresh. So how about adding an attack bonus when you're in active mode? Give us a reason to draw out our weapons.

And yes, black magic is way overpowered, but that's a different issue altogether.

[Buuul]

Black mage is working as intended. Highest burst damage in a short amount of time, with no HP or defense, and no quickly repeatable way of recovering HP.

[BruceyBruceyBangBang]

Several things wrong here.

[northernsky]

Like OP said, or make it that you gain TP from casting in active mode and add TP modifiers (accuracy, range, potency, mp reduction with combos) to spells

[Elexia]

All they have to do is add: http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Occult_Acumen which works in 'passive' mode as well. Even if they 'dance around while active' it's likely going to be cool for all of 10 minutes like Moogle weapons were with people active/passive spamming in cities the day it was released and they obtained one and now people rarely do it lol.

[viion]

Why would my WHM want attack bonus?

[Alerith]

Why would my WHM want attack bonus?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHpPKgi-niI

[viion]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHpPKgi-niI

rofl, well played! WELL PLAYED SIR!

[Enfarious]

Actually doing the emote /sit starts up the regeneration immediately for some reason (I'm not kidding).

As for the OP. It's not a bad idea really, using your weapon as a medium to channel your energy and enhancing your casts sounds logical and it would give mage jobs a bit more dynamic where you can cast for the bonus, or stay passive to regenerate MP between casts. You could go a bit further and make it where being in active mode gives a bonus to all mage related stats healing, magic attack, enfeebling, enhancing potency, and magic accuracy. And why limit it to just mages, BRDs and PLDs would greatly benefit from such a bonus too since they're always active during combat.

Did the Devs intend mages to be able to regenerate MP while casting?

If yes:

• Allow MP regeneration while in active mode.

If no: (choose one or more of the following)

• Disable offensive and healing magic bonuses from stats and abilities while passive.
• Increase casting and recast times of all spells by ~30% while passive.
• Greatly increase enmity generated from casting spells while passive.

My guess is they didn't intend for mages to cast while passive. If they did, they wouldn't have made potions, songs, abilities etc.. that help restore MP.
Instead, they would likely have made spells generate more hate in order to dissuade mages from running too hot.

I love the idea of a bonus for being in active mode, and losing the bonus for MP refresh in passive mode. It'd have to be pretty substantial w/e it is since the refresh allows for more casts which would make up for most losses.
10% less dmg/cast but can cast 3 more spells cause of the refresh makes staying passive the better option even after the dmg loss, as a for instance.

As to being able to cast in passive mode, once upon a time we couldn't. They patched so that we could but didn't clip mp refresh while in combat for some reason. If your party is in combat should you really be able to relax enough to regain HP/MP?

I'd prefer to see active mode buffs, reduced casting/recast times, increased range, increased dmg/healing/accuracy, and the like.

[Tibian]

How about they fix static mage syndrome first. Standing around in one spot to regenerate MP is ridiculous. MP should regenerate through the entire course of whatever a caster is doing -- then we wouldn't be having this discussion over active/passive mode and you could use whichever one you wanted.