Unpopular Opinion: Flare Star should be restricted from Duels

[HyperiusUltima]

Before Flare Star came around, the Duels were more of an actual challenge for people to get things with and people had to actually show some form of skill. Nowadays it's just "Buff the crap out of Flare Star and watch damage go BRRRRR".

I think it's still unintended for Flare Star to be used in this fashion since it was meant for raid usage(Dal/CLL/DR). There's also the fact that it's restricted to RDM in particular due to Ordained granting higher max MP so you don't run OOM the moment Flare Star is popped for 9000.

Change my mind if you think I'm wrong that Flare Star should be removed from Duel usage.

[Katie_Kitty]

If it's trivializing the content then I don't mind restricting it, but tbh duels have bigger problems that need to be fixed or it doesn't even matter really.

[Infindox]

Duels have enough problems as is trying to get them to even spawn, then you need to go through a CE flawlessly to then have to fight others to get in. I don't see an issue having a cheese method.

[HyperiusUltima]

Duels have enough problems as is trying to get them to even spawn, then you need to go through a CE flawlessly to then have to fight others to get in. I don't see an issue having a cheese method.

Getting through a CE flawlessly isn't necessarily a problem when it comes to Zone 2 and 3; Hashbrown does because he blocks vision(plus, he loves to swap sides after his first Phantom Order and everyone just runs one way so you can't run the other due to AoEs being dropped all over the place because DPS run with their heads cut off). That's really the only one I can think of that actually causes issues for people getting to the Duel.

[Caurcas]

It's a clever trick figured by players, so why should it be punished?

[StriderShinryu]

I don't necessarily think it should be banned from the duels but I do think that it should disqualify you from getting the associated title.

[Fland]

I think it's fine.
If you want the challenge, then simply don't use it when you get the duel.

[Reksanden]

I do agree that Flare Star cheese is "meh" but folk can take advantage of it if they want.

There's also the fact that it's restricted to RDM in particular due to Ordained granting higher max MP so you don't run OOM the moment Flare Star is popped for 9000.

The specific reason is because of Lost Chainspell increasing the cost unless you're on Ordained (where it ALSO increases the damage from Chainspell). There are alternatives, like Lost Font of Magic, but the damage boost isn't as high.

It's theoretically doable on SMN too (and BLM but without Chainspell, as it can't use Ordained), but RDM has the easiest time overall, hence the popularity.

[Infindox]

Getting through a CE flawlessly isn't necessarily a problem when it comes to Zone 2 and 3; Hashbrown does because he blocks vision(plus, he loves to swap sides after his first Phantom Order and everyone just runs one way so you can't run the other due to AoEs being dropped all over the place because DPS run with their heads cut off). That's really the only one I can think of that actually causes issues for people getting to the Duel.

What I meant by "hard to get into" is that I both Bozja and Zadnor the skirmish chains that lead to CE/duels can get stuck behind all the others spawning. I remember when I was working towards the bike and Savutour's note (either from his skirmish or the duel), we had a whole group doing some cluster farming while we wait. I swear every single CE popped before FAF decided to show up. Zadnor seems to be a bit better in this regard (I see them all pop regularly) but you still need to wait a bit.

[Aurida]

I think it's still unintended for Flare Star to be used in this fashion

But, the only restriction on it is that only one Flare Star DoT can be active on the target at the same time. Since there's only one person in the duel, there's no problem, right?

Furthermore people have been speed-killing the duels without Flare Star prior to its introduction but especially with other DR/Zadnor skills too.
Should WAR be blocked from using deep irregular with noble ends/font of power/font of skill? Should WHM be blocked from using deep profane/seraph strike/noble ends? Because both of those also result in sub-75s duels in the first zone, and it's only gotten better with the introduction of skills like Blood Rage.

Heck, WAR with max valor stacks and bubble/protect 2 can straight up eat Dabog conal attacks and live at the cost of a damage down for a short time, which isn't a problem if you're using Blood Rage looping. Is that sufficiently broken as to be worth banning?

Trying to gate the 'prestige' of winning the duels behind an arbitrary barrier of using actions that are somehow insufficiently game-breaking seems a little misguided at best and actively against the spirit of the lost action system at worst