Evolved Combat System Update Suggestions

[SakuraMidnight]

Final Fantasy XIV has a fatal flaw, (and I hope I don't get into trouble saying this), but open world content isn't really encouraged in this game like it was in Realm Reborn. In fact I could argue that Realm Reborn version of the game is one of the best versions outside of class design. The reasoning is simple, it encouraged players to go out and explore the world. Over the years, Yoshi P has tried to encourage players to go out and exlplore by adding content like Aether Currents. However, that is just a small bandaid to a large wound in my opinion. Players will eventually get all those Aether Currents and then what? They can fly and then what else can they do at that point? They can raid but then raids are also very static. It is the same routine every time you go into one, a dance step you have to master by memorising every mechanic possible and this is how it has always been it seems in this game. I think it is time to change. We should encourage players to explore the world of FFXIV instead of them sitting in their FC house doing absolutely nothing while waiting for queue time. page 1

[SakuraMidnight]

Fates were always in the game but players were never encouraged to do them. Most of the time most players would just skip the story and rush directly to the highest level. That is fine if it is their perogative but at the same time it is damaging to the future of the game in my opinion because once a player gets to the max level, done everything they have nothing to do except to wait for the next patch. However, I am not saying that the developers have not tried to add content, they have, loads of different content, however the rewards were not very good so that the average player will only do the content once and never touch it again.

Now for the actual suggestions.

For the raiders, there could be a new system in place where they can visit old raids on max level and get max level version of the loot like they do in WOW, however, you cannot queue for it you directly have to go to the dungeon itself. You can buy items with your poetics to be able to unlock these higher level versions of these dungeons, one for mid tier, one for savage tier. Both drop the same loot the only difference is you get an achievement for doing Savage. You also can make a savage version of any dungeon in the game like this. New difficulty and new mechanics, think of this as ultimate dungeons just as difficult as ultimate raiding but fewer people. All the loot you get from these dungeons and ultimate raid will also be equivalent to the best available in the game because this is ultimate level. Each week this will change and you get to go to a different dungeon. For instance you can do Ultimate Aurunvile and not only will the bosses by ultimate level so will the trash. Some can argue that ultimate dungeons will be harder than ultimate raiding as you will have more bosses to defeat. page 2

[SakuraMidnight]

Mechanics would be cut and this is for the safety of the balance of the game. The thing is with ultimate raiding on savage difficulty there are a lot of instant kill abilities which if someone fails the mechanic they are dead. To me, I think this is anti-raider and focuses more on mechanical perfection rather than enjoyment of the game. I believe that all instant death mechanics should be removed from the game. Instead they would reduce hp to 1 and if they are hit again then they die. The thing is, this will encourage healers to be able to heal and have a more fulfilling role in raiding instead of being a dps bot with one button. Mechanics will change to be more reactive than static. Players will have to react to the mechanic instead of actually following a dance step like you already know what the boss is going to do before he does it. Knowing how to do a mechanic is ok but having the boss doing the same moves over and over again is bad in my opinion. People will get bored once they master it. Page 3

[SakuraMidnight]

Fates are a beautiful thing. First we need to update Grand Companies and company seals because we use Grand Companies throughout the game by turning in old loot we do not want, getting ventures and glamour prisms. The same can be said for Hunts. Regrettably, this system has the potential to be used for so much more and I believe it is time we updated it. It encouraged players to go out and hunt specific monsters, explore the world and get rewarded. Of course I think that the rewards should be upgrade a bit to where players can actually buy crafting items from later expansions, fishing gear from later expansion and pre-raid gear with your seals. The higher rank would go all the way up to level 110 and these would be known as Officer Ranks. Every 10 levels past 50 you can apply for an upgraded Officer Rank which also means you have to use your squadron has to complete a mission before you level up in the grand company. The highest rank is actually becoming a general and as you rank up you are allowed to have more squadron members being added to your squad. Page 4

[SakuraMidnight]

Hunts have always been a really good way to go out and explore the game, however there is one flaw to the system. You basically have to search the whole map to find the monster, however, if the Fate Icon showed where the monter is, it would be too easy, so instead, maybe use a new hunt compas that works similarly to the Aether current. I believe the rewards of hunts should be increased like the Grand Company seals you get to make high end crafting items. Also there could be hunt chains. Every time you complete a hunt you get chains that increase the amount of hunt seals you get every time you move on to the next hunt. Page 5

[SakuraMidnight]

Fates should be improved drastically in my opinion. Fate chains are added to where the more fate chains you do the better rewards you get, so, for instance, if you complete 10 fates in a row in a single area you get more gil, more company seals or whatever secondary resource and sometimes even drop items that could only be found in dungeons or maps.

I think there should be world bosses that are fates that require more than one 8 man group to finish. You can automatically join a group and in turn become part of the alliance raid. These fights are epic but they are not mechanically difficult. These will give massive rewards like endgame equipment rewards or even mounts. These world bosses would actually be required to complete your relic weapon in Evercold. There would be 6 of them and every one of them would have a chance to drop the highest level of item, weapon a mount or jewellery slot and they come in loot boxes for everyone who takes part. Do not mistake these as easy fights. Even though they are tank and spank they are a long and heavy fight with up to 5 mechanics each which cannot be avoided so the healers have to be ready. page 6

[Shaboinky]

Hunts have always been a really good way to go out and explore the game, however there is one flaw to the system. You basically have to search the whole map to find the monster, however, if the Fate Icon showed where the monter is, it would be too easy, so instead, maybe use a new hunt compas that works similarly to the Aether current. I believe the rewards of hunts should be increased like the Grand Company seals you get to make high end crafting items. Also there could be hunt chains. Every time you complete a hunt you get chains that increase the amount of hunt seals you get every time you move on to the next hunt. Page 5

I feel like hunts should be similar to Treasure maps in that you try to search for tracks and you maybe follow one or two of them before finding a 'lair' - similar to treasure map portals - where you are taken into an instance to fight the monster. I know hunt trains have become a community thing but I'm personally not a fan of the parade of people nor the attitude that certain targets are meant for the train only, even though you found them first. I feel like a monster hunter world type discovery and maybe a mini-boss like fight would be more fun. I also think the rewards should reflect the mark, like maybe a mount version of them or some special glam.

[Hanzz96]

Mechanics would be cut and this is for the safety of the balance of the game. The thing is with ultimate raiding on savage difficulty there are a lot of instant kill abilities which if someone fails the mechanic they are dead. To me, I think this is anti-raider and focuses more on mechanical perfection rather than enjoyment of the game. I believe that all instant death mechanics should be removed from the game. Instead they would reduce hp to 1 and if they are hit again then they die. The thing is, this will encourage healers to be able to heal and have a more fulfilling role in raiding instead of being a dps bot with one button. Mechanics will change to be more reactive than static. Players will have to react to the mechanic instead of actually following a dance step like you already know what the boss is going to do before he does it. Knowing how to do a mechanic is ok but having the boss doing the same moves over and over again is bad in my opinion. People will get bored once they master it. Page 3

Big disagree this game has always been about learning and mastering the dance steps which is what makes it unique from other MMO's and many consider savage and ultimate to be the best MMO content out there.

If you want WoW encounters WoW is right there. Its crazy to me that people want FF14 to be every other game except FF14.

Instant kills if you fail a mechanic is a good thing. This is a video game. There needs to be a fail state. People aren't going to hand you your savage and ultimate clears when you're failing mechanics left and right. There is also hardly any punishment for dying in this game outside of savage and ultimate. We have unlimited battle rez's and you just get up and go, which is why we can have pass/fail mechanics unlike WoW with its limited battle rez's.

We also already had these ultimate dungeons. They were EW criterion savage and people complained they were too hard and clear rates were crazy low so SE scrapped it. Arguably the rewards were an issue but the exquisite weapons coming from Alo Alo made it worth it but as I said people said the difficulty was too much because it was an ultimate dungeon.

Everything you want seems to be in WoW maybe get a sub?

[DRKoftheAzure]

Instant kills if you fail a mechanic is a good thing.

You know what...? You're right we need to have the most basic level 1 enemies be able to one shot a max level character, and we need EVERY ENEMY IN THE GAME to be able one-shot players... that'll make the game fun!

[iVolke]

You know what...? You're right we need to have the most basic level 1 enemies be able to one shot a max level character, and we need EVERY ENEMY IN THE GAME to be able one-shot players... that'll make the game fun!

The topic was savage and ultimate, so this jump you made is very strange.