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

[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]

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.

[Steeled]

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.

Yeah, take shield bash off the GCD *and* animation cooldown and one paladin could do it all by himself.

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.

Maybe they couldn't Zorro and shield-bash at the same time, but swinging sword and shield with enough force at the same time is reasonable.

Then again, Ifrit's much larger than me, has much more fortitude (hp), and much more strength (he hits me harder than I hit him), how is it "real"istic at all that I can ever stun him with my shield.

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

On the whole, the reality is pretty good, but it needs some improving.

We players are saying we're really not that bothered that our animation gets stopped to start another one.

Sometimes I start RoH as ifrit jumps into the air after his spikes, or to do the charging thing, and it stops my RoH animation midway. I don't see SE trying to address that. Do you?