So...About Blue Mage

[Cithaerias_pyropina]

The main problem with BLU ever becoming a regular Job is that it would require removing their core identity. Learning mechanic is what defines the Blue Mage just as Edgy Armor an high jumps define Dragoon.

And? What's stopping the devs from making Blue Mage learn its kit from instanced job quests like all the other jobs do for their abilities and spells pre-level 70. I also could not care less about Blue Mage's identity I just want another caster to play already. It's been 5 years since Red Mage's release.

For the people saying it'd be a bore if it were turned into a real job it already is the most boring job. You can't do anything with it besides meme all over the place for the first week of a Blue Mage update then forget the job exists until they update it again 2 years later.

It doesn't help that this job is also the most alt-unfriendly job to unlock and level, let alone attain all 104 spells again. I am not going through that hell again just to ditch the job after the first week of its update.

[Jojoya]

It wouldn't be hard to do. You simply have select skills only usable in main PVE content while the others can be used in regular open world similar to how PVP uses select skills. Just take away it's exp boost making it fast to level up or something and let it use the same gear as the other mages.

What happens when a BLU hasn't learned most of those select skills they're allowed to use?

The XP bonus only applies to normal open world mobs so that's not an issue (the XP they get in dungeons is dismal by comparison). And they already use the caster role sets.

While were at it, I find it odd that FFXIV's Blue Mage is relegated to only wear Caster gear. While in FFV, Blue Mages can wear most armors. And the fact that they have a skill that lets them mimic roles I dont see why they arent capable of supplementing said roles with appropriate gear. Just seems like an odd choice.

This game code isn't designed to work that way and it wouldn't be worth the effort to rewrite all the code just so BLU could mix and match different role sets.

Ultimately gear is just a stat stick and BLU abilities are designed to work with and supplement what caster gear gives.

And? What's stopping the devs from making Blue Mage learn its kit from instanced job quests like all the other jobs do for their abilities and spells pre-level 70. I also could not care less about Blue Mage's identity I just want another caster to play already. It's been 5 years since Red Mage's release.

So keep asking for a new caster job instead of taking away BLU's identity and ruining the job for those who like what it is.

The nice thing about this game is that if you don't enjoy a job, you can stop playing it anytime you like to focus on the ones you enjoy with the same character. If you don't like BLU, don't play it. Nothing is lost other than access to a couple of achievement rewards if you don't already have them.

[Hasrat]

And? What's stopping the devs from making Blue Mage learn its kit from instanced job quests like all the other jobs do for their abilities and spells pre-level 70.

Just a guess, but... time and money? "Just remake the job from the ground up" is a bad argument. "Just remake the job and also keep it as is, doubling the work load" is a bad argument.

[Jandor]

Here is a BLU concept that should be possible to balance with the regular jobs, while also keeping the learning and spell selecting aspect that is key to the job.



The idea is you pick any 3 elemental spells that flow from one to the other to build your basic combo.

You get minor focus for doing the combo, and that focus can spent on a 2nd combo built on the same principle, flowing from one element to another. The 2nd combo gets a damage bonus to represent your powering up.

By doing the two combos and moving through the whole elemental wheel you can gain a major focus, those can then be spent to unleash your bigger spells.

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Could be an add on to current BLU. BLU could become a class with the job crystal being a story McGuffin, at some point in the story a job trainer (level 30 maybe?) comes along and gives you a focused job stone that be used to change the class over to this.

[Raikai]

Here is a BLU concept that should be possible to balance with the regular jobs, while also keeping the learning and spell selecting aspect that is key to the job.



The idea is you pick any 3 elemental spells that flow from one to the other to build your basic combo.

You get minor focus for doing the combo, and that focus can spent on a 2nd combo built on the same principle, flowing from one element to another. The 2nd combo gets a damage bonus to represent your powering up.

By doing the two combos and moving through the whole elemental wheel you can gain a major focus, those can then be spent to unleash your bigger spells.

-----

Could be an add on to current BLU. BLU could become a class with the job crystal being a story McGuffin, at some point in the story a job trainer (level 30 maybe?) comes along and gives you a focused job stone that be used to change the class over to this.

I like this idea. Looking at the current spellbook, the only spells that can really trivialize boss mechanics is White Wind and Diamondback due to how they work, so they probably need to be adjusted in the end, while not making both of them utterly useless... Instant death effects already don't work as they are, and other niche spells like Dragon Force, Cactguard, Angel Snack are all behind cast times, so to use them you'd need to sacrifice your own offensive anyways.

I feel, though, that those insta kill spells and the plethora of aoe CC effects like paralyze and stuns is probably tip the balance in favor of the Blue Mage in dungeons... so I wonder if they would care to adjust those spells too.

[Raikai]

Will the blue haired step child finally be made a full Job next expansion since we're probably going to New World then. Or will it remain a niche, left in the molding dust of previous expansions?

Seriously, just make the Job a fully functioning one and have its "Limited version" be something completely seperate you can toggle on and off for it's own unique content and stuff.

#ReviveDaBloo

I honestly don't hate BLU's current design... I just dislike that their 'endgame' content is bound only to groups. Why I can't complete the BLU log objectives on my own with Basic Instinct? (we need a full party to get into the instances regular modes to get credit).


But said that, I wouldn't mind if they implemented an "unlimited" aspect for the job as well. It can be as simple as having one single innate spell (learned via quest, not monsters) that activates a "stance" filling your Blue Mage spellbook with pre-determined non-changeable actions.

Let's say, the level 70-80 quest line revolves around finding 24 unique spells and after you get all of them, you are rewarded with this stance action. You can use any of those spells in your limited BLU gameplay as well if you desire so, but for this "unlimited" version you need to stick with the set.

This also can make interesting future variations... for example, the 81-90 quests could give a whole new "stance" with new actions. This way they can always update the job's mechanics every xpac without undoing previous variations.

[KariTheFox]

I think the community of players that actually play BLU in older savage content enjoy it for what it is. I would prefer they actually just made more "limited" jobs that could have more varied and interesting design at the cost of not balanced for on content current pve

Would love to run an Eden party with Blue Mages, Gamblers, Time Mages, and a Chemist.

[Avenger]

I think the community of players that actually play BLU in older savage content enjoy it for what it is. I would prefer they actually just made more "limited" jobs that could have more varied and interesting design at the cost of not balanced for on content current pve

Would love to run an Eden party with Blue Mages, Gamblers, Time Mages, and a Chemist.

I could imagine Beastmaster being added as a limited job, and Puppetmaster as a regular job.

Construct 7 seems to be an Arithmetician. Cid and company are obviously Engineers.

Time Mage reminds me of how I miss haste, slow, and stop as spells. (And reflect, though it's not exactly time magic.)

Support classes seem like they'd be hard to fit into regular 4p dungeons; perhaps DNC is the closest that we have now.

For some time I've wondered if crafting/gathering aspects could be added to a dungeon in a way that would actually be fun. In any case my Alchemist is ready.

[Garnix]

I don't care what they do with the job.
But they clearly NEED to do something.

Updating it to level 80 and making new spells is not enough, as it would, again, just be a temporary thing that people will play for a couple weeks and then not touch until the next update.

If they want to keep it limited, they should at least give it some long term goals.
Give it its own currency for example...I don't know...Maybe even with a weekly cap.
A BLU roulette etc.

If there is no plan for such long term goals, then they should at least change the concept a little bit.
It can stay limited, but not as limited as it currently is.

[Raikai]

I don't care what they do with the job.
But they clearly NEED to do something.

Updating it to level 80 and making new spells is not enough, as it would, again, just be a temporary thing that people will play for a couple weeks and then not touch until the next update.

If they want to keep it limited, they should at least give it some long term goals.
Give it its own currency for example...I don't know...Maybe even with a weekly cap.
A BLU roulette etc.

If there is no plan for such long term goals, then they should at least change the concept a little bit.
It can stay limited, but not as limited as it currently is.

Right!

1) Leveling and completing the quest line
2) Completing the spellbook
3) Carnivale
4) Weekly Logs
5) Morbol Mount

These are the current main big activities with the Job. #1 and #2 are entertaining enough, but with a very limited shelf life, as you only do that once... #3 Is fun as well, but again, only once. Puzzle fights (at least for my tastes) are not exciting at all for re-clears. #5 Morbol mount is a huge carrot on a stick but depends on a very organized static, as it's pretty challenging - it can be a goal, but I imagine not everyone's cup of tea.

This leaves with #4 as the most accessible fun thing to do with the job on a daily basis... And playing BLU actually is! It's healer version is much more engaging than the regular healers, the dpsers have some level of customization to how they can play and tanks... well a bit clunky but can do the job. HOWEVER... this depends on securing a party, which can be quite daunting when the potential enjoyers of BLU already completed everything.

Pre-release, they advertised BLU as being a solo-friendly job, so they should follow through with that! Let solo players enter instances to complete the Weekly Logs with Basic Instinct! Nowadays, you can go alone with Unrestricted Party + level sync, but it does NOT count for the weekly/daily log completion.