Why does the Overmeld system work like a F2P game rather than a sub?

[Ruminate]

The last question was a sarcastic rhetoric. I'm not asking for ways to increase the % chance. I'm asking why the system works like a F2P game.

[SeleneVenizelos]

That final meld can be the difference between an excellent piece of gear and an exceptional piece of gear. It should not be easy to do, especially for the higher level materias! For some people it's worth the risk, for others it's not. That's for each individual to decide.

Oh, and as a misc. FYI, it goes as low as 4% when melding a IV onto four previous IVs.

[Reika]

That final meld can be the difference between an excellent piece of gear and an exceptional piece of gear. It should not be easy to do, especially for the higher level materias! For some people it's worth the risk, for others it's not. That's for each individual to decide.

Oh, and as a misc. FYI, it goes as low as 4% when melding a IV onto four previous IVs.

Honestly, only in 1.0 did melding matter. This shit aint got no real huge increase over dropped gear anymore because you cant go even 1 point over dropped gears stat caps. The primary attribute stats matter more than what you can meld onto it, and greater Ilvl is the only way to have those increased.

[SeleneVenizelos]

melding is pointless

Heavy Darklight:

Body: Defense 262 / STR 33 / VIT 36 / Parry 43 / Crit 30
Hands: Defense 109 / STR 12 / VIT 14 / Parry 11 / Acc 16
Legs: Defense 262 / STR 33 / VIT 36 / Parry 30 / Acc 43

Total: Defense 633 / STR 78 / VIT 86 / Parry 84 / Crit 30 / Acc 59
--

My Melded Heavy Darksteel Set:

Body: Defense 262 / STR 33 / VIT 36 / Parry 30 / Determination 29 (Materia: Parry 13 / Acc 27)
Hands: Defense 109 / STR 12 / VIT 14 / Acc 11 / Speed 16 (Materia: Parry 17 / Crit 15)
Legs: Defense 262 / STR 33 / VIT 36 / Crit 30 / Speed 43 (Materia: Parry 43)

Total: Defense 633 / STR 78 / VIT 86 / Parry 103 / Crit 45 / Acc 38 / Speed 59

--

Exact same base stats for defense and attributes as heavy darklight with plenty more parrying and critical hit, at the expense of a little accuracy. A massive boost of 59 to skill speed for good measure. Yep, exactly the same as dropped gears. People pay crazy money for +1 stats in MMOs to be the best. Melding adds plenty more than just a tiny boost. The same applies to all the crafted high qualities too; they are better than Darklight. Only the high level job gear and Allagan is currently better. Darklight is just quicker.

[Riposte]

Materia is meant to take items off the market (or at least, this was before stuff would bind to characters). Harsher melding conditions regulates materia.

[Godsleftsock]

Can they at least not lie about their estimations? Seriously 0/17 is not 22% to me

[Stravanov]

This system of failing is standard in most east asian mmorpg's. Only the stakes are higher: you usually lose the entire item if you fail.

Asian mmorpg's aren't called "grind mmo's" for nothing :-)

[Ruminate]

You lose an entire piece of equipment every single time a meld fails. How do you think materia are obtained?
Each materia is essentially a piece of equipment. Not to mention you also lose the time it takes to spiritbond that materia.

[SeleneVenizelos]

Essentially a piece of equipment but not a piece of equipment. People don't convert items they're using; they're converting items they're no longer using or items made especially to spiritbond with. Chances are most of what people convert would either be discarded or sold to a vendor anyway. So yes, 'essentially' losing an item but not really losing an item, per se.

I do agree that it takes way too long to spiritbond high level items though.

[Ruminate]

Its easy for you to say. You're on a legacy server where people have stockpiles of gil, crafting mats, and tier 4 materia.
In 1.0, crafted endgame items were cheap and spiritbonding was fast. In 2.0, crafted endgame items are ridiculous and spiritbonding is even more ridiculous.

This is like the gil and repair cost debate weeks earlier. The majority of people fine with it were legacy players with stockpiles of gil from 1.0.