[Rothy]

Job Adjustments and Additions Part I (07/03/2009)

A host of job adjustments and additions are in the pipes for the upcoming version update, including formidable new abilities for ninjas. Other jobs, too, are scheduled to benefit from myriad adjustments to magic and abilities. In this, the first part in the job adjustment series of articles, we cast the spotlight on ninjas, Vana'diel's agents of stealth and deception.

New Job Abilities
Accomplished in both offense and defense, the art of ninjutsu has over the years proven to be a favorite among adventurers across the land. Now, with the addition of the following two new abilities, ninjas can further enhance either their efficiency in offense or aptitude in defense as befits the situation.


- Yonin (Lv.40 Ability Delay: 5 min. Duration: 5 min.)
Increases enmity and enhances "ninja tool expertise" effect, but impairs accuracy. Grants a bonus to evasion and critical hit rate when in front of target.


- Innin (Lv.40 Ability Delay: 5 min. Duration: 5 min.)
Reduces enmity and impairs evasion. Grants a bonus to accuracy, critical hit rate, and ninjutsu damage when striking target from behind.

- Yonin
Strengthens one's ability to fend off blows from the enemy.
While in effect, Yonin increases enmity and enhances the effect of "ninja tool expertise" in exchange for reduced accuracy. Further bonuses are granted to evasion and critical hit rate when engaging your target from the front.
The potency of the above effects gradually decreases over time.

- Innin
Strengthens one's ability to deal damage to the enemy.
While in effect, Innin lowers enmity in exchange for reduced evasion. Further bonuses are granted to accuracy, critical hit rate, and ninjutsu damage when striking your target from behind.
As with Yonin, the potency of the above effects gradually decreases over time.

*Notes
The effects of both Yonin and Innin are mutually exclusive. Activating one while the other is in effect will result in the nullification of the one originally in effect.
Yonin and Innin have a shared ability delay. For example, a ninja who uses Yonin must wait for five minutes to elapse before either ability becomes usable again.

In implementing these new abilities, the development team has taken into consideration character positioning during party play and many other factors. To ensure a smooth gaming experience for all, testing and adjustments will be carried out to the fullest extent that time permits.

Mijin Gakure
Up until now, ninjas who were revived after using the job ability "Mijin Gakure" would find themselves alive and standing, but in a weakened state. The July version update will see self-sacrificing ninjas restored to battle-ready fitness with a generous 50% of HP in the tank.

In light of the above changes, the latent effect granted by the ninja mythic weapon will also be adjusted. In place of the effect whereby users of Mijin Gakure are spared being revived in a weakened state, a special new effect will be introduced that will activate after using Mijin Gakure.

Other magic and job abilities scheduled to be on the receiving end of improvements will be introduced in the very near future, so stay tuned!

Edit: Yay.. another reason to make NIN tank?!

[Balfree]

Awesome news for Ninjas :D

[Aylmer]

That is cool. Now NIN's have some better tanking tools to use and stay alive. Plus a DD upgrade!

[Malacite]

Yes.

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!


THANK YOU SE! ^^ this is exactly the sort of stuff I've been holding out for on Ninja! My only concerns here are the shared timer rather than a Hasso/Seigan thing which is really quite odd, and the accuracy penalty. Ninjas usually use sushi anyway IIRC, but that penalty could still prove troublesome, and it's not like SE isn't aware the majority of ninjas tank in parties. They need that acc to help hold hate.


Here's hoping the enhances tool expertise is very noticeable.


EDIT: Also curious now how substantial Yonin's enmity and evasion boosts will be. I mean generally speaking evasion set ups just don't work so well in parties due to IT mobs having an innate accuracy bonus over you from being such a higher level. It looks like this JA is specifically meant to drop the cost by improving the efficiency of blink tanking but I have my doubts here.

I'm really happy about these changes, just somewhat skeptical of the final results once in place. Crossing my fingers now for SMN & BLM updates, and that this NIN update will make the San wheel really worth meriting.

[Feba]

I have two things to say:

One, fucking Ninjas!

Two, it's not a very honorable death if you know you're going to be back in the action a minute later

[Durahansolo]

This has possibly just given me a reason to get back on NIN.

[Kafeen]

Nice upgrade but did Ninja's really need the boost? I've never known them to have any trouble getting parties or soloing better than most other classes.

[Kailea]

interesting, I would like to see how this works in battle (well I mean I can read so I know how it works, but you know what I mean)

[IfritnoItazura]

Whether Yonin is usable or not in exp parties depends on the amount of accuracy penalty and the amount of enmity boost. However, it is a very nice boon for NIN/DRK's tanking with Earth Staff, no question about it.

Innin is good for a NIN playing a purer DD role, but with the tank shortage out there, I'm not sure if the community would appreciate exp level NINs going "Tanking? No thanks." That said, it could be great for low-manning things when the group just need one more source of damage and the closest job to a DD available is a NIN.

I do like how SE is trying to introduce new positional and time constraints and considerations. SA and SATA people and NIN DDs will have to share the monster's backside, which may entail some coordination. If NIN tanks' enmity building capability wanes over the course of 5 min, then the BLMs may time the big nukes around mid way or earlier, and rest for MP during the last 1.5 minute, etc. Fading effect of Yonin probably won't matter for full alliance work with multiple TA's, but smaller groups may get a lot out of timing things right.

Mijin Gakure still seems iffy. If the damage is increased or if it does some sort of strong enfeeb, then MG could be something more worthwhile.

* * *

Well. We have front positional buffs (using the word loosely) like Yonin and Overwhelm. We have rear positional buffs like SA and Innin. Where are the side positional buffs?

[Malacite]

I am loving this to no end as I recently made plans to static NIN with with my friend's PLD with the intent on DD with Shuriken and Ninjutsu and acting as the emergency tank.

---------- Post added at 06:51 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:50 AM ----------

Originally Posted by IfritnoItazura

Where are the side positional buffs?

YouTube - FAMILY GUY - SIDE BOOB HOUR

YouTube - FAMILY GUY - SIDE BOOB HOUR

[Yellow Mage]

/clap SE

Good show, an update that actually makes it look like you know what your players want. Not only do Ninja get their long-desired native abilities, they also get them at above sub level, and one of them is, finally, a native damage-increasing ability. So it's not even a tank-onry update, despite most people will be going for the tank part you considerately threw in there.

Great job, and well-played. I'm actually genuinely impressed. ^^b

[Grizzlebeard]

Not too bothered about the Mijin Gakure adjustment as the only times I really use it are when I'm soloing and things go tits up. The other two abilities look very nice though and I'm looking forward to trying them out.

[Icemage]

This is honestly the smartest job update I've ever seen from Square-Enix in years. Well-played, SE.


Icemage

[Aksannyi]

I really hated leveling Ninja. A lot. This sounds interesting. I may at least take it to 40, 45ish and try it out.

Shared timer kinda sucks but I guess they want you to decide what role before you start or something.

[Grizzlebeard]

Originally Posted by Aksannyi

Shared timer kinda sucks but I guess they want you to decide what role before you start or something.

Maybe it's their wording but what they said is confusing. They say they're mutually exclusive then go on to say they have a shared timer. Surely one wouldn't ever be able to overwrite the other anyway. Unless of course they introduce gear with recast timer / ability duration adjustments.