Duty Support needs some work

[WindyGamer]

Choosing your team would make no difference.

What you are witnessing is that the NPCs are designed to scale damage based on yours.

Because, by design, Trusts and Duty Support is entirely intended to take a set minimum amount of time, with some variation depending on how you use them, as demonstrated with big pulls but needing to know the AI to reduce the risk.

This is why you will never be able to use them to "just fill in" when you want to run with a friend or whatever. They are designed to scale damage to a single player to ensure the duty is completed at a certain rate. Adding in even one more player makes it impossible to scale further, and wildly unbalances the intended design.

So, they are not really playing the game. They are cheating. Ok. I get it now.

You know, NPCs "really playing the game" has been a thing for a long time. I recall an "un named here" game that did this quite well and has had a second version where they left that feature out completely. Near the end of popularity of that game they added For purchase means to add trainable NPCs to your party. That game is still up and running for free if you'd like to try it. You know, in your down time when you as Y 'P says, occasionally get bored with FF.

[SkyCake]

I'd be so down for Trusts/Support/Squadrons to have to ability to fill in slots in groups that only have 2 or 3 people. I think Squeenix mentioned it was a targeting problem since the NPCs only recognized the leader. But, I'm sure they could figure it if they really wanted to. I'd like to use them so that myself and a friend could queue up into a dungeon with 2 other NPCs, then spend like an hour or whatever because we're just casually yammerin' away. Or being able to do a dungeon with just my mother. I wouldn't mind at all if it was much slower than your average light party group.

An updated Squadron system with just about anything would also be nice. There's several forgotten side-systems I would like to see updates to, as well.

[AngelCheese77]

They can but it's a risk because their scripting, or whatever else controls NPC behaviour, is slow to react to any changes.

So you can do wall-to-wall pulls even with trusts but be ready to sprint back to the healer NPC that is gleefully spamming Dosis/Malefic/Glare or run circles around the tank NPC until it manages to pick them up.

I tanked with Trust and neither Alphy or Urianger could keep me alive with 2 packs and using defensive abilities. Hm. Even with lelev gear. Maybe I’m missing something

[Teena]

I tanked with Trust and neither Alphy or Urianger could keep me alive with 2 packs and using defensive abilities. Hm. Even with lelev gear. Maybe I’m missing something

Depending where you are in the MSQ you will get access to a White Mage Healer (The All Rounder). He's the best one for pulling out the 'oh sheeeeet!' big heals needed for multi-pulls and has the clutch Benediction too.

[Knot_D]

At least the conjurer does DPS unlike most healers in dungeon

It's better than the Squadron System, which the Duty Support/Trust systems are based on.

I still prefer Squadron because if you become the healer, you don't need to heal the tank but instead just spam dpsing, also the archer gives Refresh as well

[NekoMataMata]

Second point is pretty moot. We've said it before but Trusts/Duty Support are supposed to be kind of bad so that they don't match real players.

My only complaint towards that will always be about how the damage down by them scales constantly. It's annoying to tryhard hoping for a significant increase in times when the trust is just going to scale their damages back so that it's only a slight gain on mob pulls and it's actually a loss on bosses unless you go at a certain pace(have all Trusts up to level 90 for the record). It'd feel a bit better if they just let their damage stay linear. If you end up outspeeding real parties(which you shouldn't be outspeeding any decent party but whatever), then it's fine.

It's honestly not that bad though. ARR/HW dungeons are around 10 minutes worth of time with regular people, with SB pushing to around 14ish minutes average until you get to dungeons like Castrum Abania, Ala Mhigo, Skalla(and I think some of the optional dungeons like Hells' Lid do this too) where you sometimes end up waiting for mobs to show up instead of being able to just aoe them all down. Trusts are only like 5ish minutes onto all of these usually.

ShB/EW dungeons trusts are like 5-10 minutes more, depending on party comp though. If you're not a tanking as WAR/PLD then you need a certain person as healer for bigger pulls. Think you get the best times with that healer while playing DPS though since you can burn the mobs down the fastest.

[Wolwosh]

So, quick count - it's 6 to 2 against making any changes to the Duty Support system? Ok No changes then. Guess I'm done posting today anyway.

You're sounding really butthurt that not everyone agrees with you

[WindyGamer]

You're sounding really butthurt that not everyone agrees with you

Nope. I just like to take count of how many folks want HASH TAG NO CHANGES...

[Rannie]

I will say I do think we should be able to switch the dps for the lower level trusts if we play the second dps. I tend to prefer having a melee or a ranged non mage with me if I'm a mage and vice versa.

[IckeDerTyp]

Been wanting coop trusts since... Well they became a thing!

And I still wish for the same with the support!

Pretty please, no more random :3