Soooo... Group 2 Merits

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

I'm really curious to see what the Group 2 merit abilities will be for COR. But I've had some concepts of my own that I hope will happen. I was poking through some old FF strategy guides, looking at all the abilities old gamblers had, along with other jobs.

Well let's start with the boring one first. I think, first and foremost, we're likely going to get a "Reshuffle" ability, as in when we do a Quick Draw, a card will not be consumed. RNG and NIN get traits that conserve ammo and tools in their group, we're another tool/ammo job so that kinda makes sense. Uncreative, but its a reasonable assumption.

THF got the ability to steal mob buffs in the update. FFX-2 gave THF Steal HP and MP abilites akin to that. Gunner had a Target MP ability too, dealing direct damage to the enemy's MP rather than hurt them physically.

I kinda built an idea out of both of those. I call them Random Steal MP and Random Steal TP. Basically, it would be a kind of Phantom Roll that stacks on Quick Draw like Barrage would stack on a ranged attack. The roll only rolls for 1-6 like Wild Card, no Double Up, and this time each number corresponds to a party member. When Quick Draw is used, the MP or TP damaged would be transferred to the matching member in COR's PT.

Not ideal for EXP/Merit, perhaps, but for alliance PTs where you're dealing with melee or mage-heavy PTs, it would definately have its uses.'

Finally, I'm hoping we get access to a version of the classic Reels ability. I'd kinda like to see it pan out like Wakka's Elemental Reels. It could be another kind of Phantom roll that stacks on Quick Draw, you roll three consectutive times and three Elemental Cards are consumed for a special nuke. If the cards match, its like a higher tier nuke. If none match, the three cards create some random effect (not Joker Death, tho, we don't want that :x)

[Balfree]

20 min recasts (if merited further, the recast decreases considerably, like the other G2Merits)

Lucky Gamble
Your next roll will score 11 with 100% chance.

Magic Bullet
For the duration of the effect, you consume one card for multiple shots, damage and effects are heightened, i'm thinking something like 30 seconds duration at level 1 merit

Corsair Luck trait
Double attack trait for guns! If first bullet hits, the second one hits aswell 100% guaranteed, as if you fired really quick, and 2 shots would be heard aswell, and 2 bullets consumed, same chance as a normal double attack trait for WAR

Gamble Strategy trait (or maybe a recast..)
A good gambler allways has a strategy, but he still risks something when he plays, so in turn of a good result, they are risking a bad result aswell, so, this active trait would give the corsair debuffs on their bullets, after using quick draw with a Light or Dark card, the corsair would automatically gain a buff: Added enfeebling effect to gun.

This buff remains for the duration of 3 shots, and during those 3 shots, you basically have 3 chances to land a debuff on a mob, if you activated with a Light card, you gain the Light based debuffs, paralyze, slow, flash, etc, if you used a Dark card, you get poison, gravity, bind, etc. The game chooses a random effect for you at the moment you use the card, your buff icon says: "Adds <debuff> effect for the duration of 3 gun shots" or something, if you land the debuff, the buff on you wears off, so you basically have 3 chances to land the specified debuff, heres the thing though, if after 3 shots you didnt land the effect, the magical enfeeble fizzles and you get afflicted with whatever debuff you had activated. Your marksmanship skill would be the modifier to calculate resists on mobs. You can also cancel the buff added on you, as to cancel the effect altogether.

The MP thing..

MP Blaster/MP Splasher (recast) similar to your idea, sounds good.
Target the MP of your enemy, damage done to the mob's mp gets distributed to your party ;)

[Balodoth]

What? No slot machine ability? I'd love to see a herd of chocobos stampede through the zone.

[Omniblast]

Job Trait
Dual Wield Guns
Allows you to equip 2 guns, on main and sub instead of using any type of melee weapon.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

What? No slot machine ability? I'd love to see a herd of chocobos stampede through the zone.

Reels is the same thing. Somtimes it was called "Slot", other times "Reels" :P

[TenchiHawkwing]

Job Trait
Dual Wield Guns
Allows you to equip 2 guns, on main and sub instead of using any type of melee weapon.
Have fun taking longer than a DRK's swing to wait in-between shots... and get ready for a Barrage nerf

(If they actually implemented DWG, which I'm sure they wouldn't)

[Amovorite]

I would think of something along the lines of a Corsair WSNM, or a Hexagun special weaponskill, Hexashot. Obviously, Hexagun fires from all 6 barrels, simultaneously, doing 6x damage to the target.

Though.... wonder how rangers would feel about that...

As for a group 2 merit...

Crossburst: 20 minute recast, enhances your next Quick Draw to do even more damage of it's element, with the ability to magic burst on it, and doubling the effect of the enfeeble it would normally give. I'd say it would consume 2 cards instead of one.

Or... perhaps Ante Up, 20 minute recast, allowing you to give a 3rd buff to your pt, lasting 5 minutes.

[Balodoth]

I like Ante Up. It even has a cool name.

What about Quick Draw II? Consumes two cards and respectively enhances both elements' enfeebles with a mild damage increase. Just to be clear, this would be dual elements directly correlated to tier II weaponskills e.g. Water/Ice.

[Radel-King_of_Pirates]

I would think of something along the lines of a Corsair WSNM, or a Hexagun special weaponskill, Hexashot. Obviously, Hexagun fires from all 6 barrels, simultaneously, doing 6x damage to the target.

Though.... wonder how rangers would feel about that...


wouldn't that be the same as barrage? . . . be interesting to be able to do both

[PTT]

I (and this is coming from a level 14 Corsair only by the way) would like to see:

1) A slots ability
2) An ability to use ammo-slot-dice items, or special COR darts (Yes, I am referring to Setzer) to attack with (like how Warriors got Tomahawk throw and Dragoons got that Javelin Throw)
3) That Goblin-Dice ability

That's really all I think we're missing. To give us stack-the-odds type traits, while it would go with the pirate persona, goes against the romantic 'let lady luck decide' gambler persona.

Then again, Square loves to prove me wrong. I was all like "Pft, they'd NEVER give in to those people wanting Necromancers, it's not right for Final Fantasy!" ... and yet, they gave us Puppetmaster, because they couldn't justify necromancers because of the day/night cycle...

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Gil Toss is another ol' Gambler trick we haven't seen yet. It dealt damage relative to the amount of gil you chose to throw, which would be problematic in an MMORPG context, I suppose. People would just buy gil and throw a million at Kirin, hoping it would kill him.

I think I figured a way around that.

I guess we could still call it Gil Toss, but the amount of gil consumed could be based on sum of the two current Phantom Rolls and maybe have a Multiplier of 100 gil. So if you rolled a 10 and a 5, 1500 gil used for 1500 damage. This would also likely have a long timer on it.

[PTT]

That would be funny though, if they allowed that to happen.

Just think, for a while, everyone would be owning things like Dynamis, gods, sky, and what not, then a month or two later...

"Sorry guys, I can't go to Dynamis for awhile, I have bills to think about!"

Perhaps the expenditure would finally catch up with them, and they'd finally realize it's silly to buy fake money with real money, and maybe buy food, or car insurance, or tuition instead.

[Radel-King_of_Pirates]

Gil Toss is another ol' Gambler trick we haven't seen yet. It dealt damage relative to the amount of gil you chose to throw, which would be problematic in an MMORPG context, I suppose. People would just buy gil and throw a million at Kirin, hoping it would kill him.

I think I figured a way around that.

I guess we could still call it Gil Toss, but the amount of gil consumed could be based on sum of the two current Phantom Rolls and maybe have a Multiplier of 100 gil. So if you rolled a 10 and a 5, 1500 gil used for 1500 damage. This would also likely have a long timer on it.

hmm throw gil at mobs . . . I don't like that one

[Balfree]

1500 damage seems way too much too :|

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

1500 damage seems way too much too :|

Well, it doesn't exactly have to work the way I dreamed it up, but it wouldn't be practical the old-fashioned way where you could throw as much as you want because, well, that whole RMT thing. The damage multiplier could be lowered and the attack based on the sum of the previous Phantom roll and the next one, bringing gambling back into the picture.

So if previous roll was V and next was VI and multiplier was 100, it'd be 1100 damage and 1100 consumed. if the multiplier was 50, 550 damage and 550 gil consumed.

The accuracy and damage could also be determined by existing TP, too.

I guess I'd just like to see some tradional abilites make a comeback in some practical form, but then, SE has denied DRGs Lancet for years now and NIN has yet to have the classic Throw ability like Edge and others had.

[Neomage]

These are what I would like to see:

Trump Card
30 min Recast(Each additional merit reduces recast by 5)
Doubles the effect of next Phantom Roll. In the case of a Bust, it negates the effect.

Bullet Rain
Simmilar to Barrage, but with a longer recast.

Lead Shot
5 min Recast
Instant attack with 1.2% damage modifier.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Bullet Rain
Simmilar to Barrage, but with a longer recast.

Kinda think its taking away from not only RNG, but the idea of subbing RNG itself. It would give more CORs the excuse to not to level a RNG sub and it would let COR/RNG potentially catch up with RNG in damage, even if there was a longer recast.

Guess the same could be said of my Gil Toss concept, but it would also be based on luck, keeping with COR's theme.

[Lmnop]

most traits and abilities have found their way into this game in one form or another...

Ninjas do have Throw, actually. In the form of ninjutsus that expend themselves to provide some effect. Much like FF6 where you would use an item out of your inventory to deal fire damage to everyone on screen, we have Suiton: Ni and whatnot. Basically, they came up with a better mechanic to deliver the same idea: consumable magic. Sure, you can't throw your old weapons, but you could always buy a stack of Shurikens.

As for Gil Toss, we already have plenty of jobs who have to pay for their damage output (hello, Ranger!). Interesting idea to randomize damage from it based off of Phantom Rolls though. That's definately a better take than just guarenteed damage all the time. Still though, you'd just go to Kirin with 12 Corsairs and have a PLD kite him just long enough for one of the CORs to get an 11 then shoot. And darts like Setzer is interesting, but Corsairs already have guns. That would definately be conflicting.

Onionsoldier, I kinda like your Lead Shot ability (is just because I want an insta-claim for all jobs?). Have you been playing Dragon Quest 8 recently, by chance (Mercurial Thrust and other metal-sounding abilities that always strike first... or something.)?

Gun + Bullet already about as slow as a Scythe. DW Gun would hit the 999 delay cap, and would probably actually create an exploit because the slowest, heaviest guns would fire just as quickly as 2 light ones, since they all cap out @999. So yea, that'd suck.

[Dyvid]

Job Ability:
1) Loaded Dice(Reels): Brings up 6 numbered roll effect around Corsiar.
a. Chocobo Dash- The Seagull Phratrie's Chocobo runs over enemy causing damage.
b. Moogle Help- A Nomad Moogle appears to restore some HP or MP.
c. 2 Times- Enchances the effect of Phantom Roll.
d. Luck- Raises party stats.
e. Revenge- Poisons the enemy.
f. Bust- (causes damage to the corsair) or (give bust effect to corsair).

2) Single Play: Focuses a phantom roll on one person

Job Traits:
1) Quick Draw Proffecient: Adds Magic Burst Property to Quick Draw.
2) One More Time: Occasionally lowers recast time of Phantom Roll when busted.

[Radel-King_of_Pirates]

Elemental Wild
I like to see it like a barrage dmg output but eh goin cost a cor more unless we get like a card saver or ammo saver like rng.
Uses all 6 cards and 6 bullets charged with each elemental dmg to the target.

[Frazzle]

What about
'Nudge'
Increase or decrease a Phantom Roll by one
Recast time: 10mins (so about once every second set of rolls)

and mabey

(another name for phantom) Roll
Next roll becomes more effective and recieves the name of af2 (i.e. Gallont roll beomes Valor e.t.c)

Trait:
Lady Luck
random chance that the next roll will be lucky or increase it to 11

[Altariel]

Loaded Dice: Decreases the chance of busting your roll (chance decreases based on how many merits put into it)

Ace in the Hole: Increases the chance of hitting the lucky number (chance increases based on hoAce in the Holew many merits put into it)


Sleight of Hand: Allows your damage to be dealt hate free for a short period

Ransack: Steal one buff from the enemy and gives it yourself

Privateer: Allows gil to be stolen from beastman mobs

Jury Mast: AOE Party buff that increases the chance of critical hits when HP < 20%

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

This one just hit me:

Bluff - Next Phantom Roll used will grant another job's merit ability trait instead of the intended buff. Unaffected by Random Deal, but not Wild Card (Recast: 20 minutes, shorten recast by 2 minutes and 30 seconds).

Bluff > Hunter's Roll > Snapshot - Those in AoE recieve a haste effect for ranged attacks.

Bluff > Healer's Roll > Devotion - Those in area of effect that take HP damage are returned MP. (PLDs would love it)

Bluff > Rouge's Roll > Ambush - Those in area of effect recieve and attack bonus for being behind the enemy.

Bluff > Chaos Roll > Desparate Blows - Those in AoE get reduced delay for using two-handed weapons.

Bluff> Gallant Roll > Fealty - Those in AoE gain a higher resistance to Enfeebling magic.

Bluff > Monk's Roll > Invigorate - AoE Regen (hey, we're overdue on that)

Bluff > Samurai Roll > Overwhelm - WS bonus granted to those in area of effect facing the enemy (finally, a real tank buff).

--------------------------

Those were just a few I could think of, like the first tier, some "traits" would have to take artistic liberties since some got spells and no traits at all.

Choral Roll's Aquaveil effect wasn't a job trait, its just a dimension of BRD that their songs can't be interrupted save for stun. Same for the pet buffs, these were just based on aspects of the pets based on their masters, not really job traits at all. Drachen Roll was totally out of left field until Strafe was meritable.

Overall, such a merit ability would be thematically consistant with Corsair's design in FFXI, though I still would like to see some classic gambler abilities added.

Someone brought up Setzer's Red Card ability, in which he just randomly starts throwing cards or darts when his HP is low. Dunno how much I like being at low HP, but if we were able to toss out low tier, unresisted nukes by throwing elemental cards, might be a decent DoT ability.

One thing that's been bugging me since unlocking the job was that Qultada got to use smoke bombs and explosives in the job quest. Access to some kind of explosives (maybe like a Qiqirin Mine from Assault), would be nice. They would only detonate when COR lands a shot on it.

It would have to be like Angon or Tomahawk and our stacks of explosives would probably be restricted to 12. Maybe a 15 min Recast on that.

[Meredy]

I had an idea about a merit ability, but someone said it already (The one about increasing the phantom roll by one).

As for traits:

Spirit Shot: Quick Draw would also have the effect of reducing the resistance to that element. Basically, Quick Draw would have the additional effect of Threnody, except maybe slightly more powerful. Potency increases with merits.

Lucky Break: Sometimes busting won't give you a bust effect. Frequency increases with merits.

Power Card: Occasionally, rolling a 3 or 4 on Wild Card will reset 2-hr abilities for those in range. Frequency increases with merits. (While this would be of minimum use in meriting, it would be really good for HNM/BCNM etc.)

[Konie]

before we even think about merit group 2 shouldnt we be worrying about how both cor and pup dont get any new JA's or job traits after lvl 60? it feels incomplete... blu gets spells all the way to 75 but cor and pup dont get anything new after they get their af

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

before we even think about merit group 2 shouldnt we be worrying about how both cor and pup dont get any new JA's or job traits after lvl 60? it feels incomplete... blu gets spells all the way to 75 but cor and pup dont get anything new after they get their af

COR doesn't really need any more JAs, we already have more than any other job in the game pre-merit abilities. We are by far one of the most balanced jobs SE has put in the game as it is.

The only thing I'd like them to add outside of merits is expanded ammo options. I don't care what anyone says about other jobs and Xbow and how that would be "unbalanced. " Thats BS. It wouldn't be unbalanced, it would address a core problem with our ability to pull in the mid-range of the game.

COR could seriously use a broader selection of ammo and Xbows would be a good start. We get four types of bullets our entire career and are actively price-gouged due to the fact we can only use those exclusively.

RNG, THF, DRK and WAR are not limited in that way. And status bolts play directly into what COR already does - support. Deny us Holy Bolts or Sleep Bolts, don't let us have Orthenus Bow - I'm fine with that - but we should have Xbows, general DMG bolts and acid bolts.

[Malacite]

NOTE: I didn't read the whole thread so I apologize if any of this has been said >.>

Cool ideas. I like the 100% Lucky Roll ability, but might I sugest a better name? How about "Loaded Dice"? /grin


Ante up sounds awesome too, but since you're raising the stakes, the risk should be that all buffs are removed if you bust.


As for some abilities...

Traits:

- Born Winner: Enhances the effects of Phantom Rolls by (% or value goes here)

- Lucky Charm: Grants Random Deal a small chance to reset 2 hours.

or : Increases chances of obtaining rare items. Stacks with TH


Job Abilities:

- Do Over: Re-Roll your last Phantom Roll. If it was a bust, the bust is negated.

- Slight of Hand: Consume a card to grant your next phantom roll it's job-specific
bonus without that job in the party. (e.g. +1 MP on evoker's roll
even if a SMN is not present in the party)

- Luck of the Draw: Gurantes and doubles the effect of your next Quick Draw.

- Heads or Tails: Toss a coin; If heads, all buffs and TP are stripped from the
target. If tails, the target gains full TP & one random buff.

- 52 Pick Up: Consumes 52 cards at random and deals various damage and effects
to all targets in range. If any light cards are used they will hit last.




I can think of a million of these; Black Jack, Go for Broke, etc.... COR is such a fun job to get creative with!

[Raydeus]

COR + Xbows = (No thanks)

Status Bullets = (Yes please)

[Neomage]

I agree with you Ray. Actually, in RO they had hallowed glass shot with blind/paralyze/w/e potion in it. It could be something like that.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

I'm still really partial to the idea of having a Slot Ability (so long as it doesn't have Joker Doom on it.

Prismatic Flash, Chocobo Stampede, the random summon. Perhaps grabbing a couple effects from FFX-2 like Spellspring (basically next round of spells are no MP cost on that one) or a Curaga.

COR + Xbows = (No thanks)



Status Bullets = (Yes please)

I'd take Status bullets first, too, but if not, we should get Xbows. Status Bullets still don't address the awful weapon delay at the intermediate levels. I'd prefer status bullets actually do damage though, if status bullets ended up like Spartan Bullets for RNG, they'll all be junk - low damage. high delay and a terrible proc rate.

At any rate, we definately need more diversity in our ammo selection.

[Spider-Dan]

Spartan Bullets proc as often as any other status ammo.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Spartan Bullets proc as often as any other status ammo.

Correction noted, but Spartan Bullets still suck. Not much you could stun with them but an AM.

I only ever used on a Colibri and as we all know, they resist the hell out of all status ammo. So that must have been what I was basing that proc rate on.