The problem with "Instant OFF GCD" abilities makes combat feel less rewarding.

[Kanzer]

http://splicd.com/dkhpqAGdZPc/473/495

That is most definitely not shield bashing something while simultaneously striking it with all your might.

Nice try though.

[Gray_Spy]

I have died using Hallowed Ground many times and it was mission-critical...say...Phase 3 Titan. I'm just saying.

[Raymeo]

If you think about it, this system makes the most sense of all of them. Why should you be able to bash something with your shield while you're in the middle of swinging your sword down as hard as you can on it's head?

Really? I am frickin' holding them in two different hands. That's why.

Lol seriously? Ok Mr, why don't you buy a shield and sword and go shield bash a target dummy in RL while simultaneously swinging your sword into it's skull with all your might.

Please record it.

http://splicd.com/dkhpqAGdZPc/430/495

That is most definitely not shield bashing something while simultaneously striking it with all your might.

Nice try though.

You must have missed the part where he explained how piercing or slicing is always superior to striking or swinging.

[Steeled]

. In order to make sure you can react early enough, just auto attack behind the mob until it's time to stun." ISN'T THAT FUN!

Stunning on Ifrit, I've found that I can safely get one one threat-combo rotation after each stun, and then it's back to camping the stun button.

Honestly, like Raymeo said, that's pretty absurdly boring. Watching, waiting for a cast bar is just ridiculous.

As to Kanzer, name a situation where you fight a big stone beast in real life, while occasionally being closed in rocks and dodging landslides, and I'll care about the reality of swinging sword and shield at the same time.

Also gladiatorial arts of old frequently had them doing that.

Seriously, my buddy has two fireballs floating around him while he spits fireballs out, and I don't have the strength to swing my shield mid sword-swing?

[Kanzer]

I have died using Hallowed Ground many times and it was mission-critical...say...Phase 3 Titan. I'm just saying.

You know 'exactly' when mountain buster is going to happen. Being too slow to get hallowed ground up is not design flaw. You simply didn't think ahead and pop it when you needed to.

[Blimbeard]

That is most definitely not shield bashing something while simultaneously striking it with all your might.

Nice try though.

Dude, C'mon... seriously. Are you now saying that our game mechanics should be based on actual reality ?

Off you go and youtube yourself fireballing a vicious monster in your back yard then, and then summon a giant chicken before jumping over the garden fence on your way to weaving an armoured tunic in 20 seconds.

EDIT: Signing off now due to need to sleep and reaching daily post limit. Kanzer, you're arguments are reaching further into the depth of absurdity and desperation with every post. Seems you are immune to actual logic. All you're doing is helping to jeopardise the future of the game. No offense, but please wake up.

[Gray_Spy]

You know 'exactly' when mountain buster is going to happen. Being too slow to get hallowed ground up is not design flaw. You simply didn't think ahead and pop it when you needed to.

Oh ok, because I.A.M.A.R.O.B.O.T. ? I should know exactly when my healer might mess up, get trapped, or need me to pop a cooldown? Great.

[Kanzer]

Stunning on Ifrit, I've found that I can safely get one one threat-combo rotation after each stun, and then it's back to camping the stun button.

Honestly, like Raymeo said, that's pretty absurdly boring. Watching, waiting for a cast bar is just ridiculous.

As to Kanzer, name a situation where you fight a big stone beast in real life, while occasionally being closed in rocks and dodging landslides, and I'll care about the reality of swinging sword and shield at the same time.

Also gladiatorial arts of old frequently had them doing that.

Seriously, my buddy has two fireballs floating around him while he spits fireballs out, and I don't have the strength to swing my shield mid sword-swing?

There are many ways to handle ifrit. Having a Paladin do it is simply the most convenient because there's really no point in having an offtank in the fight. We've done it with only one tank with DPS taking turns interrupting. I found that to be pretty fun.

And it's not about having the 'strength' to do it, it's about momentum and footing. There's no gladiatorial art there someone is bashing someone with a shield while also slicing them up with their sword. One might happen directly after the other, but that's still not simultaneous <-- Key Word. I'd be impressed with anyone who could rear back and smack something with a shield with enough force before recovering from swinging their blade, because they'd be defying the laws of physics. And that is quite impressive.

Oh ok, because I.A.M.A.R.O.B.O.T. ? I should know exactly when my healer might mess up, get trapped, or need me to pop a cooldown? Great.

Communicate better? I don't know man...if I were Paladin and knew mountain buster was right around the corner, and I was only sitting at 2k HP, I'd pop my cooldown and then tell my group "Hey, that's not available for next one, top me off quicker next time."

Dude, C'mon... seriously. Are you now saying that our game mechanics should be based on actual reality ?

Off you go and youtube yourself fireballing a vicious monster in your back yard then, and then summon a giant chicken before jumping over the garden fence on your way to weaving an armoured tunic in 20 seconds.

No I'm saying it should be based on the reality SE has defined for the game. After all, it is their game.

[Raymeo]

You know 'exactly' when mountain buster is going to happen. Being too slow to get hallowed ground up is not design flaw. You simply didn't think ahead and pop it when you needed to.

Translation: "You simply didn't predict that crit ahead of time." After all, hallowed ground going onto cooldown and leaving us dead before it goes into effect is not exclusive to Mountain Blaster. In fact, Mountain Blaster is so predictable that it's probably the most rare place to see this happen. But it does happen elsewhere all the time.

But yep. You're right. That's on us. We're bad that way. All of us who play paladin and aren't you have a lot to learn.

[Kantide]

The only reason the ability isn't popping immediately is because you are still under the effects of the cast you just finished. The tactical nature of the game requires a little more anticipation when casting things like Benediction. You had 2.5s of GCD to realize your tank was going to die. You should have either A. interrupted whatever you were casting to use Benediction or B. Find a tank that can survive more than 2.5 on his own.

People keep mistaking this battle design for action when it should be categorized as tactical.

It's like saying "I didn't know I was gonna run out of MP by spamming Medica II".