Class Reforms (11/11/2011)

[Niiro]

Tiered spells work fine in XI's UI - is the only reason they need to remove them due to the XIV's UI sucking? If you played XI 99% of the time using your macro palette I don't see why XIV's UI can't cope.

Seems odd to drop them if they're basically ditching the whole ability point system anyway... It doesn't matter if it's cures or nukes, having different strengths on hand is always going to be important. It could be as simple as saying 'if you've got Fire X set, you can set any other Fire spells for free'. For melee jobs, the tiers that exist at the moment are just a lazy way to add more 'abilities' and recycle icons/animations etc.

Also, I don't think the 'combos' look like too much of a rip-off. The angle/positioning element is nice and as long as the effects are varied (bonus given for mixing it up) then it shouldn't get repetitive.

Anyway, I look forward to more 'class uniqueness' and I think he's on the right track.

As I read this I was thinking an alternative to removing spell tiers would just be to simply incorporate them all into a single action.

ie. If you have Fire equipped you have access to fire 1, 2, and Flare (they could take it a step further and add the elemental DoT too). Imagine clicking fire on your action bar and a little drop-down menu of spells comes up with the different tiers (defaulting to the one used last). Or if people prefer not to go through the extra clicks just make a macro for the specific spell.

Elemental spells are already an action point hog so combining multiple spells to one action would help alleviate that while also keeping the versatility of multiple tiers.

[Lordender]

I don't care that they're taking out tier spells, WoW basically did the same thing with cataclysm, they removed ranks of spells and just allowed them to grow as you leveled up. I just hope the animations change the higher level you get because it would look silly for fire 1 to have the same animation from 1-50.

[Gokulo]

Huh, WoW always had ranks only, instead, before you had to buy them from the trainer. Not like it was higher tier (meaning a different spell altogether).

[Draylo]

Getting rid of tiers is a bad idea, we need to stick to tradition for this game. If anything they need Fira, Firaga Firaja etc if they don't want Fire I II III, we need it!

[Tomino]

It could be that Jobs will have ways to perform tiered spells.

Since Classes are more all-around, hurrdurr playstyles, they will just have Cure (to heal!) and Regen (to heal, but slowly!). But when it comes to raids and Jobs, maybe WHM and BLM will have specific skills to lower casting times, increase mp cost as well as potency, and so on.

[Siatdiat]

As I read this I was thinking an alternative to removing spell tiers would just be to simply incorporate them all into a single action.

ie. If you have Fire equipped you have access to fire 1, 2, and Flare (they could take it a step further and add the elemental DoT too). Imagine clicking fire on your action bar and a little drop-down menu of spells comes up with the different tiers (defaulting to the one used last). Or if people prefer not to go through the extra clicks just make a macro for the specific spell.

Elemental spells are already an action point hog so combining multiple spells to one action would help alleviate that while also keeping the versatility of multiple tiers.

If people prefer not to go through the extra clicks? Hasn't that been one of the main problems with UI since day 1? I expect more at this point based on the direction they have taken the game from its original sad state.

I have nothing against speculation, but all the doom and gloom over this change is annoying. Stepping away from the game for a year and coming back, I don't see anything but improvement. I would have expected more, but understand why there isn't when I found out about the team working on 2.0 simultaneous with current version patch development. I don't know exactly how this will work, but I am pretty sure that the majority of players will be happy with whatever it is. In the end they can't please everyone.

[Siatdiat]

It could be that Jobs will have ways to perform tiered spells.

Since Classes are more all-around, hurrdurr playstyles, they will just have Cure (to heal!) and Regen (to heal, but slowly!). But when it comes to raids and Jobs, maybe WHM and BLM will have specific skills to lower casting times, increase mp cost as well as potency, and so on.

This is the best idea I've seen on here and in line with what I have assumed about jobs. I can imagine WHM and BLM having traits coverse of each other, one for WHM to boost healing spell strength and diminish attack spell strength, and one for BLM that does the opposite. Additionally, they could act like SCH stratagems from 11, where you will gain access to a wider range of spellsdepending which job you are on.

The real question I have with jobs is how MRD will be with WAR.

[blythe]

So... weren't we supposed to get a Part 2?

[TacoTaru]

Yes, they just opted to give us this dye information before finishing giving us the class information.

[dfdfpp]

Where's my part t.. OH LOOK SHINY

[blythe]

Yea the distractions aren't doing it for me unfortunately.

Almost seems like they hadn't actually considered the implications of these changes on healing, and now are having to come up with something in response to the QQ.