What happened to the AF gear?

[AreeSoothsayer]

Got the quest stuff, all the pieces. Is that all that they are? Graphics and slightly better stats? Where are the ability/skill boosts? I've found pink stuff better than the blues my scholar gained. I read online I can BUY the af2 gear. I go to look, expecting better, and run around looking for them until I notice on this one vendor selling, what couldn't possibly be them, this darklight stuff with the icons for the af set I have. Just stats. Not even the stats I'm using.

What the hell is this junk? Are the AF weapons the same?

[Xmbei]

ummm junk? For starters this is not 1.0 or FFXI, so different system. The stats were simplified, and AF2 is the best gear in 2.0, more will come in 2.1. If you are expecting like 15 different stats with slow resistance look for materia to specialize. Those stats are not as heavily needed atm. They are best for what is offered right now statwise and all. I don't understand what you were expecting? are you wanting ability enhancers? Skill Speed is a buff for those already, what are you looking for really?

And if they are not stats you are not using then you are not using the stats that are for your class... AF stats promote stats that your job relies on.

[Inuakurei]

Everything has been simplified for simple users. ^ Too simplified if you ask me.

[Aegis]

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.

[AreeSoothsayer]

I play scholar. I use heals. Since 400 is the best heal I have for constant spam. There are some bosses that can out do it. I had tanks go down because my pixie was saving other players. So I focus on Crit. With my current gear, mix of AF and pink, I have 405 crit. That gives me 1 in 6 chance to hit with a 1k-1.1k heal. Since my pixie shares the crit I have her heals have a 1 in 6 chance to crit. This also gives me a 20% chance to get a 20% boost in casting speed. Btw. From what I can tell that esteemed 20% boost only boosts actual casting speed by, around, 5%.

[Demlix]

The AF gear is the basic armor to being end game / hard mode ready. They reward you this armor just for leveling and completing your job quests, and it's EASY for everyone to get. Do you think the best armor in game should just be given to everyone this easily? The stats on this gear are better than anything else I'd worn before it, and I'm pretty sure they give you this armor so you look like a BAMF (Bad Ass Mother Fucker) during cut scenes as you power through the final 8-man duties for the main story line.

Better gear will come from running actual endgame content, and I strongly feel that's the way it should be. Otherwise every Joe can get the best gear, and that ruins an MMO IMHO.

On a side note, I've noticed that after getting through Garuda, the groups I was put in for the final two 8-man instances were much better players. At the current time, I feel that Garuda is a gear check and sort of a gate keeper for the rest of end game... I like it.

[EdwinLi]

On a side note, I've noticed that after getting through Garuda, the groups I was put in for the final two 8-man instances were much better players. At the current time, I feel that Garuda is a gear check and sort of a gate keeper for the rest of end game... I like it.

Garuada is the gate keeper of the game currently. She basically test every player to see if they know their stuff about their roles and if they're properly geared to move on. If you don't know jack nor properly geared for that level then you're basically doomed in her fight.

[AreeSoothsayer]

I wasn't actually focused on the AF gear you're given free ot charge. I was talking about the darklight stuff mainly. The ones you can just buy right from the special merchant. I've been checking the higher end guys who stand around but have yet to see any gear with 'special' additions.

Simple can be good in a great many things but most of the time simpler means lower quality. Beans in water is boiled beans. Beans water and spices is Chili! Which would you prefer?

[Inuakurei]

The AF gear is the basic armor to being end game / hard mode ready. They reward you this armor just for leveling and completing your job quests, and it's EASY for everyone to get. Do you think the best armor in game should just be given to everyone this easily? The stats on this gear are better than anything else I'd worn before it, and I'm pretty sure they give you this armor so you look like a BAMF (Bad Ass Mother Fucker) during cut scenes as you power through the final 8-man duties for the main story line.

Better gear will come from running actual endgame content, and I strongly feel that's the way it should be. Otherwise every Joe can get the best gear, and that ruins an MMO IMHO.

I think you are missing the point... We are not asking for AF to be the best gear in the game. What we mean is for AF (and other gear) to have it's job specific (or additional) special effects. Like for example, in 1.0 Bard hands (I think it was the hands) had a "increases ballad" effect on them which would increase the mana regenerated by ballad by a small amount.

Dragoon feet had the effect "enhances jump effects" which increased the damage of jumps.

AF wasn't the only armor to have effects like this too, the moogle weapons used to have some sort of hp regen per hit I believe as well.

All of this simply creates interesting variety in the gear. You still had gear tiers (you wouldn't use AF over darklight) but things were more interesting than simply x has higher stats than y. It also allowed you to gear according to your playstyle or a fight.

Like to support more as Bard than DPS? Use the AF hands.

Going as Dragoon against a boss you won't be able to melee as often as normal? Use Dragoon AF feet for the extra ranged jump damage.

Currently there's no variety like that. It's simply boring.

[Celestine]

Dragoon feet had the effect "enhances jump effects" which increased the damage of jumps.

AF wasn't the only armor to have effects like this too, the moogle weapons used to have some sort of hp regen per hit I believe as well.

All of this simply creates interesting variety in the gear. You still had gear tiers (you wouldn't use AF over darklight) but things were more interesting than simply x has higher stats than y. It also allowed you to gear according to your playstyle or a fight.

Like to support more as Bard than DPS? Use the AF hands.

Going as Dragoon against a boss you won't be able to melee as often as normal? Use Dragoon AF feet for the extra ranged jump damage.

Currently there's no variety like that. It's simply boring.

This was brought up in beta and everyone said wait for lvl 50 gear, that will have more unique stats. Well looks like it doesnt. Itemization in this game is just as bad as Diablo 3. This needs fixing.