Future Machinist Rework

[MikoRemi]

This is an open letter to the developers, and also the community. After years of deliberation and recently seeing how the Patch 6.1 Machinist in PVP has played out, I feel confident in having made a document detailing how it could not only be made to be a stronger job in general, but also one with a stronger sense of identity. The current plan is to double down on being a selfish DPS job, still containing some utility but becoming more "Black Mage" in the process. This would give it more risk compared to other Physical Ranged jobs but also make it more justifiable in making it stronger in personal damage.

The document details all the changes here; https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing

Feedback and criticism is welcome, I want the best for Machinist and I'd like to imagine many of us would also want to see it in a better state than it is currently. Here's to hoping this can spread like Wildfire.

[ShimAoki]

Love the amount of effort you've put into the documentation.

[MikoRemi]

Love the amount of effort you've put into the documentation.

Appreciate the feedback! Anything in particular with the document that you are in favor for or against if I may ask?

[Roxus]

That's a well thought out document. I've been gathering my thoughts reading various threads and I'd like to ask what you think about scaling potencies based on how close you are to the target? Without needing to be in melee range. Say something like 10-20y.

The thing that stood out to me was Blast Charge and Hypercharge. I think that's a really good idea. I think I pretty much agree with everything aside the role actions. Rather, they intended for those to originally be useful utility but then started scrapping encounters with CC. I think they should start having CC matter again instead.

[MikoRemi]

That's a well thought out document. I've been gathering my thoughts reading various threads and I'd like to ask what you think about scaling potencies based on how close you are to the target? Without needing to be in melee range. Say something like 10-20y.

The thing that stood out to me was Blast Charge and Hypercharge. I think that's a really good idea. I think I pretty much agree with everything aside the role actions. Rather, they intended for those to originally be useful utility but then started scrapping encounters with CC. I think they should start having CC matter again instead.

Nothing else particularly scales with distance like that so I don’t want to add that into the mix personally, Physical Ranged should at least have freedom of distance in all forms. It is certainly an interesting idea for maybe Marksman’s Spite maybe but it would be strange to be the only job with such a requirement. Not to discount the idea entirely of course, maybe the developers could make it work.

I appreciate the feedback, CC would be easy to pull in with Arm Graze at the least, I mainly just want anything else besides Foot/Leg Graze given how extremely niche they are in the kit.

[LeonKeyh]

That's a well thought out document. I've been gathering my thoughts reading various threads and I'd like to ask what you think about scaling potencies based on how close you are to the target? Without needing to be in melee range. Say something like 10-20y.

I had originally thought of this whenever I was thinking of the "positionals" version of ranged physical to try to add "more" to them. The problem with something like this is that there's no easy visual marker showing how close/far you are from the enemy. That would absolutely need to be added if they were to do something like this.

[Roxus]

I had originally thought of this whenever I was thinking of the "positionals" version of ranged physical to try to add "more" to them. The problem with something like this is that there's no easy visual marker showing how close/far you are from the enemy. That would absolutely need to be added if they were to do something like this.

Oh I agree that there must be an indicator for it, I actually forgot to mention that, apologies. I think it would be a great way to solve the issue of them hiding behind the mobility argument and at the same time add some depth to the job(s). I mean as it is now my static ranged just circles the arena as a joke for years now.

[CKNovel]

This is a well put document, albeit slightly difficult to read due to spacing and no text formating.

Return of the Bishop for AoE battery
No, that's button bloat and SQEX will remove Reassemble for that.
The best solution is to give the give splash damage, aoe and single target merged into 1 button.

Asking for an AoE version is asking for Shoha II.

Flamethrower fix
The real problem with Flamethrower is not that it's doing low damage.
It's that standing without doing anything is the most boring job mechanic. 5 or 10 seconds, it's not fun.
Lost Ark has a flamethrower, and it's only 2 seconds long.

The second suggestion is much better, thought Flamethrower should be thrown in with Drill/AA/Chain saw, a cooldown on GCD.
It could generate battery or heat, you can also merge it with Barrel Stabilizer to gain 50 heat.

Role action buff
I kinda disagree with that, while pressing more button is good, pressing more button for button sake is not exactly a good idea. All buttons needs to be engaging.
It work with GNB because it works with a burst window. MCH is a resource job, it can simply build up for bursts phase.

Palisade and Dismantle return are good ideas. It's starting to get ridiculous that RDM gets more utility than all the ranged combined.
But keep the 10% on dismantle. RDM has a 10% Addle and 10% + 5% healing increase on a 120s on top of a res.

Grenado shot
I would say turn it into a Machinery action just like Drill & co.
At lower level it can be grenado shot, but at higher level could evolve into Mustard Bomb/Noise Blaster/Missile or whatever.

The goal should really be to avoid MCH to be a 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-Drill-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 job.
Pushing the identy of rotation between the big guns would greatly benefits the job, in my opinion.

Additional notes:
-MCH really lacks a 120s window if WF is reduced.
-Due to the 1-1-1-1-1 aspect you could add a new GCD on cooldown+charges.
-Wildfire dealing splash damage would also be welcome.