The Mercury Keeps Rising: Level Cap to Be Increased! (12/01/2010)

[Mhurron]

Re: The Mercury Keeps Rising: Level Cap to Be Increased! (12/01/2010)

After reading the update with my son all I can say is....who'll want anything but a sch now??

Someone who needs a healer that doesn't waste all their time and mp nuking instead?

Dealt with far too many SCH that will not put that god damn black book away.

[Aksannyi]

Re: The Mercury Keeps Rising: Level Cap to Be Increased! (12/01/2010)

Feba pretty much summed up my thoughts in his first post.

Bounty Shot (RNG Lv.87 Ability Delay: 5 min.)
Increases the rate at which the target yields treasure.

But I have to WTF at this? Increases the rate? So now mobs are dropping stuff before they die, and you get stuff off them faster? Or is it just shitty wording? Either way, lolthf.

[Karinya]

Re: The Mercury Keeps Rising: Level Cap to Be Increased! (12/01/2010)

Lol at RDMs who got Refresh II, plus a new enfeeble, plus a new JA that improves enfeebles last update, and apparently expected something even MORE awesome THIS update. And it's obvious that the best of the Gain series from a RDM perspective was going to be MND, which we got right away, so the rest would be a relative letdown. It's likely that we'll get all 7 eventually. Gain-INT will be good for something, at least. I'm also intrigued by the speed we're getting tier IV nukes -- if we have them all by the early 90s, what will we get in the late 90s? Tier Vs? (By similar logic, BLMs may have a tier VI by then, but the gap between tier V-VI may not be nearly as big as the gap between tier III-IV that made RDM nuking such a bad joke at 75, so there could be as many as three viable non-pet-based nukers at 99, four if BLU gets some nukes that don't suck. Skill/resists could be a bigger issue, depending on target.)

RDM will continue to fall behind as a healer, but that's hardly surprising. Casting weak, enmity-heavy heals for a longer time without running out of MP isn't going to be very appealing compared to Cure V, Regen IV, Auspice, Esuna, and stronger protective buffs coming from someone who can also Convert and Refresh I, and protect/shell the whole party free with only one casting time, and that's not even counting SCH's new tricks.

The main things DDs get are higher skill caps, another stage added to their trials weapons, and AF3. All of which are freaking huge in terms of actual effectiveness, even if they aren't a new button to push. If you wanted a zillion options to juggle you should have been playing RDM or BRD or SCH anyway.

...Except for DRG, which apparently DOES get new buttons to push. I wonder what they're going to do and if they allow you to use a breath type that isn't normally available to your subjob (surely that would be too awesome to allow on a 1 minute timer, though, wouldn't it?)

SCH: Immanence + Blizzard IV -> Alacrity + Immanence + Water IV -> Fragmentation -> Alacrity + Thunder IV self-SC and MB? It's four stratagems exactly, if the Alacrity-reduced casting times are short enough to hit the timing windows. (Of course you would have to be in Addendum:Black beforehand as well as having all your charges saved.)

Of course you can also open for almost anyone, and if you haven't gotten Omniscience and Retribution yet, form your own magic-to-melee SCs to help with that too.

Native protective buffs will make SCH/BLM more viable than before. Likewise BLM/SCH, which is now significantly less suicidal.

"Adloquium" appears to be based on the Latin "ad", meaning to or towards, and "loqui", meaning to speak. A spell that gives Fast Cast?

COR -- I may as well declare bankruptcy now if there's going to be another quarter million gil of NPC-only dice EVERY update. Holy crap SE, give us some damn drops that can come down in price! We don't exactly have Treasure Hunter here! Oh, but we get an ability that lets us use up even MORE ammo. Great. (On the other hand, if it can proc during Barrage or WS, that would be pretty cool, even though it's a gaping hole in the wallet.)

Oh well, I guess I can always sell all my cruor gear to NPCs, then buy it back with cruor a dozen or so times to afford the dice. In fact, I'd better go do that now in case they nerf the NPC sell prices in the patch.

The actual content of the abilities -- Tactician's Roll is going to be nice for preparing for pop NMs, BCNMs, etc., and probably beloved by DNCs; other than that I bet the amounts will be small enough that while actually fighting, you'll get more mileage out of Samurai or rolls that improve your WS damage such as Chaos. (It might also improve COR/DNC's solo endurance over Samurai + Dancer's, which would be nice for Trials and other activities where you don't have a tank or a real healer.) Allies' Roll would have to be a mindblowingly huge effect for people to even notice it, as rare as SCs are these days. (And it doesn't affect the magic burst, if there is one.) Even SAMs hardly ever bother anymore. BLUs and maybe SCH with the new ability might care.

Also, first ever roll with unlucky 10. 10 is a really good roll for everything else. (On the other hand, if there ever was a job for Snake Eye, unlucky 10 is it.)

PLD -- basically gets nothing except for gear, so the gear better be damn good.

[Ketaru]

Re: The Mercury Keeps Rising: Level Cap to Be Increased! (12/01/2010)

Lol at RDMs who got Refresh II, plus a new enfeeble, plus a new JA that improves enfeebles last update, and apparently expected something even MORE awesome THIS update. And it's obvious that the best of the Gain series from a RDM perspective was going to be MND, which we got right away, so the rest would be a relative letdown.

I would've settled for at least Gain-STR this time around, though I ultimately eagerly want Gain-INT. I had my suspicions they would find some way to not give us the spell this time aroundl, and it had to come in the form of getting Gain-CHR? Getting Gain-CHR doesn't make sense no matter what angle you look at it from. I at least expected to begin getting a line of debuffs that work like Addle though since that was the direction the job seemed to be going on, what with getting Saboteur and all.

Maybe instead of jumping on the hyperbolic bandwagon that is oh so popular when it comes to RDMs wanting updates, you can pretend that RDMs that post here are actually a sensible lot who just want things that make sense? More sense than Gain-CHR anyway. Gain-AGI is useless, but at least we can give it that it was to be expected given the way the previous Gain-spells were learned.

[Neverslip]

Re: The Mercury Keeps Rising: Level Cap to Be Increased! (12/01/2010)

Red Mage.......Lv.87.......Shield Mastery..........Grants bonus TP when blocking an attack with a shield.

It's nice to see that after FFxiv's reception, SE still has a sense of humour.

Conspirator (THF Lv.87 Ability Delay: 5 min. Effect Duration: 1 min.)
Enhances accuracy and "Subtle Blow" effect for party members within area of effect. Does not affect the party member being targeted by the enemy.

... kinda sounds interesting but still pretty "meh". Lasts 1 min and delay is 5min... hmmm. Will this really get THF needed and wanted in parties/alliances? ... idk, but I doubt it. Community still makes that decision.

Hamanoha (SAM Lv.87 Ability Delay: 10 min. Effect Duration: 3 min.)
Lowers accuracy, evasion, magic accuracy, magic evasion, and TP gain for demons.

Lamesauce. Another situational anti-Demon ability... So, the best part of the update for a SAM is higher skill in GKT, more Magian trial upgrades, AF3, and an emote... not bad, but not great. I guess we're used to this after the last few.

Curing Waltz V (DNC Lv.87 Ability Delay: 23 sec.)
Restores target's HP.

Another Curing Waltz for DNC is pretty sweet but not unforseen. I wonder how much this sucker will heal for considering Curing Waltz IV blasts quite a bit of HP back into the dieing. Give me enmity, PREEEZ!!!

Striking Flourish (DNC Lv.89 Ability Delay: 2 min. Effect Duration: 1 min.)
Allows you to deliver a twofold attack. Requires at least one finishing move.

OKay... another flourish... this one "allows you to deliver a two-fold attack"... so a one shot of "Double Attack" every 2min... I can't see a reason to be excited for this.

[Elwynn]

Re: The Mercury Keeps Rising: Level Cap to Be Increased! (12/01/2010)

And boy howdy, I can't think of all the times I needed to, um...Gain Charisma as a RDM. I would sit around all "MAN IF ONLY I WAS MORE CHARISMATIC." And my LS mates would be like "For serious, Murphie. You are awful."

PUP and BST may be getting nothing (other than more nukes for Stormwaker and more jugs), but SE is actively trolling RDM here.

Gain-CHR?

Shield Mastery?

At least RDM can use that flowery new job emote with their new Gain-CHR!

But I have to WTF at this? Increases the rate? So now mobs are dropping stuff before they die, and you get stuff off them faster? Or is it just shitty wording? Either way, lolthf.

It's probably just wording, and it's probably TH2. (TH1 wouldn't be worth it when the Treasure Hound kupower is around.)

And remember, BST got it last time with Dipper Yuly. (It was probably already possible with charming lv 45+ ladybugs, but those are in only three zones without much of anything that needs TH2, and you can't zone with a charmed pet.)




And another Ninja spell that is impossible to guess what it does from its name. (Unless maybe you look at the kanji version, and maybe not even then.) And it's an Ichi... as though you're going to get a Ni within 11 levels.


EDIT: It just occurred to me... SE is adding the 85+ mobs to WoTG zones... I wonder if any of them can be charmed and used in a campaign battle? But I doubt any of them are going to be within decent walking range of a battle. And they might put them in the beastmen HQ zones onry. I still want to see that chapel in La Vaule, maybe I should do it now in case that's where they decide to put them.
EDIT again: went there tonight, the chapel door doesn't even open! What a bummer.

[NightShayde]

Re: The Mercury Keeps Rising: Level Cap to Be Increased! (12/01/2010)

This may answer my biggest question. Looks like the cap is "only" going to 90 with this expansion.

Yay -- I have more time to level my NIN sub (currently 45 - thus safe until the next expansion).

[Murphie]

Re: The Mercury Keeps Rising: Level Cap to Be Increased! (12/01/2010)

I should resub just so I can buy a full CHR set for my RDM and then be all standing around in town casting some Gain-CHR on me, like MAN AM I FUCKING CHARISMATIC.

[Raydeus]

Re: The Mercury Keeps Rising: Level Cap to Be Increased! (12/01/2010)

And don't forget to use the flowery emote as part of your macro.

[Murphie]

Re: The Mercury Keeps Rising: Level Cap to Be Increased! (12/01/2010)

Of course, in response, people will be like "Refresh, plz." or "Poisona." And I'll be like "I already cast it on you, dipshit."

But they won't mind being insulted, because I'll be super charismatic.

[Malacite]

Re: The Mercury Keeps Rising: Level Cap to Be Increased! (12/01/2010)

Actually, about DW... BG recently discovered that both DW and Haste count towards the same delay speed cap. So an 85 NIN with 25 gear haste is for all practical purposes already at 60% haste as far as attack speed goes. So yeah, lolAuric Dagger. Not sure why SE did this exactly when DW reduces TP gain but haste doesn't. It actually weakens NIN as a DD compared to someone with more haste and less or no DW.


WTF @ SCH getting to Skillchain with nukes?! And Regain to boot. Well, at least MNK is happy getting an obscene amount of love after so many years of negligence. Dear lord like the job's not OP enough already inside Abyssea now they get Restraint for crits? The hell SE...


Game balance my ass.

[Raydeus]

Re: The Mercury Keeps Rising: Level Cap to Be Increased! (12/01/2010)

I'd be pissed if I had a lot of Haste gear, but I don't.

Let's see, 13% Haste from gear + 25% delay reduction from DWIII after I get lvl90 + 15% Haste spell.

Yup, no worries here.

[Yellow Mage]

Re: The Mercury Keeps Rising: Level Cap to Be Increased! (12/01/2010)

Lol at RDMs who got Refresh II, plus a new enfeeble, plus a new JA that improves enfeebles last update, and apparently expected something even MORE awesome THIS update.

First of all, lolAddle.

Secondly, I'm not even asking for all that much any more. Fencer isn't even that great a Job Trait in the grand scheme of things. But is sheer acknowledgment too much to ask for these days?

PUP and BST may be getting nothing (other than more nukes for Stormwaker and more jugs), but SE is actively trolling RDM here.

For serious.

[KingOfZeal]

Re: The Mercury Keeps Rising: Level Cap to Be Increased! (12/01/2010)

To me, I don't think RDM needs much more acknowledgment than it already has. How many things could RDM (even non-epic-geared RDMs) solo that no other job could even look at without being slaughtered? It was far more at 75 than it is now, for sure, but for a long time Red Mage was THE job to get things done. Seriously, what is so wrong about giving them a chill for a little while?

Even if they're getting things which don't seem helpful in the least, at least they get something which may or may not be useful in the future.

[Armando]

Re: The Mercury Keeps Rising: Level Cap to Be Increased! (12/01/2010)

So an 85 NIN with 25 gear haste is for all practical purposes already at 60% haste as far as attack speed goes. So yeah, lolAuric Dagger. Not sure why SE did this exactly when DW reduces TP gain but haste doesn't. It actually weakens NIN as a DD compared to someone with more haste and less or no DW.

Link? I find this odd as I believe DW and Haste stack multiplicatively, which implies that even if they counted towards the same cap, the Haste cap would not be as low as you're making it out to be through subtraction. 0.75 * 0.65 = 0.4875, or 51.25% delay reduction.