Exceed Your Limits: Level Cap to Be Lifted! (06/11/2010)

[Priran]

As previously announced at VanaFest 2010, the impending version update will usher in the first stage of the long-awaited level cap increase! What factors led to this monumental decision? What implications will it have for adventurers? Today, we would like to take the opportunity to address pressing questions and concerns about the latest major evolution to hit Vana'diel.

Q: What inspired the decision to increase the level cap?
A: With the cap set at level 75 for quite some time now, a wide variety of monsters, equipment, and game content has been introduced over the years for players who had reached this limit. With such content having been fleshed out to the development team's satisfaction, it was deemed that the time was right to usher in the sort of new challenges that could only come with the ability to achieve higher levels.

Q: What changes can we expect to see after the cap is lifted?
A: Beginning with the upcoming version update, the level cap will be gradually increased to an eventual maximum of 99, with new job abilities, magic spells, weapon skills, and equipment to be made available at these higher levels. These additions, as well as refinements to existing abilities and spells, will focus on preserving and strengthening the unique roles that each main job serves, while increasing the tactical options available to each support job. Needless to say, new game content will also be introduced that will demand every onz of adventurers' newfound might.

http://www.playonline.com/pcd/topics...540/5540_0.jpg

Q: What specific changes will be implemented in the coming version update?
A: The level cap will be raised to 80, and new abilities, magic, weapon skills and equipment for players up to this level will be added. Level restrictions placed on certain areas will also be removed, creating additional high-level battlegrounds for players to explore. The level cap increase will also result in a number of existing skills becoming newly available to support jobs, with a few exceptions and adjustments to preserve balance and ensure that main jobs do not see their thunder stolen.

Unusable by Support Jobs
- The white magic job abilities "Afflatus: Misery" and "Afflatus: Solace", and the ninja job abilities Yonin and Innin will not be available to support jobs.
Usable by Support Jobs, with Altered Effects
- The ranger job ability Shadowbind will be subject to an accuracy check, with a miss generating no effect.
- The scholar job abilities Accession and Manifestation will triple (rather than double) recast time for the spells used.

Was wondering what they'd end up doing to AoE stratagems.

Notable: No "Convert" under usable but altered

[Kaisha]

Convert will likely be giving a 1:0.5 ratio transfer rate, it's not like SE to not nerf something when subbed.

I don't quite see the application of SCH as a sub particularly useful on most jobs though. Still only two charges, and tripled duration on what most of us would use it for when we hit 80 is a bit much, but at least it doesn't steal any thunder away from it as a main.


Also, no mention of a quest for raising the cap. Wonder if there'll even be one at this rate as it's a bit much to expect SE to make a new Maat quest for the majority, plus the ToA/WoTG-job specific stories.

[Hyan]

The most fun part of this whole change IMO is to see how we'll decimate the old content as we get stronger and stronger. Clear Dyna-Xarca from all mobs at 99? I can't wait .

[Zumi]

I don't understand their reasoning on Yonin and Innin being unusable when Hasso and Seigan are, and are more useful.

[Priran]

They also didn't say anything about a new genkei

[Hyan]

They also didn't say anything about a new genkei

Ya very odd.

I don't understand their reasoning on Yonin and Innin being unusable when Hasso and Seigan are, and are more useful.

H/S were meant to strengthen 2 handers and not just SAM, while Y/I are meant to strengthen NIN as a main job.

Just like with Afflatus and Arts.

[Avarice]

They also didn't say anything about a new genkei

Doubtful there will be one, let alone five.

[Priran]

Doubtful there will be one, let alone five.

So do I but it keeps getting brought up

[Spira]

only the last paragraph was worth reading lol..

altho we already knew the afflatus and yonin/innin info already.

[Eldelphia]

Tripling recast is pretty harsh for some spells unless you have a good haste setup. Considering you get only 2 charges I can see Celerity+Accession being used a lot so maybe there won't be spamming of AoEs.

Recast time of one minute for hastega isn't bad though, it's just SMN all over again.

[Kincard]

Yeah, except you don't need to stack a whole ton of gear to reach a 3-minute duration for white-magic haste.

Also, it sounds like they have no plans as of yet to nerf subjob Convert. Don't really care either way myself.

[Cairthenn]

So do I but it keeps getting brought up

At Vanfest they stated that "they suppose there will have to be one, but they don't really think it fits".

[Spira]

2 charges at 75 but it could go up to 3 by 99. This would still be a godsend for WHMs in many situations where a -na-ga is suddenly needed but they wanna save their Divine Seal for curing perhaps..

[Karbuncle]

Yeah, except you don't need to stack a whole ton of gear to reach a 3-minute duration for white-magic haste.

Also, it sounds like they have no plans as of yet to nerf subjob Convert. Don't really care either way myself.

You say stacking gear like its inconvenient x.x;

Only need 30 skill over cap to max out Hastega duration, most SMNs idle in that if they have Merits.. Relic Hands, SMN Torque and max merits is +33. without relic hands any good SMN should own Evoker's Ring + AF horn, which puts em at +31 with Max Merits.

can go on x.x; but its not that hard to cap Hastega =3

Biggest crap was the range, which they thankfully fixed>.<;

[Skjie]

Not making any note about Convert is fairly substantial. 1:1 convert for BLM or WHM would make /RDM the default in almost every situation. For most players, that's a free 500~600mp over 1:0.5 and would make RDM a lot less desirable for end game...

[Vegetatheprince]

I'm kind of surprised at how light the SJ penalties are. Triple recast accession doesn't really hurt AoE haste/refresh and lets be real...that's why it's going to be so damn godly. Convert unnerfed? Nice.

This also confirms what most thought, 80 (not 85) is this patch. The only real question after this update, in regards to support jobs, will be if refresh will make it through unharmed.

2 charges at 75 but it could go up to 3 by 99. This would still be a godsend for WHMs in many situations where a -na-ga is suddenly needed but they wanna save their Divine Seal for curing perhaps..

3 charges = 50
I don't see how it could go to 3 at 99.

You say stacking gear like its inconvenient x.x;

Only need 30 skill over cap to max out Hastega duration, most SMNs idle in that if they have Merits.. Relic Hands, SMN Torque and max merits is +33. without relic hands any good SMN should own Evoker's Ring + AF horn, which puts em at +31 with Max Merits.

You can merit SMN skill? I suppose if one isn't blm/rdm/blu...

[Priran]

2 charges at 75 but it could go up to 3 by 99.

Not unless they lower the level for 3 charges from where it currently is at 50SCH. They had stated some time back before the release of WotG that SCH was supposed to be the best sub for mages, so it's possible, but I don't see them doing it unless they give SCH 5 charges (48 second recast), which following the current pattern won't be until they raise the cap to 90.

[Karbuncle]

You can merit SMN skill? I suppose if one isn't blm/rdm/blu...

Yes! ironically not everyone levels BLM, RDM, and BLU to 75.

Odd i know, some people these days, right =P?

Still, Without meriting SMN magic (Which is still a good option for player whos only "mage" job is SMN, thanks to Elemental Siphon as well as Avatar's Favor)....

Evokers Ring +10
Summoner Hands +10
Evokers Horn +5
Smn. Torque +7

There, Capped Hastega =3!

[Vegetatheprince]

Still, Without meriting SMN magic (Which is still a good option for player whos only "mage" job is SMN, thanks to Elemental Siphon as well as Avatar's Favor)....

Evokers Ring +10
Summoner Hands +10
Evokers Horn +5
Smn. Torque +7

There, Capped Hastega =3!

Yeah, it's not too difficult. Though, in a game where they tout the ability to do everything on one character, it would be nice to see a day when we didn't have to choose which job to favor our merits with.

[The Stig]

Did they say what's going to happen to merits? No one's brought it up in this topic yet but I don't remember reading anything about it from Fanfest unless I overlooked it.