Skill trees and Alternate Advancement

[Kyra]

Would be nice to see some different ways we can customise our characters (other than gear/materia) so we are not just identical carbon copies of each other. The point allotment for stats is ok but could be expanded upon to include other stats like crit and accuracy etc.

But what I realy want to see is some from of alternate skill advancement for each class/job where you choose a permanent skill tree path. You unlock the skills in the path with exp at level 50+ and each skill has upgrades to make it a bit better, your limited to 1 skill tree path out of maybe 2 or 3.

So for a quick example one blackmage wont have exactly the same skillsets as another blackmage, could specialise in fire damage and resistance with more hp and magic accuracy and new fire based skills, or you can choose the thunder path for more thunder dmg, mp, magic crit and thunder skills. etc etc. Dragoon can choose the wyvern pet path or the jumping path etc etc.

We do so much stuff at max cap and waste so much exp that goes nowhere and skillwise everyone is just a carbon copy. Yeah people have some different stats and gear and it makes a slight difference, and new gear comes out every patch and everyone gets excited. Eventualy will be a level cap raise and will be more gear and everything your have is obsolete. Obviously i want a level cap raise one day too, but I also want some form of alternate advancement system.

EQ2's one was fun I thought, didnt really like FF11s merit one it was a bit boring but they could make it better for this. This game is completly gear and level orientated at the moment and there is no real way to make your character better other than gear and levels and veterans have all levels done already.

I am sure newbs are having a great time making there characters stronger with gaining more levels/skills. That type of character growth fun ended for me and many others a long time ago.

[YUGON]

I would like that, as you said, something like Merit points on XI, but not on leveling up. What If I ubber power my Blm on Fire skills? My blm on Ifrit would be shit.
When we reach max level, I would be glad to have some "new skills method", but not right now, or with the first level cap.

[Arkine]

While I love skill trees for offline games where I can progress with whatever I think is cool. In an MMO it's only a matter of time before someone figures out what build is best dps, tank or healer and it stops being a choice ( basicly it's a calculation where there is a path that gives the best result disguised as a choice where all paths give equil results)

[Krausus]

more choices are always nice, the issue is someone will find the best build based on numbers and everyone will use that build completely negating the purpose

[Meatdawg]

While I do like the idea and did enjoy this back when I played EQ, you are really opening up Pandora's box.

It won't take long before the better players find the path/skill set that is most OP and soon everyone is just another carbon copy of each other. The game is pretty well balanced as is right now, and adding new skills/spells just makes it that much harder to stay balanced.

Generally you end up with much more QQ'ing about spec A being so OP that it gets nerfed resulting in QQ'ing for respects. It is very hard to give players multiple options without one being the clear cut "best path".

I think there is a lot more for them to work on before they decide to undertake something like this.

[Kyra]

I would like that, as you said, something like Merit points on XI, but not on leveling up. What If I ubber power my Blm on Fire skills? My blm on Ifrit would be shit.
When we reach max level, I would be glad to have some "new skills method", but not right now, or with the first level cap.

Yeah it would be the choice you make, you would be an average blackmage against ifrit, the blm that had specialised in thunder would be a lot better than you. But then when they add Bomb King /Queen you would rape it with fire dmg and the thunder blm would cry :P

[Holy_Dragoon]

This just oozes of bad things. The thing I love most about mmos is that there is no tree progression. 1 character, access to all jobs/skills as long as you take the time to level up.

Once you go to skill trees, you have respecing to deal with, or multiple characters. Both become pointless time sinks via gil farming or re-leveling.

Stick with the FF method, be different SE. Be a leader.

[Onisake]

I agree with Krausus to a degree.

Skill trees are relevent in other games, because your character is locked to a specific class. in XIV you can just change classes to fulfill a different purpose. sure it's more convenient in other games to be able to respec on the fly. but this is needed, because you can't switch roles on the fly like we can in XIV.

However i suspect that eventually you'll get something similar in the form of convenience when more jobs are released.

IE: glad may have pld and drk so they can either tank or DD. LNC could be similar, seeing as they have a main stat of PIE they could make another tank class based on that to resist magic damage instead of pld's primary physical resistance.

[Zezlar]

I don't want that crap in a Final Fantasy game. Sorry but I have to disagree very strongly.

[Kyra]

Lets say you choose dragoon wyvern path, this would be really nice for soloers and might have a few benefits for partys such as buffs, or you choose the jumping path that gives you more jumps and more damage and maybe skills that can only be used in a party skillchain. So you make a choice, do you play more solo or do you want to be better in a group.

Your going to be better at one thing but worse at another and thats the choice you make, and mob resistances etc etc would mean there wont be an "all out" greatest path to choose. You will be better at somethings and while another path will be better at other things.