Fencer: Red Mage and Mystic Knight Proposal

[MartaDemireux]

I had an idea for this so I thought I would post it to get feedback and maybe give SE some ideas if they hadn't given it much thought yet.

KEY:
(A) = ability off GCD, (S) = skill on GCD

Fencer: During the Calamity the Ul'dahn elite attempted to join in the fighting when the front lines fell. Many chose the way of the Thaumaturge to aid their brethren but those less suited for the Aetherial demands chose instead a more physical approach. Lacking the brute force required of a Pugilist and the strength to maintain both a broadsword and heavy shield, these nobles instead developed their own technique using a much more nimble method. They called this the art of fencing and had special light-weight rapiers made as well as small, stylish and highly mobile bucklers. These initial Fencers had little more than a handful of attacks but when someone came up with the idea of using a little Aether to poison the tips of their blades, the art truly blossomed. As the trade required very little of this power to be used, most all of the nobility could take up this practice. Being that most of Ul'dahn's nobility was of Lalafell descent they were as swift and nimble as they were short and thus they found Dexterity to boost their power further than Strength. Soon they noticed most of their damage came through focusing on critically wounding their enemy. Eventually they even became adept in imbuing themselves with the element of their concoction at hand, giving them greater survivability as well as greater curiosity on how to improve it further.

When the calamity had passed and a new age began they sought out adventurers to take up their trade. They new they must do this to ensure the survival of this new technique, as much as it pained them to let go of their secrets. As everyone knows, knowledge is power and secrets are profitable. They set up their guild near the Royal Promenade to facilitate their relationship with the Alchemist Guild as they made great use of their Potions and Ethers in battle. This also was a prime location for the founding members as they were most privy to the area.

Abilities and Attacks:
(MP costs reflect that of a level 50)

1: Swarmstrike: (S) Delivers an attack with a potency of 150. Add.Effect: Poison with a potency of 30 (15s). Element: Water. TP Cost: 70 MP Cost: 90
2: Featherblow: (A) Increases critical hit rate by 20% but reduces accuracy by 10% (15s). Recast 120s.
4: Blinding Blade: (S) Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Add.Effect: Blind (15s). Combo Action: Swarmstrike. Combo Potency: 180. Combo Bonus: critical hit rate +15%. Element: Fire. TP Cost:60 MP Cost: 80
6: Inquartata: (A) Increases resistance to status effects by 40% and decreases target's magic evasion by 20% (10s). Negative status effects cannot be removed from user while active. Recast: 120s.
8: Piercing Blade: (A) Delivers a critical attack with a potency of 200. Activated when Poison critical hits. Element: Water.
10: En Garde: (A) Increases Parrying rate by 40% (20s). Recast 180s.
12: Stun Blade: (A) Delivers an attack with a potency of 150. Add.Effect: Stun (2s). Element: Lightning. Recast 20s.
15: Manastrike: (A) Delivers an attack with a potency of 180 to the enemy's MP and heals users MP for equal amount. Element: Fire. Recast 30s.
18: Swallowtail: (S) Delivers an attack with a potency of 110 to all enemies in a cone before you (8y). Element: Earth. TP Cost: 120.
22: Silencing Blade: (A) Delivers an attack with a potency of 120. Add.Effect: Silence (2s). Element: Wind. Recast 30s.
26: Nighthawk: (S) Delivers a ranged attack with a potency of 110. Element: Wind. TP Cost: 120.
30: Harness: (A) The next weaponskill used will imbue you with its elemental affinity. Ends upon reuse.
34: Shadowstick: (S) Delivers an attack with a potency of 110. Add.Effect: Slow (15s). Combo Action: Blinding Blade. Combo Potency: 200. Combo Bonus: +20% chance of landing a critical hit. Element: Earth. TP Cost: 70 MP Cost: 95
38: Riposte: (A) Delivers an attack with a potency of 140. Add.Effect: Lowers targets magic resistance (10s). Element: Lightning. Activates after parrying an enemy's attack.
42: Reflex: (A) Increases evasion and critical evasion by 20% (15s). Recast: 90s.
46: Paralyzing Blade: (A) Delivers an attack with a potency of 180. Add.Effect: Paralyze (10s). Activated after an enemy parries your attack. 10% chance to refresh target's Blind and Poison. Element: Ice. TP Cost: 60 MP Cost: 70
50: Checkmate: (S) Cause target to consume their Poison, Blind, Paralyze, Slow, Stun and Silence effects dealing damage with a potency of 75 for each consumed. Can only be used when the original abilities were used by you. Element Ice. Recast: 30s. TP Cost: 80 MP Cost: 120

Traits:

8: Enhanced Dexterity: Increases DEX by 2.
14: Enhanced Dexterity II: Increases DEX by 4.
16: Enhanced Dexterity III: Increases DEX by 6.
20: Enhanced Manastrike: User recovers MP equal to 150% lost by opponent.
24: Enhanced Parrying: Parrying rate increased by 10%.
28: Shieldbearer: Allows the equipping of certain bucklers.
32: Elemental Interception: Grants 50 resistance to the current harnessed element.
36: Enhanced Manastrike II: User recovers MP equal to 300% lost by opponent.
40: Enhanced Featherblow: Accuracy is no longer lowered.
44: Glorious Blade: Extends Add.Effect durations by 3 seconds and guarantees their full duration (prevents DR/immunity). Stun, Silence and Paralyze unaffected.
48: Enhanced En Garde: Lowers recast to 120s.

Concept: Fencer's main combo would be Swarmstrike > Blinding blade > Shadowstick. Throwing in Piercing Blade when applicable. They're a supporting melee DPS with their multitude of status inflicting attacks. I had this idea on my computer for a while but Checkmate was definitely post-influenced by Fester I won't lie. Many of their attacks cost both MP and TP. TP for the damage, MP for the Add.Effect essentially. They get an attack that damages the enemy's MP and restores their own for an equal amount; traits improve upon how much MP is restored. They'll have access to shields after level 28 but they'll be of the buckler variety with very low blocking power but will have a decent blocking rate due to their focus on DEX. As such, their attacks are all primarily dependent on DEX and will wear the same gear sets as ARC/BRD.

Red Mage: When the art of fencing was first coming into use there was naught use for mana. As the profession grew in use and popularity however, they became no stranger to the use of manipulating the Aether to imbue the tips of their blades with enfeebling concoctions to poison or blind their enemy. A noble who once turned to Thaumaturgy to make use of his strong ability to manipulate Aether began to notice this rising profession and came to found it very fitting for himself. Using the knowledge he gained through his short time at the Thaumaturge Guild he was able to develop a new way to wield his rapier.

While his comrades were focusing on physical attacks, he preferred to make use of his greater mana pool and weave together several magical attacks into his repertoire. His attacks favored harnessing elements to call forth magical damage. He even went as far as to perfect his own stance which he used to bolster his magical prowess. When he took on students they often asked why they couldn't master it all at once to which he related it to a rose - a beautiful art but not without its thorns and thus the Red Mage was born.

You may unlock this job after achieving 30FNC/15THM. You may use additional CNJ abilities and the Healer LB. Relic Weapon: Madu. A short rapier good for quick stabs paired with a small buckler with additional DPS stats but no real means of mitigation.

Abilities:

30: Arcane Stance: (A) Swaps current STR attributes with current MND attributes and current DEX attributes with current INT attributes. Add.Effect: Increases Spell Speed by 30%. Ends upon reuse.
35: Saboteur: (A) Doubles duration your Add.Effects applied with Saboteur up (10s). Recast 180s.
40: Dualcast: (A) Up to 2 spells will not be on the GCD while active (8s). Spells are identified by having a spell cast time. Recast 60s.
45: Bleeding Thorn: (A) Deals damage with a potency of 240. Element and animation match current harnessed element. Arcane Stance Bonus: Magic Damage instead of Physical. Combo Action: Piercing Blade. Combo Bonus: 25% chance to deal damage over time with potency of 40 (15s). Cast time 2.5s. Recast: 10s. MP Cost: 213.
50: Death Blossom: (S) Consumes current harnessed element to deliver a magical attack with a potency of 340. Element and animation match current harnessed element. Prevents the use of Harness (5s). Cast time 2.5s. Recast 300s. Mp Cost: 200.

THM:
Thunder
Fire (does not gain access to Astral Fire)
Blizzard (does not gain access to Umbral Ice)
Surecast
Swiftcast

CNJ:
Cure
Aero
Stone
Raise

Concept: Red Mage is basically a FNC with the ability to focus on magic attacks. They get to equip THM and CNJ spells. With Arcane Stance they get increased INT and MND so if they need to use CNJ's cure on the tank in a pinch with Double Cast they can and also increase their own magical damage. They get a new combo for Piercing Blade that makes Bleeding Thorn get the chance of a potent DoT. The main thing I was worried about was keeping RDM on the front lines but still giving it that option to stand back and toss out some nukes if needed/unsafe to be right up in the action. I want to note that Bleeding Thorn, although in a combo, is also a standard nuke like Fire/Ruin/Stone and its element matches your current harnessed element. While this doesn't have much bearing in PvE right now it may in the future. Their MP pool will be smaller than the current mage's but have more HP than them and be a little sturdier in their light/leather armor. They'd be on the same armor sets that BRD is on. While they are a DPS I gave them the healer LB to add to their ability to support .

Mystic Knight: With the increasing demand for protection after the Calamity Uldah found itself stretched thin. Many Uldahn residents, commoners and nobles alike, were finding themselves cornered by all manner of beasts. One such person was a young Fencer. During a routine training drill he found himself outmatched by an unexpected target. When he was about to face defeat his younger sister showed up and tossed a potion to him - special delivery from the Alchemist's Guild. Rejuvenated, he stepped toward the fiend, readying an attack only to see its attention had shifted from him to his sister. Fearing for her safety he ran to her aid but not before the fiend got in a good swipe, sending her to the ground. Seeing this happen right before his eyes sent the Fencer into an enraged state. He readied himself with Harness and aimed for the fiends eyes. To his surprise he noticed his Aether was enveloping the sword with a fiery blaze, dealing damage and gaining the fiends attention.

After a triumphant victory he saw to his sister's wounds which thankfully would heal on their own. He practiced his newly learned technique at all hours and visited the Gladiators Guild for insight on how to maintain his target's aggression. He became known as Uldahn's Mystic Knight and vowed to protect as many citizens as he could. He soon learned this would be a daunting task and thus recruited Fencers versed in the ways of enmity management to teach his trade to.

You may unlock this job after achieving 30FNC/15GLA. You may use additional THM abilities and the Tank LB. Relic: Joyuese. A long rapier paired with a more durable buckler.

Abilities:

30: Shield Magic: (A) Increases Defense and Magic Defense by 30%. Current harnessed element imbues shield and grants the equivalent "Spike" with a potency of 20. Add.Effect: "Spike" damage will increase enmity. Each time "Spikes" do damage they drain 1% MP. "Spike" effects will overwrite one another. Ends upon reuse.
35: Sword Magic: (A) Current harnessed element imbues sword and grants the equivalent "Enspell" with a potency of 50. Each time "Enspells" do damage they drain 1% MP. "Enspell" effects will overwrite one another. Ends upon reuse.
40: Antimagic: (A) Consumes current harnessed element to reduce damage taken by 5% whenever you are hit with an elemental attack (20s). Maximum damage reduction 50%. Recast: 120s.
45: Ward: (A) Increases HP recovery of curing magic by 20%, "Spike" damage will heal the user's HP, "Enspell" damage will heal the user's MP (15s). Add.Effect: Grants Elemental Interception trait bonus to nearby party members in a 15y radius (25s). Recast 90s.
50: Runic: (A) Consumes current harnessed element to reduce all elemental damage taken by 100% and all physical damage taken by 85% (10s). Add.Effect: If hit with an attack matching the current harnessed element MP will be restored with a potency of 140. Recast: 360s.

Changes to Fencer:
Nighthawk: Add.Effect: increases enmity.
Swallowtail: Add.Effect: increases enmity.
Harness: Add.Effect: increases enmity.
Checkmate: Add.Effect: increases enmity.

GLA:
Flash
Convalescence
Provoke
Awareness

THM:
Manaward
Thunder
Swiftcast
Surecast
Lethargy

Concept: Mystic Knights focus on increasing enmity with their elemental attacks and debuffing the monster to make their own survivability easily. They can reduce their incoming damage as well as the elemental resistances of nearby party members. My main point for MYS was that I wanted to make sure it retained its "enspell" ability that RDM got in XI. As you also could imbue your weapon with status effects, I thought it went very nicely with my FNC concept. Giving it a tank role was due to the game needing a new variety of tank (coming out from a DPS role sort of ensures that people may give it a try too). Its main way of tanking is by parrying and evading attacks with a big focus in mitigating elemental attacks. While they have a shield it doesn't block as much damage as a PLD's but will block often due to its size and their focus on DEX. For armor they will wear a new set catered towards physical DEX users, providing enough DEF/MDEF to survive tanking but not stepping on the toes of PLD/WAR.


I've also just found this post which ironically uses several same ability names. I'm guessing he also was inspired by FFTA/FFTA2 Hadn't seen it before so please don't think I stole any of his ideas. He has an interesting concept of his own so I encourage you to look at it as well.