Materia System Revisions (06/13/2013)

[Raldo]

This was posted at some point yesterday apparently, but with everyone hyped about E3 and Beta Phase 3 combined with them using the same damn image they used for the last Lodestone update, lots of people may have completely missed this info.

Materia System Revisions (06/13/2013)

It's long, so there's a spoiler tag. Plus, most people couldn't care less since they'll just read it from the Lodestone anyway. I did try to make it look the same as the Lodestone though, complete with tables!

Spoiler: show

In accordance with revisions to the battle system, adjustments have been made to the materia system as well as the effectiveness of various items in FFXIV: ARR.

We advise all players to review the changes to the materia system listed below. Further details on item changes will be disclosed at a later date.

1.　Overall Changes to the Materia System
In order to make the materia crafting system more intuitive, the following changes have been made:
• Stat variation within grades of materia have been abolished.
• The number of materia grades has been increased to five.
• Catalysts have been consolidated into five grades of one type.
• Gear-type restrictions on materia have been abolished; it will be possible to meld them to accessories.
• Gear and any materia already affixed to said gear will no longer be lost as a result of a failed melding attempt.
• You will no longer need to unequip gear in order to attach materia to it.
• Materia have been consolidated into 24 varieties.
• Materia created will now be based on gear class rather than gear slot. For example, a cobalt cuirass worn by Disciples of War is more likely to create materia for a tanking class, whereas a felt robe worn by Disciples of Magic is more likely to create materia for a casting class.



2. Multiple Melding
In FFXIV: ARR, only the materia and catalyst used in the melding process will be lost in a failed attempt. Players will keep their gear and any materia already attached to it.

The old system was deemed unfair to players in that both gear and items would be lost simply by chance, forcing them to start again from nothing. Given enough time and effort, we believe creating fully melded gear is now a realistic goal in FFXIV: ARR.

3. Materia Slots in FFXIV: ARR
In FFXIV: ARR, materia can only be used on gear that contains materia slots, each of which can be affixed with materia without failure. Attempting to use more materia than the slots on a piece of gear is referred to as advanced materia melding.

The chance of success decreases as you attempt to affix more materia.

* Gear which occupies multiple slots such as cowls and heavy armor will contain more slots than other types of gear.
* The number of materia slots can be confirmed in the item details window.
* Both normal and high quality versions of gear will have the same number of materia slots.

4. Maximum Enhancement Values
When enhancing gear with materia, there are certain limits to how high attributes can be raised depending on the gear. These attribute limits are based on the gear's function (e.g., gear for blocking) and the item level. Higher level gear will have higher enhancement caps. There are instances where gear with the same equipping requirement have different item levels.

* For example, both the vanya robe and sentinel's cuirass can be equipped at level 50. However, due to their overall quality and the difficulty in obtaining them, their item levels are different.

5. Spiritbonding
Spiritbonding will require considerably more time in FFXIV: ARR. Furthermore, high quality gear and gear enhanced with materia will gain spiritbond at a faster rate than normal gear.

The rate at which gear could gain spirit bond in Version 1.0 was determined to be too fast, and we will be making adjustments to spiritbonding from phase 3 until release.

6. Catalysts
The types of catalysts required when melding materia have been simplified as follows:

The rate at which gear could gain spirit bond in Version 1.0 was determined to be too fast, and we will be making adjustments to spiritbonding from phase 3 until release.



* Any given grade of catalyst can also be used to meld lower grade materia. For example, grade 4 carbonized matter can be used with materia up to, but not exceeding grade 4.

Catalysts from Version 1.0 have been converted according to the following table:



7. Version 1.0 Materia
Due to changes in the acquisition of gear, as well as revisions to the battle system, the strength of higher level gear may have changed in the transition from Version 1.0 to FFXIV: ARR.

In addition, there have been adjustments to the strength of materia and their effects when affixed to gear. This may necessitate the use of different materia in FFXIV: ARR to achieve the same results as Version 1.0. In light of these changes, we will give players the option to exchange Version 1.0 materia for a new variety.

8-1. Conversion of Version 1.0 Materia
1. All Version 1.0 materia will be automatically converted into cracked materia.

2. Players will be able to exchange their cracked materia for new materia of their choosing.
* Materia that has already been affixed to gear can be converted as is.

Even after converting cracked materia, there is the possibility certain gear will see a decrease in effectiveness when compared to Version 1.0. To compensate for this loss, players will have the option to exchange any gear affixed with cracked materia for a special currency. The amount of currency received is based on the type of gear as well as the number of materia affixed. This currency can be exchanged for a variety of gear, such as those obtained in dungeons and primal battles, or darklight gear.

* The exchange of cracked materia and gear affixed with cracked materia will be possible starting from phase 4.

8-2. Restoring Cracked Materia
http://static.finalfantasyxiv.com/to...d0eec6312bbbd8


* Cracked materia cannot be affixed to gear.
* Players can only exchange cracked materia for new materia of the same grade. For example, cracked materia III can only be exchanged for grade III materia.

9. Newly Added Materia



10. Changes to Materia Properties
The properties of the following materia will be changed in accordance with revisions to the battle system. For example, the effect of heaven's eye materia will be changed to encompass both physical and magic accuracy.



11. Obsolete Materia
The materia listed below will all be converted into cracked materia automatically, and can be exchanged for new materia of your choice. Although certain attributes can no longer be enhanced through the use of materia, this has been accounted for in the revisions made to the battle system.



12. Materia in FFXIV: ARR
The following is a list of materia that will be available at the start of FFXIV: ARR. Additional materia may be introduced in future updates.



* The names and specifications of items listed in this announcement are subject to change.

[CasualPlayer]

These changes are very welcome changes.

[Raldo]

I want to know what "special currency" is.

[Grey Jorildyn]

That is the big question that comes out of this. Overall these changes dumb down the system to the lowest possible denominator. After blowing 80mil trying to meld a polearm for relic I welcome this!

[Sigmakan]

That is the big question that comes out of this. Overall these changes dumb down the system to the lowest possible denominator. After blowing 80mil trying to meld a polearm for relic I welcome this!

You're not bitter?!

F, I'm bitter. Back in 1.23 . . . we blew up millions of gil trying to get relics . . . damn kids these days.

[Grey Jorildyn]

Bitter? Sounds irrational.

[Fievel]

These changes are amazing, I love how they decided to handle old Materia.

Especially considering I have a retainer literally filled with T4 materia, lol.

[Spider-Dan]

This is how materia should have worked from the beginning. 1.0 materia system was frankly retarded.

[Fievel]

I actually agree with you.

I melded my own relics and had triple melds and what not, even had some fairly good luck with it at times and I still think the system was outright stupid.

[Lokus]

The original system was really just there to get rid of items en-mass, which relics helped a bit since it helped create a small gil sink too (which Atomos obliterated).

[Fievel]

dawn drops, lol. God damn.

[Sigmakan]

Bitter? Sounds irrational.

Agreed. Its an irrational hatred.

[Raldo]

I was surprised to see a fair number of items in Phase 3 that have two materia slots.

[Lokus]

I was surprised to see a fair number of items in Phase 3 that have two materia slots.

Since it seems gear will have some materia slots already predetermined, I await this gem to somehow make it's way into ARR for dat nostalgia.
http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__...il_Bat_FF7.png

[Niiro]

Mop or gtfo.

Spoiler: show

inb4 gay-ass parasol

[Iremire]

I want to know what "special currency" is.

I think it's just currency to be used to purchase the dungeon/primal/darklight items from a specified npc.

The amount of currency received is based on the type of gear as well as the number of materia affixed. This currency can be exchanged for a variety of gear, such as those obtained in dungeons and primal battles, or darklight gear.

This is better than I thought it would be.

[Grey Jorildyn]

I like that idea quite a bit. I had a helluva time getting any Darklight after I finished HDL set.