What happened to the AF gear?

[ShiftingFate]

About the looks of the AF do we know if they are planning to give the new gear coming new models or they going to look the same again? Kinda stinks everyone looks the same at lv 50

[Estellios]

They won't put special effects, at least not now, because it will get to the point where you only keep a piece of gear around for an ability, and in order to replace it the next piece of gear would have to have the same boost or offer more of a boost which is essentially what we have now.

Look at FF11 where stuff on the basic AF outclassed higher level gear, Level 51 Elemental staves were much better than any other mage weapon even when the level cap raised to 99, and everyone's inventories suffered and content was DoA because raw stats weren't as good as boosting abiliites.

Besides most abilities are boosted by stats so increasing your stats is increasing your ability effectiveness.

[Riv]

I miss the job-specific boosts AF used to give, enhanced fists of wind, enhanced heals, enhanced defiance etc. The simplicity of the stats in this version makes every gear choice not even a choice. Piece B is better than Piece A in all situations. Can't we see things like reductions in specfic ability cooldowns again? Or enfire procs? Or lower damage but with a chance to proc double-attack? Or critical hp-triggered regens?

It may very well be that they will come with level cap increases, but even if that were the case, there should still be some at this level.

I, too, miss gear that enhances certain abilities. It makes gear feel really shallow and all the same.

[DJPr3tty]

I am hoping the approach they are going is "simplify to make it work" then Amp it up as new patches come.

Hopefully 2.1 will add special effects, as simple stats allowed them probably to balance the game easier to start.

A girl can dream /sigh

[Yoohre_WildRiver]

AF and JSE seem to be going along the lines of ffxi AF/JSE. with AF, AF+1 and AF+2.

[Kyriea]

I know this isn't XI, and of course there are no gear swaps mid combat in this game, and that the 2 combat systems are completely different however... I really do miss how one piece could be useful even if it was 10-20 levels lower than cap because of the stats on the gear. Things just seem way too simplified now and it takes the fun out of it, and like people say we all look the same. Tiered gear is not the way forward imo, it's just an easy portrayal of a gear treadmill simplified to help people understand what's next to do.

Take FFXI - you would see people at the level cap (75) using a Haubergeon (level 59 iirc) because the stats on it worked with certain setups. Now this was all user defined, nobody told you this was better you just worked it out. There were a lot of other sets that worked for the same job and with all different level gear, for example you could swap out hauby with a scorpion harness (level 55) if you needed the acc and evasion, or the level 70 piece if you needed more a job specific boost. There was always the most efficient set that would be used and a lot of people would look the same but it was nowhere near at this level. Please SE, bring back variety and choice.

[Estellios]

It isn't variety and choice if one piece of gear clearly outclasses anything that comes after it, it's just bad design. It was a huge problem where FF11 got new content that was harder or more involving than old content, and 95% of the drops in said event were useless right out of the gate at best. Not to mention the even worse situation of stuff like Leaping Boots and Emperor Hairpin which literally had no equals for 50 levels or so.

There should be more variety in what to equip, yes, but it should be due to having a variety of content to get gear from rather than making low level gear overpowered which not only screws up game balance but invalidates doing content later on.

[MorbidAngel]

A girl can dream /sigh

Sooo..do you come her often? :P

[Quesse]

What the hell is this junk?

It was casualized™

[AreeSoothsayer]

The ability to pick and choose and not carbone copy. Oh look there are 6 dragoons over there with the exact same armor, exact same jewelry. Why? oh it' sgot the best stats. They level up the same. Oh wait. They have 28 stat points. That makes the difference. *sigh* I quit before the 99 cap raise but at level 75 I had a rather unique farming setup for my dragoon.

I picked up all Wyvern Hp+ gear. I took a bit harder hits but to make up for it my wyvern tossed cures that gave 150+ more hp. I kept wondering what my books on my summoner would look like from Garuda, Ifrite and Titan hard modes. How would it boost my summons. Then I did a little digging... The complexity of Xi kept me for years. In this dungeon drops are tops, special npc gear the elite, crafted stuff.. trash. Gear made simple. Stats made easy.

This game isn't as buggy as it's preincarnation but the sameness I have found in dozens of other games is infecting it as well and I keep wondering when boredom will set in.