Buffs that last a bit longer

[BlaiseLallaise]

everyone wants a dumbed down game, people don't wanna think and use their brain, a challenge is tedious and should be removed... wow, and i thought i heard it all. this community seriously wants hands outs...

Nobody in here is talking about dumbing down the game or giving handouts. Take that argument elsewhere.

[Mugiwara]

Nobody in here is talking about dumbing down the game or giving handouts. Take that argument elsewhere.

That wasn't an argument, that was a statement. And yes, increasing the timer on something because it is "tedious" is a way of dumbing down something...

[Martyr]

That wasn't an argument, that was a statement. And yes, increasing the timer on something because it is "tedious" is a way of dumbing down something...

Coming up with a more efficient way of doing things is not 'dumbing it down.'

Is driving a car to work just 'dumbing down' walking?

The only 'strategies' that I've seen that are applicable to buffs are that they require better aggro management, since casting buffs in the middle of a battle draws a lot of aggro, and that casting buffs draws your attention away from other things (nuking/healing) causing you to have to prioritize what you're doing.

Make buffs an hour long, up the aggro on healing spells, and have enemies do more abilities that require you to cleanse statuses. Yes, the maintenance on buffs is gone, but the extra healing aggro forces healers to play smarter with how they heal, instead of just spamming AoE heals on everyone, and having more enemies with status effects effectively makes it so you have to juggle if it's worth it to stop healing/nuking in order to clear an ailment, or if you should ride it out.

There are ways to add strategy without adding tedium. The above is just an example of how you could do it while keeping buffs longer.

I'm still for multiple abilities that require thought and awareness of the current battle situation in order to use effectively without getting munched on by the enemy.

[Jinko]

That wasn't an argument, that was a statement. And yes, increasing the timer on something because it is "tedious" is a way of dumbing down something...

Some people just want the game to be punishing for the sake of it also, fact is games are supposed to be fun not tedious.

[DeadRiser]

Some people just want the game to be punishing for the sake of it also, fact is games are supposed to be fun not tedious.

Tedious? In MMO's, don't you grind? Isn't that considered being tedious as well? That was a very hypocritcal statement.

I think they should make the buffs more powerful than a 30 minute timer.

[RichardButte]

Tedious? In MMO's, don't you grind? Isn't that considered being tedious as well? That was a very hypocritcal statement.

Not really.

Having to grind is like being stabbed. Just because you've been stabbed, would you mind being stabbed again any LESS?

[DeadRiser]

Not really.

Having to grind is like being stabbed. Just because you've been stabbed, would you mind being stabbed again any LESS?

I never felt a stabbing sensation when buffing. It's not that much of a pain to buff every 5 minutes or so. I'm with the other guy, everything is easy/simple enough.
And the deal with the 30 minute timer for Defender and whatnot, they are giving up a percent of their attack for physical/magical defense. Unless you want to give up some of your defense for others, or reduce you're magical/physical attack for others defense, I'd keep the buffs as is (just make them a little stronger as you rank up).

[RichardButte]

I never felt a stabbing sensation when buffing. It's not that much of a pain to buff every 5 minutes or so. I'm with the other guy, everything is easy/simple enough.

Then you have a tolerance for tedium that few can match.

Seriously, having to stop every five minutes to:
1. call your party together for a buff
2. wait until they're all huddled around you
3. press the button to cast shell
4. press return to confirm AoE
5. wait for it to cast
6. press the button to cast protect
7. press return to confirm AoE
8. wait for it to cast
9. press the button to cast shock spikes
10. press return to confirm AoE
11. wait for it to cast
12. press the button to cast stoneskin
13. press return to confirm AoE
14. wait for it to cast
15. repeat in 5 minutes

If you do that and no part of your brain wakes up and says "You know, there's probably a better way SE could do this..." then you have my sympathy.

You might say "You don't need all those buffs!". In that case, WHY THE HELL HAVE THEM TO START WITH?!

[Martyr]

I'm with the other guy, everything is easy/simple enough.

^
What we should be arguing.

If everything's so simple that buffing is really seen as just ineffective and time consuming, we should probably fix that, first. Once the difference between life/death depends on buffs, then we can discuss what to do with them.

I'm for stronger buffs with a similar duration, if we have to change anything. I just think, eventually, something has to be changed to make buffs competitive. Either make them stronger, longer, or give us a few more skills that additively contribute to our overall value.