Hi all,

this one's for all the theorycrafters that like to go wild with possible skillsets for the upcoming jobs Viper and Pictomancer for PvP.

As per tradition, the PvP skillsets are usually focused on retaining the Job's thematic essense in their skills so I'd like to hear what you guys think Viper and Pictomancer should play like in PvP as there's a lot less limitations on roles there.

Let's start with Viper:

This job seems to have its design roots from FF9's Zidane, similar how Gunbreaker has a lot of FF8 Squall influence.
As the name would suggest, it's PvP iteration might place a focus on viper's poison while having some thievery to "steal" stats (think debuff+selfbuff skill combinations).
I have a feeling that there might be a "trance" similar to reaper where skills will transform into completely different skills like Zidane's Trance adding an additional layer to many of its base skills:

The Base skills focus on thievery and more defensive kit while during trance, the attacks turn into high damage focus)

- Limit Break: Trance (enters trance mode which boosts attack in return of lowering own defenses - transforms abilities into their trance attacks for the next 5 attacks or until it's manually cancelled. Has a low chance of instantly triggering when a party member is killed or when own HP is low)

- Basic 1/2/3 combo
Not affected by Trance

- Thievery (slow debuff/self haste ogcd attack)
-->Trance: Grand Lethal (Aoe Nuke like Double Down/Afflatus Misery)

- Soul Blade (2 charges, places Viper's venom dot in a cone in front that drains damage dealt to self and increases Viper's dmg to those targets)
-->Trance: Shift Break (strong single target skill that gets stronger when hitting viper's venom targets)

- Sacrifice (shifts 20% of HP and MP to the designated party member)
-->Trance: Meo Twister (aoe skill that reduces the enemies HP and MP by 20% regardless of guard)

- Annoy (half of the received damage is spread to nearby enemy party - this effect seems fairly OP unless the range is quite small to make up for it. It's still fairly unique and pressure the enemies to spread during crystal battles)
-->Trance: Stellar Circle 5 (channeled self aoe similar to honing dance/GNB LB that can trigger a strong follow up attack at the end)

- Detect (adds a steal effect based on enemy role to the next basic combo attack)
-->Trance: Tidal Flame (damage that increases based on enemies debuff amount up to x3)

- Flee (heavy around target/small self aoe movement up)
-->Trance: Free Energy (single target gap closer rush attack)



Up next Pictomancer

I think it's safe to assume that this job has more inspiration from FF6's Relm rather than Bravely Default's Pictomancer Job but I think both will be essential on capturing the essense what a Pictomancer would probably portray in PvP (heh). Both were highly skills in the magic department.
A core mechanic would definitely be sketch, although being the best mage, a focus on the color themed skills from Bravely Default's Pictomancer in a combo system would be really fun to play around the color theme, giving more of a self buffing and a debuff focused class.
That said, I picture this job skating across the battlefield with a charged basic spell attack similar to bard/machinist instead of having to stand still like the rest of the casters to give it more of a free spirited feeling.
The trailer depicted them as having a variety of basic elemental spells so I can see them having a combo basic attack button similar to monk as focus while being able to enhance that said spell further with a buff similar to machinists/samurais:

- Limit: Star Prism: instantly binds everyone in range and randomly attacks 7 times randomly (if there's 1 enemy in range, that target will get all 7 hits) with all enhancements in place (splatter+mass production active) slow recharge

- Basic spell combo: (rotates/randomly changes between the following 7 castable spells
Disarming Scarlet (burn debuff) > Incurable Coral (healing down debuff) > Melancholic Sepia (slow debuff) > Zappable Chartreuse (heavy debuff) > Silencing Azure (silence debuff) > Indefensible Teal (defense down debuff) > Disenchanting Mauve (damage down debuff)

- Splatter: 3 charges - Adds additional debuff effect to the current basic spell

- Extra coat: executes the current basic spell twice - stacks with splatter

- Mass production: turns the current basic spell into aoe - stacks with splatter

- Sketch summon: Summons a random minion to perform an attack - moogle cure (aoe heal), cactuar needles (pierces defense), tonberry stab (homing stab, increases damage based on current karma)

- Freehand: negates cast time for a short time, shortens gcd for the basic spell combo


Looking forward to your battle style theories!