SE elaborates on job changes

[Sakino]

Today's Topics will discuss the upcoming job adjustments planned for paladins, dark knights, blue mages, corsairs, and puppetmasters.

Paladin Adjustments
With high defensive capabilities and enmity generation in mind, we will be adjusting the effect of the paladin job abilities Sentinel and Rampart.

Sentinel
The effect of Sentinel will be changed from an increase in defense to straight damage mitigation.
Also, all actions taken while Sentinel is in effect will generate additional enmity, allowing the paladin to more easily gain and maintain an enemy's attention.

Rampart
In addition to the defense bonus granted to party members within the area of effect, Rampart will now also provide a "Magic Shield" that will absorb a certain amount of magic damage in the same manner as the spell "Stoneskin."

Shield Mastery
In addition to granting a TP bonus, the Shield Mastery job trait will also prevent interruption to spell casting when an enemy's attack is blocked with a shield.



Dark Knight Adjustments
The casting time for Absorb spells will be reduced from 4 seconds to 2 seconds to increase their utility in battle.



Blue Mage Adjustments
Changes will include more monsters available from which to learn blue magic, as well as additional spells, and adjustments to recast times.

New Blue Magic
In addition to spells attainable from the newly introduced soulflayers and the Poroggo, there will be new spells made available for mid-level players that have healing and dispelling effects.

Existing Blue Magic
The recast time for enfeebling blue magic spells such as "Chaotic Eye" and "Frightful Roar" will be reduced.



Corsair Adjustments
Corsair adjustments in the upcoming version update will mainly focus on the Quick Draw ability. Also, with the addition of the Rapid Shot job trait, ranged attacks will become a more viable combat tool for the Corsair.

Quick Draw Accuracy
A corsair's AGI will now affect the accuracy of Quick Draw. This will make it possible to improve the accuracy of Quick Draw by increasing the relevant attributes.

Quick Draw Recast Time
The recast time for Quick Draw will be reduced from 3 minutes to 1 minute.
In accordance with this change, the Group 1 merit point ability Quick Draw Recast will now reduce recast time by 2 seconds instead of 6 seconds.

Light Shot and Dark Shot
Light Shot and Dark Shot will be changed to have the following enfeebling effects instead of inflicting damage:

- Light Shot: Sleep
- Dark Shot: Dispel

*The Quick Draw additional effect of increasing the potency of enfeebling effects will remain unchanged.



Puppetmaster Adjustments
Several new automaton weapon skills will be introduced. High-level automatons will have new weapon skills available for use in various situations.

- Melee Type
Inflicts melee damage on a target and drains an amount of HP in proportion to the damage dealt.
- Ranged Type
Inflicts ranged damage on a target and occasionally has the additional effect of Stun.
- Magic Type/Standard Type
Inflicts melee damage on a target and occasionally has the additional effect of greatly reducing evasion for a brief period of time.

* * *

A new text command [/ignorepet] will also be introduced that will allow you to ignore the pets of others, including automatons, avatars, and charmed monsters.
The text command can be used in the following way:

/ignorepet: Displays current status when no subcommand is specified
/ignorepet on: Ignore pet targets
/ignorepet off: Allow pet targets

*While using [/ignorepet on], you will be unable to target others' pets.
*You will always be able to target monsters' pets, player character's pets in PvP, and Fellows regardless of the ignorepet command.

[ScarlettPheonix]

My Paladin friend is going to go all over the changes to Paladin.

The new /ignorepet should be intresting and PUPs need all the adjustments they can get.

New Blu spells? Meh. I think they have enough already. They're spell list if freaking huge compared to all the other mages. I do like well played BLUs, they can help make parties run alot smoother, trouble is finding one.

[Keavy]

/ignorepet is long overdue. As a WHM I need to know when spells wear and when enemies use enfeebles that I need to erase. This will help with the chatlog spam.

Since they're adding new BLU spells does that mean that they'll add more slots for BLU's?

[Kintrra]

Well, once again they've managed to completely ignore the real problems on PLD. The change to Sentinel is a step in the right direction, but PLD still needs more damage mitigation that isn't on a timer in order to really even be considered a viable tank for a lot of end-game stuff. The only time PLD is considered a reasonable tank now is if it's stuff that either just hits too much for NINs, or if a shell has a surplus of WHMs to cure-bomb the PLD. <.<;;

Not to mention offensive abilities, for the love of all that's Holy.

[Alya Mizar (Tsybil)]

But the BIG news is that BLU and COR get Dispel.

[ScarlettPheonix]

I've been ignoring that- I liked my rose colored world of only smn, brd and rdms having Dispel. >, <

[Bitneko]

Puppetmaster Adjustments
Several new automaton weapon skills will be introduced. High-level automatons will have new weapon skills available for use in various situations.

- Melee Type
Inflicts melee damage on a target and drains an amount of HP in proportion to the damage dealt.
- Ranged Type
Inflicts ranged damage on a target and occasionally has the additional effect of Stun.
- Magic Type/Standard Type
Inflicts melee damage on a target and occasionally has the additional effect of greatly reducing evasion for a brief period of time.

I can't wait, we needed this.

[Tianshii]

[/ignorepet] is prolly my fave adjustment this time around.
I'm tempted to try BLU out... but... need more information so I don't suck @ it x.x

[Sugami]

But the BIG news is that BLU and COR get Dispel.

BLU had Dispel before, longish delay (like 30-45secs) can't remember what the spell is

Quick Draw being on a 3min timer makes Dispel and Sleep for COR a nice bonus but nothing to rely on. Still awesome though, I'll have to merit the timer

And if giving us Rapid Shot (guessing doesn't stack with RNG's job trait) isn't a big hint to all those gimpy COR/WHMs out there then I don't know what is

All in all very nice changes, even though I'm not playing the game I'm still quite excited about it

[Karou Ariyen]

We pups needed new weapon skills on our automatons

[Pheonixhawk]

They said Scre Drk's on this update. Wth is 2 seconds of absorb spells gonna do? How about a accuracy boost dumb nuts. Or something.

Wanna hear a joke?

A Dark Knight walks into a bar. And nothing happens. He kept missing.

[Sugami]

Well correct me if I'm wrong but Dark Magic is something like A- or B+ for DRK, if you keep it capped you shouldn't have any trouble landing it unless the mob is resistant to Dark Magic.

Wanna hear another joke?

How many DRKs does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

None, they're too emo they just sit there and cry in the dark

And yes Ka-chan I've been stating the automatons needed several new weapon skills since day one (in the PUP forums), now just wish you had more control over when to use them, like BST using Sic.

[ScarlettPheonix]

DRKs have an A in Dark Skill, and after leveling RDM and BLM for subs, I'd think you'd have it capped well into the 60s or 70s at least PH.

4s is a long time for a spell to cast in the middle of a fight which is partly the reason why so many BLU spells are very very quick casting. SE has said that they want DRKs to use more of their spells in battle and this is just a little tweak in that direction.

What I'm still ticked about is BLU getting yet more spells. The complete spell list for BLU is already a total of 94 spells- thats more spells then BLM, WHM or RDM and its not like they really need anymore.

[Sugami]

I think the main issue with DRKs isn't that they don't use magic, it's that they use the wrong magic

You get morons who like to throw MP away on nukes that do less damage than a normal hit.

Then there's the morons who use the "wrong" absorb spells. Like if you're fighting a crab don't use Absorb-STR, use Absorb-VIT! It's like the same thing except it works for the whole party and not just you.
Fighting evasive stuff? Absorb-AGI is your best friend!

Given the average life-span of an exp mob (pre-70), a DRK's MP pool and from what my friend has told me you can happily cast 1-2 Absorb spells each fight.
There's basically two things to take into consideration;
1) Who's your tank.
2) What type of mob.

1) If your tank is a NIN then reducing the mob's STR won't really do much but reducing DEX may be of some use. Other way around for a PLD.
2) Already covered it earlier

For every Absorb spell (except Absorb-CHR) there's a selflish version and a party version, e.g. STR (selflish) VIT (party). Generally it's more useful to help the entire party than just yourself.

Obviously use Drain and Stun a lot.

See I don't even play the job and I know this much

[ScarlettPheonix]

You're definetly right about that- alot of DRKs use very poor spell choices and don't get me started on the idiots who spam Absorb-TP to the point of ignoring the other spells in their list.

Pre-TP party unless the DRK is part of the Skillchain there's no reason for them to spam their weapon skills endlessly- besides making their
healer(s) scream anyway.

[Pheonixhawk]

I already know all of this. (Ive read way to many Dark Knight Forums)Im not asking for info on Dark Knight spells. Im saying saying why cut down on Spell casting by 2 seconds, whe Drk's are already doing well with thier magic, and improve on thier melee ability.

[ScarlettPheonix]

Here's my take on the melee ability- is DRK accuracy really that piss-poor? I don't believe it is. They have A ratings in their weapons as well and that's contrary to having any more accuracy problems then say a Samurai, Warrior or Paladin.

I think DRKs are percieved as being poor fighters- but the reality is probably something different. DRKs use two handed weapons- weapons which hit slower and less often then dual wielders or single handed weapons and misses are more noticeable.

The same general mis-perception that their melee capabilities are sub-par has plagued DRGs as well.

I could be wrong- but everytime someone brings up how bad DRKs ACC is they can't site any tests or conclusive proof besides "I heard it somewhere."

[Pheonixhawk]

True. After all, Samurai and Dark Knight ACC are the same (don't let anyone tell you different) but Sam can gain TP so fast, nobody cares. When a DRK misses its /point /laugh. As for the whole Emo thing. I have no clue where ppl get that from. Im surely not Emo and nor are my dark knight macro's. none of my Friends who play dark knights are emo as well. And Im pretty sure Stockyboy isnt. Thats just some dumb rumor floating around.

~ Back to the topic

As for Blu getting even more spells. I can understand what you mean Scarlett, but you gotta remember. Blue mages suck. Thats why they need so many spells. There always gonna suck no matter how many spells they got. Rdm FTW!!!

[ScarlettPheonix]

I keep reminding myself of that PH, but it isn't working too well.

[Pheonixhawk]

Just remeber to /point /laugh everytime you see a blu burn 300 mp on a spell and see "Spell name fails to take effect on mob".

[Sugami]

I have that filtered out

I think the DRK missing goes back to when it was the band wagon job of choice and all the idiots would pile on the STR instead of Accuracy so it'd be whiff whiff whiff hit, "LIEK ZOMG DID U C THAT LOLZ?!!!11ONE" ...yes and we saw the 5 misses in a row before that

SAM get lolZanshin the Job Trait that gets better the worse you get, also Great Katana is a fair bit faster than Scythe and DRG get Accuracy Bonus I. WAR get Aggressor at 45(?) and I still think Two-Handed weapons require more accuracy, makes sense from a logical stand-point.

BLU are bit sucky past 60 anyways but can't compare them to RDM anyways. They're combat casters and you're support, you're not in any direct competition with each other. Their MP dependancy makes them somewhat unwanted in merit parties too. RDM hate them and BRD probably miss them a lot due to their hectic schedual, and COR absolutely detest them

[ScarlettPheonix]

Which is all the more reason for them not to get more spells, but whatever


I've only played with 1 good BLU, a JP player who was playing it as a debuffer and occasional support with Diamond Hide or a healing breeze here and there.

I've played with several lower levelled BLUs and it seems BLU changes in how it should be/needs to be played when the player gets into the higher levels. The lower level BLUs seem to spend more time casting damage "nukes' then debuffs anyway.

[Sugami]

Well having more spells available to them doesn't mean they can have more spells at any one time

BLU in my party yesterday seemed okay, never got her SCs or MBs in 'cause of all the WS spamming but that Disservement or whatever it's called did 700-1000ish (I got my record of 1100+ Slug Shot on Imp wish I screenshot'd that D: ).

Still feeling a bit sore? Challenge one to Ballista; Diaga + Silence = They're f*cked

I didn't notice before but Quickdraw timer dropping down to 1min, yay! I can see a lot of morons thinking this'll make CORs support only 1min is way too long to rely on for Sleep or Dispel (and it's either one or the other not both). BRD yesterday (before his computer died) told me that the Finale timer can be too long without a RDM in parties D:

[ScarlettPheonix]

Yea, Finale is like the opposite of Dispel in casting.

Finale= Quick cast, long recast

Dispel= Longer Cast, short recast

I doubt CORs will be seen as more of a support job by the intelligent players but we all know the dumb players will /sigh

[Pheonixhawk]

I love pwning blu's in ballista. Its so funny to play them like a puppetmaster. He told me that blu / nin is greater than rdm/nin. So I faced him at lvl 70 cap. Well. Its really hard to fight a rdm, if you can't reach him... diaga + silence + bind , sleep and nukes for the win. He was lucky i was in a good mood and only chainspells aspir to the point where he was out of mp

[Sugami]

Just as long as their big hitting spells hits shadows it's cake. They're only really good for one-on-one (that isn't against someone that can Silence them ) in a proper match they'll run out of MP on the first or 2nd fight and be sitting down for 5mins trying to get it all back

I doubt CORs will be seen as more of a support job by the intelligent players but we all know the dumb players will /sigh

Even the intelligent players don't really know how COR works, heck half of the people playing COR don't know how it works. How are non-CORs meant to know how the job is played when half the CORs play it wrong?

[Karou Ariyen]

so what makes DRK > PUP? You DRKs end up face down in the dirt (well most of the time, great job I still invite DRKs if I dont tank) where as We pups can hide like cowards and let our Automaton fight (Karou a coward? I could be a mage and I'd still melee x:D )

[Pheonixhawk]

Because Drk's should'nt be dumb enough to go after your pet. You kill the pet, it's master summons it right back. Kill the master, the pet dies. Drk's have bind, and sleep. Not to mention a bunch of other helpful debuffs, *blind, poison etc etc.* And buffs, to make us that much stronger. Im not saying it would be an easy fight at all. But's It's not like I said DRK > PUP's. In fact, I don't believe anyone has.

Secondly where is all this BS about drk's ending face up in the dirt? Im a lvl 41 Dark Knight Now. Ive only died 3 times so far. *The third one really doesn't count seeing as I got aggro as soon as I got a friggin raise. * Maybe back in the day when Drk wen't "Look at this everyone. Souleater, Beserk, Last Resort, Spinning Slash. w00t look at my dmg. But I think ill leave all three job abilities on. Who cares if im draining health evertime I hit, and Im taking more dmg from a mob that currently has hate on me. I did 1k+ dmg!!"

[Bitneko]

so what makes DRK > PUP? You DRKs end up face down in the dirt (well most of the time, great job I still invite DRKs if I dont tank) where as We pups can hide like cowards and let our Automaton fight (Karou a coward? I could be a mage and I'd still melee x:D )

Not in my case, I'm the one doing all the damage it seems. I;ve never had my auto do anything above 70 dmg even with expensive attachments. Compare that to my 200+ raging fists and the auto looks kinda weak.

[Sugami]

From what I've seen Automatons will pass around 9% (about double a Wyvern) and Raging Fists can be anywhere from 50-300 considering it relies on accuracy and you have a C skill
Even still Master+Automaton < Any DD that isn't asleep half the time but it's not by nearly as much as a lot of people seem to think.

Parser results were from an experienced PUP in the PUP forums.