Low level Combat gameplay and Job identity is HORRIBLE.

[HappyHubris]

I think the solution here would be for cbu3 to reevaluate the entire leveling experience for all jobs. Allowing players to keep high level abilities when synced down comes with a lot of problems that go beyond simple potency issues. Tanks, for example, get a lot of defensive power as they level up. A level 20 marauder will be far more annoying to heal than a lvl 90 warrior. Healers too have the same problem where healing as a lvl 90 will allow you to do more dmg than healing as a lvl 20 (more ogcds to heal with.)
Even if we are just talking potencies though and turning a blind eye to all the tools lvl 90 players will have over lvl 20s we run into another problem, a problem that plagues WoW lvling: low level characters do broken amounts of damage. In WoW in order to compensate for lower level characters having access to less abilities they made low level abilities deal more damage to targets. A lvl 10 restoration shaman's chain lightning ability will kill everything it hits in 1, maybe 2 casts. a lvl 60 restoration shaman would take 20+ chain lightnings to kill something. Balancing low level content around syncing is already a huge pain and costs a lot of dev time with the current model. Trying to balance every ability at every level against every ability that a lower level version of the job would have at every level is just way too costly on dev time. Job X might be missing abilities A, B and C at level 40 but it may get ability B at level 42. Are we really going to be taking the time to balance the level 90 kit of job X at level 40 vs 42?

Like I said at the start, I think cbu3 should reevaluate the leveling experience as a whole. On the job design side of things they should take a leaf out of WoWs book but not with regards to syncing. Early on in WoWs life Blizzard learned that they need to give class defining abilities early and often so that people can embrace their class fantasy earlier and feel good about what they're playing. A retribution paladin, for example, feels like you are smiting your foes with holy strength really early in the leveling. Paladin in this game, however, well it just doesn't feel like a paladin until much much later, and even then the use of "holy sword" type abilities is so sparse (even at 90) but that's an entirely different issue. What the devs should do on this front is give access to job defining abilities, like requiescat and holy spirit, much earlier on so that players can actually feel like they are playing the job fantasy of w/e job they are playing much earlier.

GW2 does full level syncing and it works reasonably well. Higher level characters can be a bit overpowered when downsynced due to having more abilities and talents, but FFXIV's approach is just awful.

[mallleable]

I actually think each class/job could have 6-7 actions at level 1, and not be overwhelming. All the actions for every PVP job takes up the same amount of hotbar space, and they are generally pretty easy to understand while also having a ton of character. Once these staring actions have been determined, the rest of the leveling experience can be better tailored for each job.

[Yushees]

Don't feel bad for saying it. The combat system is very bad until late 70s. It gets slightly better when you unlock the passive that upgrades your basic abilities (when your 1-2-3 combo gets a new animation). This whole level sync system needs a complete overhaul. Also Reaper at level 70 feels like a level 30 class lol.

[Azlith]

Arms Length is a second rampart.

Lol....before I address that I'll just say this: over the entire lifetime of this game the devs have never relented their stance on the matter of keeping high level kits when synced. They have been asked this countless times and they have never shown that they have any desire to relent on it. They have shown, however, that they're willing to move things from being high level to lower level (blm aspect mastery trait being moved to lvl 1.) Asking them to allow high level characters to keep their kits when synced down will likely never work, that is just not within their vision for this games design. We should be asking for better low level kits as that is something they have shown they are willing to do.

Now to address that quote its a bit off topic yeah but I can't resist
1. Arms length doesn't actually mitigate the damage you take from an enemy hit, it simply mitigates the frequency with which you take damage. If 10 enemies are about to hit you for 10% of your hp each then arms length won't keep you alive and rampart will.
2. Arms length doesn't work on bosses
3. Arms length doesn't work on any enemy that doesn't physically attack you inside of the 6 second window. Think stunned enemies, casters, an enemy that is casting an ability.
No arms length is not a second rampart and should virtually always be used in conjunction with something that actually reduces the damage you take from attacks.

[Rithy255]

The worst I've played is PLD:
1. Your gauge until level 64 is for an extra mitigation button that isn't needed for roulette content.
2. Until 64 your attacks are 1-2-3, two 30s oGCDs, and one 60s oGCD. With a 60s generic damage increase cooldown. So painful. Single-target damage spender at 64 and AoE spender at 72.

I like having sheltron early, but PLD has no sustain until 82 lol... (unless you count clemency)

I think PLD's rotation in general needs some work but it's dps skills early is very bad... having no magic attacks until 64 is really odd considering how important magic becomes to PLD.

Also to add it's the tank with the gap closer at 74! Theirs a lot bad about early pld lol.

[PyurBlue]

Asking them to allow high level characters to keep their kits when synced down will likely never work, that is just not within their vision for this games design. We should be asking for better low level kits as that is something they have shown they are willing to do.

The devs may or may not agree, the request can still be made.

1. Arms length doesn't actually mitigate the damage you take from an enemy hit, it simply mitigates the frequency with which you take damage. If 10 enemies are about to hit you for 10% of your hp each then arms length won't keep you alive and rampart will.
2. Arms length doesn't work on bosses
3. Arms length doesn't work on any enemy that doesn't physically attack you inside of the 6 second window. Think stunned enemies, casters, an enemy that is casting an ability.
No arms length is not a second rampart and should virtually always be used in conjunction with something that actually reduces the damage you take from attacks.

Reduced frequency translates directly to less incoming damage. It has the same effect as Rampart over time. It has no effect on a large instantaneous attack, but the chances of every enemy being aligned is extremely low. Even when I have seen it happen (mobs waking up after Holy) it has never killed a tank.

On the second point, in low level dungeons where Arm's Length can be a differentiating factor between tanks bosses aren't where most of the damage is taken so this doesn't matter very much. Plus just the fact that AL works on mobs means that a tank can use it before the boss and same Rampart if necessary, which still gives it a function similar to having a second rampart available.

On point 3, any mitigation is wasted if enemies do not attack the tank. This applies to rampart as much as it does AL.

The function of the two in dungeons is essentially identical. There is no need to use additional mitigation with AL, although any tank that has it unlocked has the option of combining it, especially with reprisal, which will make them more durable than a tank without role skills unlocked.

[Zadood]

Individual ilvl sync rather than party wide ilvl sync is probably much better as this may allow more high level job's abilities to be used in low level content without melt things too fast.

[Acelyn]

the fact that half the game is free to play so low level content pretty much rules over roulettes proves something needs to be done about low level play, i would be content with a full rotation that hits like styrofoam instead of being tortured through labyrinth of the ancients yet again with only like 3 buttons to hit.

at least make that low tier stuff muscle memory practice for max level players, shoot, it would even look cool for newbies, they could be in satasha thinking "gee, i dunno about this (insert job)" then they get to see a max leveled version of it just popping off for 15 minutes, that would keep players going.

imho the entire content stack needs some sorta system that checks the players stats and challenges them as such, they snatched all the puzzles from fights, made every boss as big as that dude from asura's wrath so you cant miss even if you tried and now things just melt, level 90 content with geared players the mobs will be dead before you finish a full rotation and bosses kick the bucket damn near as fast also.