Would you like to see custom weaponskills?

[astrael]

I was just talking today out about an idea I had right before Fanfest, and the people in my Salvage static seemed to like the idea, but I honestly haven't thought it out completely. I like customization, but it may be too much of a hassle for others.

Basically, I would like to see a system (based on merits?) that allows you to personalize your weaponskills for your job. Make older WSes stronger (and thus usable), or enhance/add effects, so that you aren't stuck using the same WS for every situation, or even add a skillchain element it didn't have before. Maybe even make job-specific adjustments, something like PLD's using greatsword could have damage reduction Aftermath or something on par with using a shield (Disclaimer: no I'm not a PLD, it was just an example and I don't claim to know a thing about the job).

Basically, it would be a way for a job to add to their main weaponskills to further seperate them from other jobs using the same weaponskills while adding variety to the game and possibly some useful things where there was none before.

A generic list of stuff you could have added to a weaponskill (this would probably change from WS to WS, so that higher level Weaponskills already really strong wouldn't have Enhanced Attack as an option for example):
- Store TP/Enhanced TP Return
- Enhanced Attack (in the case of Elemental WSes, Enhanced Magic Attack)
- Enhanced Accuracy
- Added Skillchain Element
- Ability to Critical Hit (or Crit+% if it already does)
- Added Effect: Paralyze, Slow, Silence, Blind, etc... (enhance effect if already there)
- "Lite" Aftermath Effects (nothing as strong as relic/mythics, obviously) such as Haste, Phalanx, Refresh, Regain for mage WSes?
- Enmity Reduction/Increase

This may or may not be a good idea, but either way I was curious what everyone thought about it. If it is a workable idea I can try sending it to S-E's suggestion box (the bottomless void that it is), but more or less I just wanted to discuss opinions. If it's a terrible idea, well, at least it'll be something to laugh at!

[Sunrider]

I'd make a six-hit sword Weapon skill.

Opens Light, closes Darkness, damage varying by TP, additional effect of 15% potency boost to enfeebling magics, primary modifiers MAcc and MAtk, secondary modifiers INT and MND.

Aftermath effect of Regain.


EDIT: Available at level 100 Sword Skill. RDM onry.

[astrael]

Well, I should probably add I meant that this was meant for 75s as another character upgrade, and obviously you couldn't make a super-broken WS out it, but you did remind me that adding an additional hit or two might be another option (I forgot about that for some reason). My main thought was to bring unused WSes up to par and into endgame or at least solo use.

[arus2001]

You could probably rip off the Blue Mage point system and apply it to some degree. Personally, something other than merits unlocking potential options would be nice. Think Tactics Manuals like with NPCs. Put enough variety in and SE could literally pad a lot of NMs with drops.

[Sunrider]

Well, I should probably add I meant that this was meant for 75s as another character upgrade, and obviously you couldn't make a super-broken WS out it, but you did remind me that adding an additional hit or two might be another option (I forgot about that for some reason). My main thought was to bring unused WSes up to par and into endgame or at least solo use.

Well fuck, if you wanna take all the fun out of it...

I'd take Death Blossom, add another hit to it, possibly improve the proc rate on it's MEva reduction, and add a Regain aftermath.

[astrael]

You could probably rip off the Blue Mage point system and apply it to some degree. Personally, something other than merits unlocking potential options would be nice. Think Tactics Manuals like with NPCs. Put enough variety in and SE could literally pad a lot of NMs with drops.

I like that idea too, I guess I was just thinking merits since some people can get them so easily, but adding another type of drop or key items to NMs would be a nice touch and might encourage people to target the huge number of unimportant NMs since weaponskills are so universal.

Well fuck, if you wanna take all the fun out of it...

I'd take Death Blossom, add another hit to it, possibly improve the proc rate on it's MEva reduction, and add a Regain aftermath.

Sorry, lol, though I do like the idea of mages having a Regain option on custom WSes since they are rarely able to get TP easily to continuously WS.

[Starr]

Well first I have to say there are a thousand plus one things I'd like done before this and second, everyone would end up with the exact same ws anyway apart from those few idiots who like to be different.

[astrael]

Well first I have to say there are a thousand plus one things I'd like done before this and second, everyone would end up with the exact same ws anyway apart from those few idiots who like to be different.

Fair enough point, I guess this game does have enough issues to balance without throwing in a whole new system

[arus2001]

Well first I have to say there are a thousand plus one things I'd like done before this and second, everyone would end up with the exact same ws anyway apart from those few idiots who like to be different.

While you'd have "best combos" for sure, such is where I figured drops and the like could help curb the creation of superskills right off the bat, but if done right, points could also prevent having like a level 3 SC capable 60% STR mod and super ACC on an 8 hit Scythe WS.

[Max™]

I'd make King's Justice exactly the same as it is now, except replace Damage varies with TP, with Chance of Critical hit varies with TP.

Then I'd go jerk off for half an hour thinking about it.

[Redshift]

I'd make King's Justice exactly the same as it is now, except replace Damage varies with TP, with Chance of Critical hit varies with TP.

Then I'd go jerk off for half an hour thinking about it.

Nah, give it another hit too! ohwait that's Drakesbane!

[BardonGaruda]

I like the idea of having custom weaponskills kind of like how Oblivion had the ability to create custom spells/enchanted weapons.

But the problem with introducing variety/customisation into FFXI is that the community very quickly decides which is the best/only way to do each one and all the other options are left unused.

[Hanyoko]

I'd rather see a "Racial Weaponskill" thats is well.. Race specific

It would need to be some high level quest, but the WS itself would be avail at level 1 and its effects scale per level.

[Fiye]

Intreresting idea. Poiont based system that lets you add in various modifiers. Change the element or propery of a WS, or maybe alter the effect TP has.

Though... how would we obtain such a thing?

[LinktheDeme]

I'd make King's Justice exactly the same as it is now, except replace Damage varies with TP, with Chance of Critical hit varies with TP.

Then I'd go jerk off for half an hour thinking about it.

That's just be the same thing as adding another 15% str to raging rush ;o

King's Justice is most likely best how it is because of the mod when you use it with Mighty Strike's it rapes

[_chuchu]

I'd rather see a "Racial Weaponskill" thats is well.. Race specific

It would need to be some high level quest, but the WS itself would be avail at level 1 and its effects scale per level.

Does this include something along the lines of tarutaru dance(s)?!

[Kenji]

Perhaps as an alternate idea, another merit category for enhancing WS's? Perhaps group 3 job specific merits, that enhance the WS's of the main weapons that job can use. WHMs, clubs. PLDs swords, etc.

Then again, a merit category by itself, where you'd pick one weapon type to specialize in, then use merit points to tweak some of that weapons's WS attributes. So if you merited Dagger WS's, you couldn't merit Axe WS's.

[Thufir]

I'd spend 10 merits to unlock Running Dropkick. That is the best looking thing ever. Great animation and not just sparkles on a regular slow-mo strike.

[astrael]

Though I wasn't really thinking about "new" weaponskills, I like the idea of race-specific ws, they really don't do enough to fully utilize your race choice in the game. But that might be too daunting if they don't limit it to a few weapons, otherwise it'd be what, 70 new weaponskills to add?
Mithra - bow, dagger, axe
Galka - greatsword, hand-to-hand, great katana
Hume - katana, clubs, gun
Tarutaru - staff, scythe, great axe
Elvaan - 1h sword, polearm, random 3rd (only 14 WS categories )
* yes I made my choices based on the Ark Angels and story-based NPCs, though club and greataxe is easily debatable... well I guess they all are B)

Well it does sound like there's some interest in being able to do something more with current WSes than equipping gear for the current mods. Maybe the community at large would quickly settle on a single upgrade everyone should go for, but it might be something fun to try for at least a little while, since there would be so many options at first, even Grips in their limited original release were debated for a bit on which is best. Though it is difficult to imagine a task on par with finishing a relic, this could even be usable to upgrade relic WSes that people are unhappy with (not in a game-breaking way, just something more appropriate like the ever-popular changing of the mods).

Examples of drops:
Mastery Guide: Critical Hits
"Enhances TP's effect on critical hit rate" - make the weaponskill check TP for critical hits (probably lower than ones that naturally have this), or increase the rate of critical hits
Mastery Guide: Vitality
"Technique to expend your stamina to adjust weapon skill damage" - change secondary modifier to VIT, or if it is already VIT, add a +5~10% bonus to the modifier
Mastery Guide: Subdue
"Increases enmity of the weaponskill" - well that's as obvious of a description as it can get

Example of use:
You obtain a Mastery Guide: Critical Hits on the Black Triple Stars.
You take it back to a Scythe Master NPC and search through weaponskills that can be "equipped" with the item and pick one to equip it with (if you have points to spare)
- Insurgency (3 points max)
*Enhanced Critical Hit - 3 points
- Cross Reaper (5 points max)
*Enhanced Critical Hit - 4 points
- Nightmare Scythe (6 points max)
*Enhanced Critical hit - 2 points

Granted, balancing the system would take awhile... Kenji's idea was actually closer to my original thought, since I suggested a merit system in the original post, but I am more attached to the idea of NM or questable drops or even possibly point-buyable manuals now.

[Sunrider]

I would imagine Weapon Skill merits, if not offering a whole new Skill, would work like the elemental gorgets, adding Acc (and perhaps damage as well), to each hit of the Weapon Skill.

The merits would probably be divided up the way the gorgets are, by Skill Chain attribute.