Do we even need potency bumps with expansion abilities?

[Lyth]

The actual potency numbers themselves don't have any meaning in isolation because the damage formula itself changes from expansion to expansion. It's been a while since I've looked at this, but I remember in Stormblood there was a job-specific multiplier in translating potency to damage, such that you couldn't really compare potencies precisely on two different jobs.

The reason for the numbered upgrades ('Stone 7') is to keep the gameplay feeling fresh in terms of animations. It usually means that there aren't any fresh ideas to be added (Healers) but we're starting to see it more on melee and tank jobs simply because some of these actions are over 10 years old. And when you go from Stone 6 to Stone 7, players expect potency to go up.

The main reason why the numbers change, however, is because most job nerfs happen during expansion transitions. If they reduce your potency values now, there will be a massive outcry on the forums. If they do it between expansions at a time when nobody knows what the potencies actually mean (because the damage formula has changed), then you can't complain really.

Ever notice how jobs only have an 'upward balance' where you only see buffs go out in response to player demand? All that gets reset and rebalanced between expansions.

[Shurrikhan]

so "use it to not overcap", which is exactly as complex as what we have today?

I don't think anyone ever said it was any more complex? Only that it was no less so.

[Shurrikhan]

The actual potency numbers themselves don't have any meaning in isolation because the damage formula itself changes from expansion to expansion. It's been a while since I've looked at this, but I remember in Stormblood there was a job-specific multiplier in translating potency to damage, such that you couldn't really compare potencies precisely on two different jobs.

Pretty sure it was just differences from weapon damage contribution between physical and caster weapon (physical potencies were worth less), and the consolidations in Shadowbringers removed them.

Ever notice how jobs only have an 'upward balance' where you only see buffs go out in response to player demand? All that gets reset and rebalanced between expansions.

This.

[UkcsAlias]

The actual potency numbers themselves don't have any meaning in isolation because the damage formula itself changes from expansion to expansion. It's been a while since I've looked at this, but I remember in Stormblood there was a job-specific multiplier in translating potency to damage, such that you couldn't really compare potencies precisely on two different jobs.

This is very likely just removing a fixed value from the stats, with a treshold from which point on the full stats are taken. For example in EW, all the stats below 500 could be worth just 20%, and 500-1000 could be 50% (giving exactly 350 in stats at 1000).

And its a very common way to balance tiered content, and avoid excessive damage representations, because it works. It makes upgrades a lot more noticed without instantly having to increase based on percentages. And it looks better than showing a direct penalty. With 1 tier you can use a fixed value (like 30% total stat reductions), but with several tiers, it just becomes anoying to balance, and stats need meaningless and excessive values to counter this. Some games even just directly remove a certain value from the stats (for example a fixed value of 500 which then is for example the value added per tier).

It would obviously be nice if we could actualy see that this has happened, as it gives more insight and makes understanding such mechanics better. And indirectly could also tell people the importance of melding materia (a 5% increase, or 15% increase still can make quite the diffirence to players. especialy when they think melding is just too expensive with the tier 9/10 materia).