Do auto-attacks serve any meaningful purpose?

[HikariKurosawa]

Removing auto attack would enable them to make our active potency higher, and it would feel like we are in control of our entire output. I agree that they are meaningless and I would describe them as archaic.

[Malthir]

Removing auto attack would enable them to make our active potency higher, and it would feel like we are in control of our entire output. I agree that they are meaningless and I would describe them as archaic.

Well you would be wrong, they didn't have AA's in 1.0, they added them in ARR, because turns out having your character just stand there like a plumb in front of the enemy for nearly 3s in-between weaponskills is really really jarring.

[HikariKurosawa]

Well you would be wrong, they didn't have AA's in 1.0, they added them in ARR, because turns out having your character just stand there like a plumb in front of the enemy for nearly 3s in-between weaponskills is really really jarring.

In your opinion

[Malthir]

In your opinion

No it's a fact, go look at combat in 1.0 on youtube, your character just stands there in idle animation inbetween weapon attacks, which makes the game feel slow and clunky, it's why they added AA's and OGCD moves

[HikariKurosawa]

No it's a fact, go look at combat in 1.0 on youtube, your character just stands there in idle animation inbetween weapon attacks, which makes the game feel slow and clunky, it's why they added AA's and OGCD moves

That's literally what ogcds are for now. 1.0 combat is irrelevant compared to modern ffxiv combat.

[Enkidoh]

Well you would be wrong, they didn't have AA's in 1.0, they added them in ARR, because turns out having your character just stand there like a plumb in front of the enemy for nearly 3s in-between weaponskills is really really jarring.

Only at 1.0's launch - autoattack was added to 1.0 in a later patch, after Yoshi took over as producer and director from Tanaka, and the battle system was redesigned from the ground up, as a test bed for ARR. 1.0 autoattack actually did contribute to building the TP gauge in order to use weaponskills and the like, as 1.0 the TP gauge started at zero, like FFXI, as you said. ARR swapped the TP gauge to being full at start however, so autoattack thus lost that particular use.

ARR autoattack was useful for tanks to help keep hate on ourselves when DPS=enmity as every hit you did built up more hate. Naturally that's no longer the case.

[Syln]

Well you would be wrong, they didn't have AA's in 1.0, they added them in ARR, because turns out having your character just stand there like a plumb in front of the enemy for nearly 3s in-between weaponskills is really really jarring.

I can see Auto attack being relevant 11 years ago to provide dynamism to a very slow gameplay.
The fact is that it's not anymore.

[VictorSpoils]

Removing auto attack would enable them to make our active potency higher, and it would feel like we are in control of our entire output. I agree that they are meaningless and I would describe them as archaic.

Well you would be wrong, they didn't have AA's in 1.0, they added them in ARR, because turns out having your character just stand there like a plumb in front of the enemy for nearly 3s in-between weaponskills is really really jarring.

Both good points, though they don't apply to DoM. BLM whacking things with a staff for 1 damage is like WAR having an MP gauge. These are supposedly just things that are expected to be ignored instead of updated or removed. I'd rather it be a ranged magic blast that deals a few hundred chip damage if it has to exist.

[Silhart]

I would love if auto-attacks had more interaction with the job kits. Now that MNK gets 10 stack chakra during Brotherhood, I would find it fun & kinda hilarious if auto-attacks could generate Chakra on crit as well. Would open up some interesting synergy with Riddle of Wind, which right now is also kind of a weird button to press.

Removing auto attack would enable them to make our active potency higher, and it would feel like we are in control of our entire output. I agree that they are meaningless and I would describe them as archaic.

It would also mean that melee jobs end up being punished even harder for drifting their CDs or not keeping their GCD rolling. Personally I wouldn't mind that, but given how you constantly advocate for job gameplay to be easier, it's interesting--funny, yet somehow unsurprising to see you in favour of a change that would actually screw you and you specifically over. And for that reason I am now hoping auto attacks get removed

[Iscah]

But we have an example of jobs that don't do them - casters, because they are, well, casting. SMN, not so much casting but still technically a caster so the autos don't happen.

Even for a full-time casting mage like a low-level healer, you get auto-attacks hitting after every second GCD or so, and at low levels it is actually a reasonable amount of damage per turn. Not a lot, but enough that you're probably defeating things slightly quicker than you would otherwise, especially if solo.