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Final Fantasy Tactics: Embargo

Started by The Damned, February 21, 2011, 08:06:11 pm

Who should live? (Keep in mind, if Reis lives, she WON'T be a Dragoner.)

Reis
Beowulf

The Damned

February 21, 2011, 08:06:11 pm Last Edit: April 22, 2013, 07:12:17 am by The Damned
FINAL FANTASY TACTICS: EMBARGO


Salutations. It is I, The Damned, using my 1000th post (like that means anything) to finally making a thread for that patch I keep mentioning incessantly like an annoying bastard.

Anyway, due to philsov, RavenofRazgriz and a few others re-igniting my interest in FFH, I figured that I would have another try at doing something productive with a patch that I feel is actually quite doable compared to the absurdly lofty one I wanted to do with "On the Skulls of Dragons".

EMBARGO OVERVIEW


Embargo is (tentatively) named so because along with calls for "balance" and "change", one of the calling cards of this patch will be excising most foreign elements. Conceptually, it's the polar opposite of Lydyn's Shuushin patch.

I think that the concept not only allows more focus on Ivalice's internal politics and workings, which are rather hazy throughout vanilla, but also conveniently removes three of the most problematic generic classes. Monk, Ninja and Samurai all die because of this, with Oracle being an unfortunate casualty, though I figure that very few people will miss Oracle more than I.

(Chemist is also currently dead, partly because it's problematic as well; like the above, only its skill set, Item, might return. Thief and, technically, Knight are now enemy-only classes. You'll still be able to Steal and Break most things with generics, though.)

With that said, the game will be much the same for Chapter 1, though moderate changes have already been planned. Major changes are planned for Chapters 2 and 4, though the endgame result will likely be familiar. Chapter 3 is a rather...iffy area between the whole Rafa & Malak storyline, so I'm not sure about that; the beginning of Chapter 3 will be changed if I can, though.

Inspiration-wise, beyond the removal of most foreign elements, the patch will take many cues and references from past (and future) Final Fantasy games. It takes the most from Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy XII at present.

EMBARGO CHANGES


While things will constantly change, I can list the things that I've generally planned that more or less are going to happen before jumping into any rather specific details about anything.

1. All elements will generally be a lot more numerous than in vanilla and be more important. All Elemental absorption is resisted at present. (However, I plan to, whenever mechanically feasibly, reduce halving to a .75 resistance and weakness to a 1.5 boost.)

2. Zodiac signs will, on the flip-side, generally be less important. 25% difference will only apply with Best and Worst; 12.5% difference will apply for Good and Bad. However, zodiac sign diversity will be more important--Virgo isn't going to be so damn prevalent throughout the game now, even if it is Altima's/Ultima's sign. This applies to both enemies and allies.

3. Gil won't be thrown at the player (as much as I'd like a "Gil Toss" ability). It will be A LOT more scarce.

4. A lot more abilities, mostly spells, will be learnable via Learn on Hit. Many abilities besides Blue Magick are Learn on Hit Only.

5. The level 4 versions of elemental spells and level 2 versions of most status spells have been replaced.

6. Monsters are buffed to hell with innates in exchange for generally having their stats lowered closer to humans and will now differ more even within families. Monster Skill is dead and monsters will show up at least slightly more in storyline battles now. They won't be able to breed, though.

7. Lucavi are similarly buffed in addition to having been buffed in a more...indirect way. They all have signature attacks and are more like their FFXII selves. Fear/Dread has been overhauled.

8. Berserker replaces Monk, Illusionist replaces Oracle, Paladin replaces Ninja and Acolyte replaces Samurai. Calculator is now Dimensionalist, while Animist (Blue Mage), which Calculator used to be, now takes Thief's spot. Scholar takes Chemist's spot. Squire is overhauled into Soldier; Mediator, Archer and Time Mage have been changed to Orator, Marksman and Temporalist respectively.

9. I generally want characters to do less damage at higher levels, so that damage isn't so OHKO-crazy and there should be less need for revival sandbagging. At the same time, more skill sets will have (expensive) revival options so that it isn't monopolized by just 4 skillsets. At present, no less than 7 human generic classes have definite revival options and 1 or 2 more might get them.

10. Equipment will generally not completely obviate another piece within the same category. Most things will more or less be of use throughout the game.

11. Ninja Swords have, with Greatbows' deaths, become just misc. weapons like how Bags did; all characters can equip Clothing and, as of June 2012, Shields; all accessories generally give some type of evasion; magic Guns are dead at present and the other Guns aren't usable by generics. Shuriken and Bombs are dead because Throw is (presently) dead. As of the latest update, Chemist Items are currently dead.

12. Status effects interact more and have generally been "buffed". There also many new ones planned--at least five--that have let to some dying like Treasure, Blood Suck & Confusion. Wall and Dark/Evil-Looking now show up in-game as Mist(y) & Curse(d) statuses, respectively, and will stay unless they cause massive AI problems. There are two other key status changes at present: Invite is only available through Train; Silence was changed to Addled, but is now back a more forgiving yet dangerous form of itself in "Silenced".

13. Like other Orator (Mediator) abilities, I've attempted to buff Finger Guard, now called Steel Will, rather significantly. We'll see how that goes.

14. Finally, special characters are getting changed. At least three 3 new ones are planned, with there possibly being at least 3 more.


1. Death Sentence ("Doomed" here) ignores "Cancel: Dead".

2. 46 Undead Oracle is mountable. (Guess what class Boco is replacing.)

3. AI attacks Transparent units.

4. Defending reduces physical damage by 25%.

5. JP scroll glitch fix.

6. Mighty Sword ignores equipment presence and hits monsters.

7. Buying items at Fur Shops cost 1 x normal price.

8. Poison damage from 1/8 * Max HP to 1/4 * Cur HP. (Might be slightly lessened due to likely increase in difficulty of Queklain/Cuchuulain and Balk.)

9. Change Demi and Drain formulas to use CurHP.

10. Performing gains evasion and receives 150% damage from physical attack. (Charging will no longer receive 150% damage, though it will lack evasion.)

11. Undead units ignore Phoenix Down. (Keeping this even if Phoenix Downs don't exist anymore.)

12. Soldier Office can rename any units (including humans and special characters).

13. Oil takes 2x damage from Fire; Blind takes 2x damage from Dark. (I'm still unsure if this works.)


1. Attack UP bonus becomes 25%.

2. Magic(k) Attack UP bonus becomes 25%.

3. Defense UP bonus becomes 25%.

4. Magic(k) Defense UP bonus becomes 25%.

5. Crossbow formula becomes WP*WP.

6. Rod formula becomes MA*WP. (I'll likely keep this one now, even if I don't want magical classes to have formidable weapons like Oracle's being able to OHKO people with Two Hands in vanilla and such. Still, what I've done with Tomes is questionable enough....)

7. Pole/Stick formula becomes PA*WP. (For the exact above reason, this one will likely stay.)

8. Instruments, Tomes (Books) and Cloths become MA*WP. (This may or may not stay. I'm not sure. Cloths are kinda dead now.)


1. Sets the title screens default option from "New Game" to "Continue".

2. Removal of permanent Brave(ry) alternation.

3. Removal of permanent Faith alternation.

4. Spell quotes always pops up. (At least for testing purposes when I start changing a lot of text.)

5. Forces any unit to automatically recover HP/MP when it steps on a crystal. (Given all the Learn on Hit stuff I'm using, I don't see any other choice. I can't just get rid of Crystallized period as I considered given that Treasure/Looted is dead now....)

6. Generic Skillset ability fix.

7. Weapon Guard innate all.

8. Converts Knight Sword formula to PA*WP. (Might go back to use Brave.)

9. Axes & Flail damage becomes (Rdm{0..PA-1}+PA)*WP.

10. Weapon Strike Fix.

11. Global C-EV.

12. (#+1%) chance of Critical Hit.

13. (#+1%) chance of Knockback for Dash/Throw Stone.

14. Selling Items at 1/4 Price.

15. Constant Brave/"Fury"/[Redacted]. (I appear to have lost the code for this again. Oh bother.)


1. Formulas that use (MA+X)% become (MA*2+X)%.

2. Silent Walk becomes Flee - Adds XX move when unit is in critical. (That "XX" will probably be 02, maybe 03 though I'm pretty sure I'm going to kill Move +2.)

3. Haste is 25% Speed bonus. (This might not be necessary, especially since I'm letting Slow go back to 50% Speed penalty for now.)

4. Throw Item Range edit. (Drops down from 4 range to 3 range; keeping this for now even though Throw Item is currently dead.)

5. Support 1/2 spaces below Non-Charge increase/decrease damage/healing done by/to unit by XX/ZZ. (Will probably be 20% and be named Overwhelm & Unyielding like in ARENA.)

6. Units with reaction between Counter and Distribute have front evasion for sides and back. (As in ARENA, this will be named Alertness or Awareness.)

7. Wall does "nothing" and AI attacks units with Wall status. (I think I need this for Mist[y] to not break the game/AI.)

8. Damage Split returns 25% instead of 50%. (Currently a possible "placeholder", but a great one.)

9. Minimum Brave and Maximum Brave for all units. (Just increasing Minimum from 00 to 01.)

10. Minimum Faith and Maximum Faith for all units. (Just increasing Minimum from 00 to 01.)


1. Untruth bug fix. (Since Faith[ful] could stand to actually be, you know, usable.)

2. Work formula can take elemental and status assignments. (Dark Knight suddenly becomes a lot easier to do, even if the AI is rather dumb with these types of abilities....)

3. 0 Gil for Level Bonus after battles.

4. Individual weapon proc percentages.

5. Formula 13 becomes Heal HP (Attacker's Current HP) Hit F_(MA+X)%.

6. Formula 2D becomes (PA + Y)*XX/ZZ*WP.

7. Formula 28 (Steal Exp) becomes (100 - Target Faith)*(MA*Y). (This probably needs to be toned down.)

8. Formula 5E becomes (PA+Y)/2*PA Hit_(1+X). (Unsure of what to use it for still.)

9. Wall becomes "Mist" ("Misty" here) or MP Regen that restores 1/4 of Max MP. (I'll probably want this as 1/8 by time everything is said and done.)

10. Elemental Weakness reduced to 3/2.

11. Formula 11 becomes Damage = Y.

12. Constant Faith. (Even more necessary than the Fury hack, in my eyes.)

13. MP Switch Overflows Damage to HP.

14. Remove Female-Only Equipment. (Probably not necessary since already done manually.


1. Change brave gain by chickened units. (Changed to +5.)

2. Change brave gain by Brave Up. (Similarly changed to +5 for now.)

3. Change faith gain of Face Up. (Similarly changed to +5 for now.)

4. Blind and Confuse overrides concentrate/transparent accuracy bonus and now divides accuracy by 2 (v3).  Will affect monsters and humans equally. (Seems to obviate FFMaster's Blind hack, at least if Blind was to 50% accuracy loss. Haven't decided as to whether this will transfer to Imperiled in Confuse's case.)

5. Guns take bow accuracy penalty at night.

6. Don't Act/Deep Water cancels W/S-EV.  Don't Move cancels C/A-EV. This is only the physical half for now.

7. Abandon sets C-EV to 60% instead of 2x.  Intended to work with Xif's global C-EV hack and the above DM hack.

8. Remove Item Duplication (v1).

9. Defend is +25% to A-EV during Battle. (A "start", but that's more because of what I intend to do with Defend now.)

10.De-hardcoding of Chemist through <Default>.


EMBARGO PLANS


Using spoilers for this because it'll save space.

Let us first look at the job tree:

1. Soldier (Squire) (all generics start as a Soldier).

2. Soldier leads to Fencer (Knight), Marksman (Archer), Orator (Mediator), Wizard and Priest.

3. Marksman (Archer's new name since my original Marksman class is no longer around and this is consistent with 1.3), as the main class, leads to Berserker, which are Axe-toting Monks that I hope will be a lot less overpowered than the class they're replacing.

4. Fencer, as the main class, leads to Paladin, currently a sort of preventative tank, thanks in part to losing much of its healing. It's still trying to find its place, especially now that it comes much earlier (when it used to be the female-only class) and yet still has to be balanced against Agrias's Queensguard class in some aspects.

5. Orator (consistent with PSP), as the main class, leads either to Animist, which can gain certain monster abilities on hit, or to Scholar, which is pretty much support-only class like Chemist, except it can't directly heal but it can actually attack things that aren't Undead.

6. Wizard, as the main class, leads to Geomancer, which is decidedly less physical than vanilla as its more interested in using the elements that Wizard never got around to. All their Geomancy (Elemental) abilities actually having elements now, have been condensed into 6 attacks and are only available through the reaction Gaia Revenge (Counter Flood).

7. Priest, as the main class, leads to Illusionist, a class that has finally found its place as supportive status-based class with a few nasty directly damaging, if conditional, skills.

8. Berserker, as the main class, leads to Dragoon, which is just a renamed Lancer due Jump's uniqueness being unable to be replicated at present.

9. Paladin, as the main class, leads to Acolyte, the primary anti-magic class in the game now.

10. Geomancer, as the main class, now leads to the "newest" class, Dimensionalist, which basically took all of Vanilla Time Mage's damaging abilities & offensive statuses, invented some more and teleported ran off.

11. Illusionist, as the main class, now leads to the "newest" Temporalist (Time Mage), which like Illusionist and Acolyte is trying to pick up Oracle's lost slack when it comes to inflicting status on people. It's arguable more supportive/"toothless" than Scholar, though the two damaging abilities has aren't to be trifled with.

12. Mime is much easier to open as it is now the opposite of Summoner, which has become a lot like its FFV and FFX selves when it comes to gaining half of its Summon Magick through "trials"; Mime used to be opposite Animist. Mime thus no longer is the end-all, be-all class that only really gets used for stats grinding and, maybe, for completely obviating Oracle by giving negative statuses the finger ala 1.3. Presently, Mime can't mimic Summon Magick, Bardic Song or Battle Dance because of this; it can mimic Blue Magick now though.

13. Bard and Dancer round out the class by remaining as the sex-separated classes. Bard will actually focus on magick, MA and support now, while Dancer will still support somewhat, but be aggressive about and focus on PA & physical ability.


Next is a list of RSMs removed from generics. I'm still unsure about ALMA, but I hope I can "save" more than just Finger Guard without it. At present, all classes have about three RSMs on average outside of Bard & Dancer, which share the same five.


1. Blade Grasp.

2. Gained JP UP.

3. Move +2.

4. Move +3.

5. Teleport.

6. Move-Get Jp.

7. Gilgame Heart (in terms of getting money they aren't supposed to & being readily abusable while being completely worthless to the AI).



1. Ignore Height.

2. Jump +1.

3. Jump +2.

4. Move in Water

5. Move on Lava.

6. Weapon Guard. (Now innate on everyone.)

7. Catch.

8. Equip Shield. (Now innate on everyone.)

9. Auto Potion. (Currently no such thing as Items.)

10. Throw Item. (Currently no such thing as Items.)


Let's talk about monsters, the Lucavi and their potential changes. Since Lucavi are the game's bosses, I don't want to give too much away:

1. All monster families at least one elemental weakness and one elemental resistances; some have two of one or both, though those are usually are the ones that have two Absorbs. Speaking of Absorb, of the 48 normal monsters, 40 absorb an element, with each element being absorbed by at least 5 different monsters. The only immunities to element of Earth, which occur for the few Always: Floating monsters (read: Bombs & Floating Eye).

2. All monsters will have their stats decreased to help balance Animist (Blue Mage), though they should all be better than Animist with the ability that Animists take from them, at least in most instances.

3. To make up for the above, most monsters have four (or more) innates and some number of status immunity as well as possible starting status or even innate status.

4. Chocobos have changed a bit beyond being loaded with innates. They've arguably gotten at least a bit weaker between gaining an elemental weakness, possibly losing Choco Meteor (to Boco) and generally having to compete with a suped-up, actually special Boco. They did, however, gain some differing resistances and all have some innates that Boco doesn't have.

5. Goblins are monster pugilists now. The closest thing that game will see to generic Monks, though with recent changes, they're more like monster Soldiers. (They still don't have Martial Arts, though; least at present.)

6. Bombs are possibly still overpowered between new resistances both status-wise and element-wise and new abilities, which make use of the fixed Oil status. They probably won't show up early game because they'd kick your ass rather effortlessly, especially with the Gil issue.

7. Panthers are speedy, status-based bastards who have effectively killed off the need for Ignore Height with their absurd Jump stat and show you why most big cats don't hunt in "packs".

8. Flying Eyes are basically the Acolyte of monsters when it comes to being anti-magic...or should be according to plot. At present, they're just focused on direct-status gazes.

9. Aevises are, like Bombs, possibly still overpowered at present between their range and unavoidable signature moves. However, they'll be on the slower end of monster families now.

10. Treefolk are still guardians of the forest, though at present they can actually kick your ass rather than just being lumber fodder even if they are still largely clerical units.

11. Bull Demons were originally like Skeletons something of a failure, though I've managed to "salvage" them by having them be more than brute-force. They're now more like monster Orators...that can cave your head in. This should make something I'm going to do in Chapter 3 more interesting....

12. Malboros are still fouled-mouth tanks that you don't want to get close to, though you won't have much choice now; Animist at least gets rewarded for it, though. The Ochu is something of an experimental narcoleptic tank, though, to prove a reprise from the onslaught of halitosis; it might even lose access to Bad Breath eventually, even if Bad Breath isn't going be a potential auto-Game Over--multi-target, instant Petrified is dumb.

14. Behemoths are, comparatively, cursed tanks that bring elemental disaster like Absol from Pokemon. They need more Draco Meteor, though.

15. Given my plans for Dragon type creatures and the likely absence of Reis, all three generic Dragon creatures are quite varied at present, being threats on both physical and magical fronts.


1. Uribos were initially replaced replaced by Lamias, half-snake women-looking monsters who use lust and other emotions to beguile their prey. Uribos are pretty much entirely excised from the game by this point, though their sprites are...well, see below.

2. Hydras will likely be getting combined into one monster or two monsters--one of them at least being Tiamat--since getting replaced by Tonberries, knife-wielding stalkers of the dark who creep slowly towards their doomed, immobilized victims.

3. Wolves join the fray as the first newest replacement after the Undead and Squid defection. They are planned to be the weakest of the newest monsters and thus appear early on since they appear in large numbers, meaning they're mostly going to be stuck with single-target attacks. They're going to be rather quick, though.

4. Flans join the fray as the second newest replacement. These overachieving desserts are basically the sturdy monster version of Wizard now that Skeletons are special monsters; oddly, they arguably still have more in common with Dragons at present, which has led to some design conflict.... (They will currently be represented by Tortoise sprites.)

3. Cactuars join the fray as third and last of newest replacements. These spiny little bandits will likely retain their crowns as the most evasive monsters in FF's lore. Be grateful that they'll mostly be restricted to deserts. Mostly. (They will currently be represented by Uribo sprites.)



1. Byblos and Apanda Demons will likely be merged into one class, though Byblos might still show up as a named boss; I'll probably use the appropriate name of "Reaver" overall.

2. Archaic Demons and Ultima Demons will no longer be merged into one class as originally planned.

3. Steel Giant, like everything, is still in the process of being changed. It's become even more tanky to make up for losing most of its elemental immunities.

4. Holy Dragon class will most likely still be used even though I'm planning to most likely get rid of Reis (and/or Beowulf).

5. Boco has become a special Chocobo, though I'm not sure whether to make him a White one like everyone else or use a Red palette since I've replaced the Red ones with (light) Blue Chocobos.

6. Illithids (the "correct" name for Squidlarkin) are the first "new" Special monster. These mental monsters who are quite hardy because of their deep-sea capabilities, though they're still frail up-close. At present, I'm still unsure if I might combine them all into one special-type monster, though I've at least decided on the special issue given something I wanted to do in Chapter 4.

7. Skeletons are the second "new" Special monster given that they are supposed to be more human-esque and are now the magicians of the monsters. They also will get back up if you drag the battle on long enough.

8. Ghosts are the third and last "new" Special monster since they have also become more human-esque, though they're less decided than Skeletons in that department. They remain hard to-hit and even harder to put to rest because they will get back up if you drag the battle on long enough, but they'll have the lowest HP of all monsters because of this.


1. All fights against them will be rather different outside of maybe Hashmal(um) and Altima/Ultima. Let's just say there's a balance reason they're going to generally have lower stats beyond planning to have everything do lower damage....

2. Relatedly, all Lucavi will have their genders be uniformly "Monster" and not randomly be that or male or whatever. There's a couple of reasons for this that I won't be getting into just yet.

3. They will generally be slightly more susceptible to status, though you may pay dearly for inflicting certain status on them....

4. All Fear abilities are now no longer just basic 100% guaranteed to hit if they're not prevented and they will cost MP now. However, in exchange for this, they will generally destroy you even worse now if they hit; they are still instant presently. I should point out here they are part of my attempt to buff Finger Guard, now called Steel Will: Steel Will/Finger Guard weakens all Fear abilities.

5. Fear will no longer have its own skill sets--ugh, there are so many wasted skill sets, it's absurd--and Lucavi will generally have much more skills available to them.

6. In addition to being more like their FFXII selves and the other numerous changes, they will be using their FFXII names, sans maybe Altima; I feel "Ultima" as a name and both a spell could create confusion, even if the shared name makes sense here.

7. Not much else I can say that won't spoil my plans, though I suppose it wouldn't hurt much to tell you that Velius/Belias and Queklain/Cuchuulain are going to have sub-par Speed (for) now, with Belias planned on being the slowest of the bunch as well as possibly being able to be Slowed. It won't help you.

8. Given what I plan to do with the story, including with Elidibis and another NPC, it's quite likely that you will face up to an additional two Lucavi in-game outside of Deep Dungeon. At least one of them is definitely going to be a mandatory, in-story battle if I make the change.


With that said, all that's left is special character changes. I'll include Deep Dungeon here just because:


1. At present, I'm considering reducing the special character space to 12 characters so that the player can keep 4 generics if they want. I'm not sure about that, but personally it's always been something that's annoyed me since I tend not to use special characters that much outside of vanilla. The recent 20-character allotment hasn't swayed me to bring back special characters either.

2. I still want special characters to be better than generics, but I don't want them to blow generics away, at least by a large, obviating margin.

3. Additionally, I'm going to try to have more magically-based specials this time around, just because I've always found swords rather boring and, outside of the unreliable Wonder Twins, Reis (somewhat), and arguably Byblos, every single special character is physically based. Beowulf I'd argue is more in the middle since even though his skillset is entirely MA-based sans Shock, he still needs a freaking sword to do them. At least two of the already selected replacement special characters will be magicians.

4. Ramza: I've been rather annoyed trying to think up his new set given the complete overhaul to Soldier and the lack of room for any more moves in it. I think I've decided on a viable route rather recently, though.

5. Roderick (Rad): Ah, yes, the first of three "special characters" you get before Agrias and Mustadio who are just glorified generics. First and for most, Rad's name is being changed to Rod(erick) because the "correct" name of "Ladd" is stupid. Rod will not only be getting his own unique class (Red Mage), but he will be a lot more pivotal to Chapter 2 and actually have his own personality rather than just being "there".

6. Alicia & Lavian: The other two generic special characters aren't as lucky as Rad to understate things. I've already decided on their replacements, though they aren't entirely removed from the game....

7. Boco: As aforementioned, he will be made into a special Chocobo, which means that at least the first fight against Wiegraf will likely be a bit more difficult. Alternatively, he might not join you in Araguay Forest and instead be replaced by Alicia's replacement there, though she might not join you there either.

8. Agrias: Still around. As also aforementioned, she needs to be balanced against Paladin and vice versa, which is rather annoying even though Paladin's skillset is less all over the place than it used to be.

9. Mustadio: He is getting an entirely new skillset given that Marksman now has his abilities of Aim: Leg & Aim: Arm and Acolyte has Seal Evil.

10. Rafa & Malak: They will have a completely different moveset now, which they currently share for the most part. They need something to differentiate them without being as overpowered as their 1.3 counterparts, though they'll be more useful than the vanilla versions of themselves.

11. Orlandu: Rather recently, I've humored perhaps killing him off, but for now he'll live since I don't want to change too wildly from the main game and Delita sparing Orlandu is one of the (few) things that proves that the Once and Future King hasn't become a complete bastard after Teta's death.

12. Meliadoul: I haven't any plans for her beyond "must be able to hit monsters". I'm still too busy trying to think about how to make Zalera really dangerous without verging into 1.3 or invincible territory. She has seen some change, though how takes is largely still dependent on how her father, Agrias and Orlandu develop.

13. Beowulf: I'm currently waffling on whether I want to get rid of Beowulf completely or not. He has three potential replacement characters already lined up, but at the same time I sort of like the idea of exploring Beowulf as a broken man because he wasn't able to save Reis this time around.

14. Reis: She too likely is beyond saving, though she might still show up as an enemy. Please deal. If she shows up as an ally, then it is Beowulf who will likely be beyond saving.

15. Worker 8: As aforementioned, he will be more tanky at the cost of being more elementally vulnerable and more specialized. Thanks goes to Panda_Tar for the idea.

16. Cloud: I've already decided on a replacement for him, which is definite now that Blue is no longer a candidate.

17. Byblos: He/it is similarly gone, with no decided replacement at present. Even if Byblos does get a replacement, you'll get your last special character well before you ever reach END and probably before you (can) even open the Deep Dungeon.

18. Deep Dungeon: It is more of intended to be a den of bosses from previous Final Fantasy games than strictly uber teams. It won't be as difficult as 1.3, though the things I've planned (if I still have the space) will generally kick your ass the around first couple of times and still be challenging enough afterwards I would hope. There will still be teams, though, given that a bunch of 5 vs. 1 would eventually be boring after all while, even if...heh, almost gave something away. Anyway, Elidibus is no longer the end boss of this place, but instead there now resides another.... Here's a hint: It's not Omega.

19. Elidibus: I intend for him to have a much more active role in the game rather than meditate at the bottom of the Deep Dungeon and then try to kill you for intruding on his solitude. At the very least, he'll be extremely interested in the character slated to be Cloud's replacement and actively show up at around that time of the game, which is before Deep Dungeon. He'll probably be in the shadows before then, though....


EMBARGO MISCELLANY


Okay, we're coming to the end now. Thank you for reading this far. All that's left is a list of potential things that I want to do that I haven't done/begun implementing myself and potential problems I see.

Let's talk about the potential things I want to do first since additional problems might stem from that:


1. I want Brave(ry) and Faith extremes to be detrimental. As such, I want 90-100 Brave and 90-100 Faith to be BAD things, even without permanent Faith and Brave alteration. I plan to try to do this by having those extremes trigger (neutral) status, but I'm not sure if that's a good thing, especially if Brave and Faith can't be made to "tick down" like minimum Brave ticks up. Also, even if I can have things tick down, then that might mean that separate statuses themselves might be tied those extremes and ONLY those extremes, which...isn't good.

2. Similarly, I want Brave and Faith to only be go as low as 01 and not 00. Innocent/Atheism (now "Doubtful") status completely negating most magic is stupid. At least with 01, it would mean that magic can still potentially hit and affect the "atheist", though Doubtful status would probably be better served at 10 Faith now. I'd want minimum Faith to "tick up" below 10 Faith like how Brave currently does.

3. Related to the above, I want to fix that damn glitch that makes it so that the Untruth formula think that 100 Faith is 0 Faith. (It would appear that Pride has already fixed this. Everyone say "thank you" to Pride.)

4. When it comes to statuses causing weakness to a certain element, I'd much rather have negative statuses furthered as negative aspects rather than a detriment be attached to a positive status already doesn't see use like Float(ing). I still might tie some elemental aspect to Floating, though....

5. I want to add a couple more in-story battles and fiddle around with the script quite a bit, but I'm not sure if I've the room. (I still haven't looked. Sigh.)

6. Additionally, want to make use of all skill sets and ability slots, though with changing generic monsters like that, I might have a lot less room than I planned to, though that will affect Deep Dungeon plans more than anything else. (Currently already having space issues. Sigh.)

7. As aforementioned, I want to add at least one other Zodiac battle, especially given that it will take the place of at least one other boss battle thankfully--Chapter 4 is already loaded with boss battles though, so....

8. Speaking of the glut in Chapter 4, I want to make Chapter 3 have more of...everything, somehow. At present, outside of Rafa & Malak and two "you can't leave" gauntlets, it's pretty lacking on both attainable special characters and bosses.

9. Finally, I want to learn how to hack and use ARH and such so I can do most stuff myself. I'm not sure about sprites, though, because I've always sucked at art. Sprites are pretty much the last priority for me as such.


Of course, nothing good can ever last:


1. Balancing this game is going to freaking atrocious between wanting to keep most equipment relevant, wanting to add more elements and have more element interaction, wanting to add more status and have more status interaction, probably allowing for Lucavi to be Demi'd and Life Drain'd, wanting lower speed, wanting lower damage, making it so that magic-users being mid-charged doesn't mean an sure OHKO, changing Silence to Addled and then back to Silenced and other things. It's like...balance itself is an eldritch abomination, but I already knew that.

2. Similarly, having all classes and equipment stay relevant is easier said than done, especially when trying to balance them against special characters.

3. I might still have too many immunities on things (both equipment-wise and class-wise) to the point where, even having made Ribbon one-of, I might have still obviated a lot statuses and elements ultimately. In redoing my equipment around December 2011, I think I've fixed most of these issues, but it still is a potential worry.

4. The elemental thing might have been gone overboard with regards to what has it weapon-wise and directly offensively ability-wise to point where things might be obnoxiously difficult to attack. While I want damage to be lower, I don't want battles to drag on forever or, worse, become Sisyphean. See above in addition to the recent monster elemental simplification in March 2012.

5. Despite all the reuse and consolidation of ability, job and skill set, I might still run out of changeable space, at least for the things I want to do with random battles and DD. That would be...annoying.

6. Finally, there's perhaps the chance that I'm still being too ambitious about this, especially since I want to do it by myself. Even having had such free time (unfortunately), I simply might not actually be capable of such still.


Thank you for your time.

To make navigation easier:



03/11/2011 EDIT: Much thanks to RavenofRazgriz for trimming things down initially.

05/21/2011 EDIT: Typos completely eliminated. Some restructuring and clarification.

07/07/2011 EDIT: Excel "Class Tracker Ver. 1" attached.

07/10/2011 EDIT: Fixing of more typos and more restructuring.

09/25/2011 EDIT: Fixed yet more typos and updated some obviated things.

09/27/2011 EDIT: Added navigation given how messy this thread is. Might run out of room soon.

10/14/2011 EDIT: Added another redacted spread sheet to show horrible my weapons where.

12/03/2011 EDIT: Added redacted spread sheet of all old/initial equipment to show horrible that was.

03/18/2012 EDIT: Redid entire beginning to make note of changes to generics, both human and monster.

04/30/2012 EDIT: Linked to the new monster list that is one part rather than two, as here with Part 1 & Part 2. Similarly edited a few other things like monster and job order and updated some other misc. things like special plans.

07/08/2012-07/09/2012 EDIT: Updated everything, though mostly class and ASM stuff. Then added "stat" after a bit of failure on the 9th.

04/21/2013 EDIT: Finally updated monsters, again, from this post. Now let's do some actual work next time.
"Sorrow cannot be abolished. It is meaningless to try." - FFX's Yunalesca

"Good and evil are relative, but being a dick cannot be allowed." - Oglaf's Thaumaturge in "The Abyss"

"Well, see, the real magic isn't believing in yourself. The real magic is manipulating people by telling them to believe in themselves. The more you believe, the less you check facts."  - Oglaf's Vanka in "Conviction"

RavenOfRazgriz

Your hints are hintier than hinted hints.

Good to see you finally motivated enough to get something out there, my friend.  I'm putting that equipment list back on query of things to do ASAP, since I've finally got the most important thing on it nearly finished and decided to allow the other two to overlap a lot for various reasons.

The Damned

February 21, 2011, 11:08:06 pm #2 Last Edit: May 21, 2011, 11:18:01 am by The Damned
I fixed some typos and decided to manually enumerate everything after Eternal pointed out that there wasn't space enough. The list function on this new forum is pretty...meh.

I'm not going to complain about that, though.

(Bold EDIT: There might still be too much use of bold, though, so anyone feel free to let me know. Beyond that, the Job Tree part is still quite a bit messier than I would like, but I'll let it stay that way until I actually post more specific class information. I hope I can do that by the end of this weekend.)

Quote from: RavenOfRazgriz on February 21, 2011, 09:01:38 pm
Your hints are hintier than hinted hints.

Good to see you finally motivated enough to get something out there, my friend.  I'm putting that equipment list back on query of things to do ASAP, since I've finally got the most important thing on it nearly finished and decided to allow the other two to overlap a lot for various reasons.


I could do a bigger hint, but technically it might just confuse people more unless I just gave it away. As such, I'm being comfortable being vague as shit. I do that--outside of being an asshole--because I hope it really pays off given the character seemed well received enough given the game in which said character appeared as the final hidden boss. (Yay, it's a coherent sentence now.)

Thanks for the support, though.

As far as looking at the equipment list, like I said, it's no rush. Let me at least send you a new version of it that isn't typo'd to Hell and back. Said version might actually have more redone WPs and no Ammo at all depending.

TOO LONG EDIT (II): I still find hilarious that I hit the word limit in the original post before Raven stepped in around March. Despite now editing this edit from three months ago, I've decided to leave what was excised from the original post untouched--for now--below even though it's outdated--it was originally (and pointlessly) in quotations before of RavenofRazgriz asked me to remove them in March:


Finally, we can now get to the miscellaneous things.

EMBARGO MISCELLANY


Okay, we're coming to the end now. Thank you for reading this far (even if you skipped over some things). All that's left is a list of potential things that I want to do (myself) that I haven't done/begun implementing myself and potential problems I see. I'm not going to post all the things I've seen between this being off the top of my head and the fact that such a thing would both give away somethings as well be incredibly boring. (Well, even more so.)

Also, for now I'll leave out lists of specifics, because I do have an equipment list [as RavenofRazgriz can attest] and abilities list already generated.

Let's talk about the potential things I want to do first since additional problems might stem from that:


1. I want Brave and Faith extremes to detrimental. As such, I want 100 Brave and 100 Faith to be BAD things, even without permanent Faith and Brave alternation. I plan to try to do this by having those extremes trigger status, but I'm not sure if that's a good thing when Brave and Faith won't "tick down" like minimum Brave will. Also, even if I can have things get ticked down, then that might mean that separate statuses themselves might be tied those extremes and usable, which...isn't good. I guess if Wall goes belly-up idea-wise I can use that for...something.

2. Similarly, I want Brave and Faith to only be go as low as 01 and not 00. Like turning Lucavi into monsters, this might seem weird and like it should be of too minimal interest to mention. However, it's quite important given the way that Faith currently works (and probably will still work, at least for a while): Atheist/Innocent/Apostate status completely negating most magic is stupid. At least with 01, it would mean that magic can still potentially hit and affect the "atheist".

3. Related to the above, I want to fix that damn glitch that makes it so that Untruth spells think that 100 Faith is 0 Faith, which completely obviates part of the point of Faith in the first place. Given the slight nerf I gave to Faith (given how early you get it and what skill set it's a part of now), I want to fix this even more now.

4. When it comes to statuses causing weakness to a certain element, I'd much rather have Don't Move be furthered as a negative status than a negative aspect be attached to Float; it would further make Don't Move and Float the opposites that I've intended them to be.

5. I want to add a couple of more in-story battles and fiddle around with the script quite a bit, but I'm not sure if I've the room.

6. Additionally, want to make use of all skill sets, though with changing generic monsters like that, I might have a lot less than I planned to.

7. As aforementioned, I want to add at least one other Zodiac battle, especially given that it will take the place of at least one other boss battle thankfully--Chapter 4 is already loaded with boss battles, so....

8. Speaking of the glut in Chapter 4, I want to make Chapter 3 have more of...everything, somehow. At present, outside of Rafa & Malak and some gauntlets, it's pretty lacking on both attainable special characters and bosses.

9. I've considered wanting weaknesses to only do 1.5 damage rather than straight double damage.

10. Finally, I want to learn how to hack and use ARH and such so I can do most the stuff myself. I'm not sure about sprites, though, because I've always sucked at art. Sprites are pretty much the last priority to me as such.


Of course, nothing good can ever last:


1. Balancing this game is going to freaking atrocious between wanting to keep most equipment relevant (much easier said than done, especially when it comes to weapons), wanting to add more elements and have more element interaction, wanting to add more status and have more status interaction, probably allowing for Lucavi to be Demi'd and Life Drain'd (though Life Drain might just die/be removed from player use), wanting lower speed, wanting lower damage, making it so that magic-users being mid-charged doesn't mean much, changing Silence to Addle and other things. It's like...balance itself is an eldritch abomination.

2. Similarly, having all classes stay relevant is easier said than done, especially when trying to balance them against special characters.

3. I might have too many immunities on things (both equipment-wise and class-wise) to the point where, even having made Ribbon one-of (I was just going to completely kill it), I might have still obviated a lot statuses.

4. The elemental thing might have been gone overboard with regards to what has it weapon-wise and directly offensively ability-wise to point where things might be obnoxiously difficult to attack. While I want damage to be lower, I don't want battles to drag on forever or, worse, become Sisyphean.

5. Despite all the reuse of ability-space (and reinstatement of Jump as well as still using Draw Out and Elemental, Item, Throw) and no longer having the foolish desire to attempt to give every generic class 14+ abilities, I might still run out of changeable ability space, at least for the things I want to do with random battles and DD. That would be...annoying.

6. Finally, there's perhaps the chance that I'm still being too ambitious about this, especially since I want to do it by myself. Even having had such free time (unfortunately), I simply might not actually be capable of such still.



With all that said, I'm still trying to give myself a deadline for at least being done with the most basic changes up to Chapter 2:

1. Midway point/Possibly early release: March 10, 2011. (One-year anniversary of when I started).

2. Strict deadline of at least most basic Chapter 2 changes: March 31, 2011. (More likely date.)


Thank you for your time.


3. Knight, as the main class, leads to Templar, the primary anti-magic class in the game. (Knight has a lot more sword-related skills and what's essentially a lesser Revive with Monks' horrible, horrible death. For people coming off 1.3, I should point out here that these Knights don't have 1.3 Ruins, which have been given to Templar and Paladin.)

4. Archer, as the main class, leads to Marksman, who are at present just renamed Ninja who use Bows and can't equip Two Swords. (Archer has an entirely new skillset; Charge has died.)

5. Mediator, as the main class, leads either to Thief or to Chemist. (It was originally going to lead to Chemist, which led to Thief, but it's the asymmetrical class already, so allowing Thief to open up earlier should be fine. I also feel it makes more sense thematically.)

6. Priest, as the main class, leads to Illusionist, something of an amalgam between Calculator/ARENA's Sage and the "deceased" Oracle class. (Priest is basically a Barrier Maiden now what with having Reflect as well as Protect and Shell now, though it has a couple of status-based offensive options that aren't limited to Undead enemies, at present. Due to an idea given to me indirectly by RavenofRazgriz, Holy is learn on hit only now.)

7. Wizard, as the main class, leads to Geomancer, which is decidedly less physical than before in exchange for still not using MP (since we're still unable to enforce MP costs on them) and all their Elemental abilities actually have elements now. (The elementals have changed and are all drastically different from each other now. Wizards have gained condensed Bio spells [of varying elements of Water, Dark and Earth] and as such have lost Poison & Death, which are just dead at present. They also Frog, which has been given to Time Mage, in exchange for taking something akin to Time Mage's Meteor as a Learn on Hit ability ala FFIX. They have, at present, also gained Life Drain and a Debarrier ability.)

8. Templar, as the main class, leads to Dragoon, which is just a renamed Lancer given that we can't yet use the unique Jump in any other class and that was too much to lose. (It going back to boring old Jump did, however, give me back even more ability space than I already have to still use and many of the abilities that Dragoon was planned to have been given Templar, which desperately needed more physical abilities.)

9. Marksmen, as the main class, leads to Gunner, which is the class mostly likely to die given how focused it is on exactly one weapon--Mythril Gun is the Materia Blade now for all intents and purposes--and how relatively boring it is. (In the increasingly likely event that it dies, Guns will become completely unequippable for generics; whatever replaces it will still be a distant/Archer-esque class, though.)

10. Illusionist, as the main class, leads to Summoner, which has been become a lot like its FFV and FFX self when it comes to gaining half of its Summoner magic. (I suppose I should mention here that Golem is somewhat dead and all of these abilities won't be "one time" only affairs. In fact, at least one of them is going assuredly show up in a non-Zodiac story event now, even if it is all the way in Chapter 4. They have a new Summon--based on an old FFVI one--using an old sprite/animation that I hope fits.)

11. Geomancer, as the main class, leads to Time Mage, which, like Illusionist and Templar, is trying to pick up Oracle's lost slack when it comes to status the hell out of people. (It's much less of a damage dealer now with Demi 2 and Meteor not existing and its Comet-based spells being...iffy. It's arguably more dangerous beyond that now between having an instant-kill spell with set-up and several crippling status spells that hit over wide areas.)


All of these are Razele's.

2. No starting items. (I'd rather learn how to change the starting items than have their be none at all.)

9. Selling items at (Fur) Shops costs 1/4 normal price.

13. Equip Change innate all. (Pretty much definitely no longer using this one, though Soldier and Ramza will have Innate Equip Change at present.)

14. Defend innate all v1.1. (Not use this one either anymore because the AI is too stupid about wasting turns with Defend. Ramza will have Defend innately, though.)

15. Monster Skill innate all. (Given that Monster Skill is pointless now, this is also pointless to use.)

16. Undead units receive 25% max HP damage from Phoenix Down. (This will have to be changed to Undead units just ignoring Phoenix Down due to Zalera and a couple of other things.)

19. Katana chance to break. (I don't really need this anymore either since already know how to have something break 100% of the time like I want.)
"Sorrow cannot be abolished. It is meaningless to try." - FFX's Yunalesca

"Good and evil are relative, but being a dick cannot be allowed." - Oglaf's Thaumaturge in "The Abyss"

"Well, see, the real magic isn't believing in yourself. The real magic is manipulating people by telling them to believe in themselves. The more you believe, the less you check facts."  - Oglaf's Vanka in "Conviction"

RavenOfRazgriz

Alright then.  Send me a new one whenever you're satisfied and I'll look over it when I have some time since my number of commitments is steadily thinning out as I begin finishing things up.

philsov

February 22, 2011, 10:06:20 am #4 Last Edit: February 22, 2011, 01:22:13 pm by philsov
byah!

1) Cool, I'll wait until it's a bit more indepth before messing with it
2) Fun twist, but JP should be taken into account with them system, imo, or flag a majority of the skills as ally/enemy only.  Otherwise as soon as I learn the spell with one person, he'll teach it to the rest.  Extrapoloate over a large army and I'll have a lot unlocked very quickly.  Unless that's your goal, of course.
3) Cool
4/5) *hi-five*
6) Good spread.  I'm a bit concerned about marksman redundancy with archer, but we'll see what you can pull off first.
7) that sounds familiar!  minus the pally thing, of course.
8) Spreading around revival can prove to be interesting.  I can assume you'll still mix things up with range/vert tol/% HP/etc?  Any plans for an AoE rez or two?
9-end) Can't wait to see.

job tree:

Is Elemental adopting a pure MA (ie, [(MA + Y) / 2] * MA damage formula (akin to its FF5 self)?

QuoteIt's like...balance itself is an eldritch abomination.


Oh, indeed :)

One solution to the midchargey death is simply to remove either or both the 150% damage debuff and the evasion loss debuff currently associated with charging.  iirc FFM has cracked both of those.  In my patch (man, role reversal!) chargers lost the damage debuff but retain the lack of evasion.  Lower speed I can regale you with, and reduced damage isn't too hard to muster -- in general just reduce growths for PA/MA and increase HP growth.  Most of the multipliers and pre-raw stats are fine as-is, imo. 

What makes the so-called "problematic" classes thusly?
Just another rebel plotting rebellion.

The Damned

February 22, 2011, 02:47:47 pm #5 Last Edit: May 21, 2011, 11:34:17 am by The Damned
Thank you for the expressed interest, philsov. I feel that's high praise coming from you. I'll try to live up to it.

Now, I'm going to assume that you're referring to the first list with those numbers given that it's kind of difficult to tell, so please forgive me if my replies don't exactly illuminate anything:

1. Thanks. I just hope that I can make something more of the element stuff beyond "it's super effective!", but I don't think I can do that without turning to one of the programs, which...bugs me. That's just one of the problems beyond potentially overdoing it, though.

2-a. Oh, I'm aware of that. Given the nature of Summons, that's already taken care for all Summon Magic outside of one of the new Summons, which is in direct competition with Titan, which is also now Learn on Hit only at present. So, of 16 Summons, 15 will only affect a specific side and 1 will probably be stronger in exchange for potentially killing any allies in the area. However, that restriction might not be as disadvantageous as I want to given absorb, it being Earth-element and such....

2-b. As for Blue Magic, it's less figured out. I'm technically fine with a lot of skills being able to hit allies that can also hit enemies, though a few probably will be more difficult to get. At present, the only real notable ones will always hit allies and enemies are Choco Cure and Bad Breath. Yes, I'm giving Bad Breath to my Blue Mages; don't worry, it's been nerfed and there's a price for using it if you're not of the Marlboro family. (No, I'm not giving Blue Mages Self-Destruct. That would be stupid given what I want to do.)

3. Wait. Didn't this say something besides "cool"? Assuming I'm not horribly hallucinating (again), to answer the previous question that I thought was there, all Level 4 elementals and all Level 2 status stuff has already been purposed as different abilities for generics, mainly Illusionist; all Bio spells besides the condensed three that Wizard has have similarly already been used up for generics. The only things that haven't been so used are Haste 2, Slow 2 and Demi 2, but that's just because I only decided to nix those like three or four days ago. Haste 2 and Slow 2 will probably replace Illusionist skills so that the original skills of what were used can come back as boss versions with names that are easier to keep track of. Not sure what the hell Demi 2 will become, though. It might not change and just become boss-only.

4/5. Hi-fives are...lame, but it's okay, I'm lamer than lame, so it's still too-cool for me. *hi-fives*

6. Yeah, I'm worried about that too. Marksman's Throw abilities are also problematic because with both SP, WP and movement decreasing, they become even worse, especially since a lot of more equipment has elemental stuff attached to it now and more or less similar weapon power. Increasingly, it seems like they've just retained those abilities because of wanting to keep Catch around; I already feel like I've gotten rid of too many RSMs, even as worthless or broken as a lot of them are. Well that and because, when I started this, we (as in FFH, not as in my other personalities...which I don't have) still thought we couldn't change Ninja's skill set without it going into seizures. Not that I could think of what to give another Archery-based class right now between Archer still being my least favorite Tier 1 class ability-wise, current formulaic restrictions and Gunner's possible replacement.

7. Yeah. I've had those replacements in place for like a year though, so I guess a bunch of people around here think alike or we all just really hate Dancer in addition to realizing that Calculator is obviously broken.

8. Yes, there are differences. At present, Summoner retains its AoE revival (which isn't Learn on Hit because well, yeah) and Minstrel is getting AoE revival, where as Summoner is still distant (it's basically Fairy but nerfed HP-wise as with most revival) and Minstrel's is Self-AoE. Knight's is basically a lesser Monk's Revive, but with 1 or 2 panels of vertical tolerance to compensate; Soldier's is the same technique. Chemist still has the only revival technique that doesn't take MP at present, though Phoenix Downs at present have been further nerfed and will only bring you back to a maximum of 10 HP at best; Throw Range will also be nerfed to a range of 3 now that I know we can do that. Priest's Raise is much the same other than a boost in accuracy to compensate for it costing more and healing less. The same goes for Paladin's revival.

End. As aforementioned, I'll try to live up to it.


As for Elemental, I've considered that, but at present, it just uses the same formula because I still can't attach a CT or a MP cost to it. I've been more trying to mess with what Elemental stuff does, but given that I'm an idiot, I only just realized after starting this back up two weeks how much that will mess with Counter Flood. So, now I'm thinking of just turning into ARENA's Elemental beyond adding element to everything and nerfing Carve Model while boosting the rarer Elemental attacks like Blizzard and Lava Ball. It's just one of the many things I'm still not sure about.

As for Charging, I'm already doing that. I suppose I should note that somewhere above, but I couldn't remember what ASM it was since my ASM list is so old....

As for problem classes, it's probably best if I use spoilers here:

The problem with Gunner is two-fold. The first problem is that it is really boring as a class. It's basically just "pick elemental ammo and shoot"...when I already have a bunch of classes that have a bunch of elemental attacks. I mean, it IS the only generic class besides Blue Mage to get all Element as attacks--actually, Blue Magic might not have Dark, I forget--and all, but the formulas that can be associated with Guns (or, rather, WP*WP) weapons and not break are...fewer than I would like.

Additionally, just the Guns itself is a problem. At present, due it relying entirely ON the Gun, even with getting Weapon Break so late in the game, I still have to give them innate Maintenance to prevent Thieves and Paladins from owning them. Furthermore, since there's only two guns in the game now, of which only one is buyable, and gun uses the Materia Blade boolean that Gunners need, I've ended up with a class that I always need to set in the ENTD and becomes useless if it's picked as a Secondary. Even keeping Equip Gun around (which is honestly wasted as such) doesn't mitigate that.

There's two lesser problems due to the fact that we're still unable to manipulate the store in selling things that normally aren't on sell, so the last two, non-elemental pieces of ammo can't be bought easily, even if I made them poachable and the only Move-Find Item rewards in the entire game. The second minor problem is that any non-Gun based skills I've been thinking about kind of cuts into my design plans for Mustadio's new skill set, so it's just a huge pain in the ass.

I'm thinking about getting rid of guns from generics entirely and just having them be able to be equipped by special characters like Mustadio, Chapter 3 and 4 Ramza, Balk and a few others. It might free Equip Gun for use as well, though what that means when I'd have entirely replace an Archer class when the Archer tree is already pressed for skills is difficult to say.


It's a much simpler problem of having it currently fall into the same trap of Dancer. To open Dancer's spot (like in vanilla), you choose to use a bunch of sub-optimal (if barely) physical classes for your female units only to get the "ultimate physical class that only females can attain"...which has nothing to do with physical abilities at all.

No, this isn't to say that Paladin is completely devoid of PA-based abilities like Dancer (technically) was. It has Weapon Break and an attacks that's much like ARENA's Grand Cross, but always Holy element at present (if you're not using a weapon with another element). However, even with just those two, I feel like it's already eating into Agrias's area and all its other abilities are either magical or Undead-hate, which is becoming magical anyway. So...yeah. It needs more weapon-based skills like Knight and Templar have now, but I'm kind of drawing blanks, especially since I want to do the special characters after I go over all the generics, meaning that I haven't figured out Agrias's actual area yet.


I hope that answers everything. If not, I'll be back in like an hour.

Quote from: RavenOfRazgriz on February 21, 2011, 11:30:03 pm
Alright then.  Send me a new one whenever you're satisfied and I'll look over it when I have some time since my number of commitments is steadily thinning out as I begin finishing things up.


That's good. I'll probably be done with it by time the weekend ends...if I can get enough room back on this computer to get ePsXe (or whatever I was using) working again. Then again, I might just number-crunch the hell out of things.

At the very least, it will not have as many typos in it as it did last time. It was...embarrassing realizing the amount.
"Sorrow cannot be abolished. It is meaningless to try." - FFX's Yunalesca

"Good and evil are relative, but being a dick cannot be allowed." - Oglaf's Thaumaturge in "The Abyss"

"Well, see, the real magic isn't believing in yourself. The real magic is manipulating people by telling them to believe in themselves. The more you believe, the less you check facts."  - Oglaf's Vanka in "Conviction"

philsov

February 22, 2011, 04:14:01 pm #6 Last Edit: February 22, 2011, 04:14:46 pm by philsov
My #3 response asked what your plans were for the ability slots, if anything, but that was later answered in your OP post and then further with the latest one.

If markmen are retaining throw that should suffice.  So... if biggest difference between marksman and ninja is (lack of) innate two swords and general facelift?  Should suffice, until you fiddle with throw anyways.

QuoteAs for problem classes, it's probably best if I use spoilers here:


nono.  Monk, Ninja, Samurai, and somehow Oracle :).  I mean, I'm half-aware of your viewpoint but it isn't something I'd call problematic about them.
Just another rebel plotting rebellion.

The Damned

February 22, 2011, 04:51:54 pm #7 Last Edit: May 21, 2011, 11:39:51 am by The Damned
Oh, those problematic classes. Well, let's see I can make this concise for once:

1. Monk: We all know that it's broken as hell. The only thing that limits it is something as capricious as verticals, which tends not to matter on most maps, and a vague limitation of proximity, at least if you make Earth Slash avoidable since it was guaranteed to hit in vanilla. Even then, they still have more range than other physical classes, even freaking Archers a lot of the time due to Earth Slash hitting under/through objects; Wave Fist is a lesser, but similar problem.

Outside of Spin Fist, all their skills are similarly pretty buff even before the stupidity that is Martial Arts barges in and beats everyone up. Repeating Fist either does colossal damage or becomes unavoidable if it's to be used at all. Secret Fist allows them to generally take down the few things that they can't already OHKO that aren't bosses and works much better than other death-dealing abilities. Chakra is the only healing move that heals both HP and MP simultaneously and it does it instantly AND to multiple units along with the user. Stigma Magic is instant, free Esuna that multi-targets. Revive is an instant, if lesser, Raise that isn't nearly as iffy on low-Faith units.

Martial Arts just magnifies the problem at least two-fold and since removing it from the game (or, at least, player use outside of maybe Mime innate) would mean having to rework Monks anyway, I figured they can go to hell since I don't care about them and they'd probably still end up being OP. That it has Hamedo (and HP Restore and Move-HP Up) just furthers this.


2. Samurai: This one is more of "Blade Grasp is problematic" then anything else. This isn't to say that Draw Out isn't overpowered. It definitely is. It basically obviates all Faith-based damage magic, especially late game. There's no real reason to have a caster not using Draw Out (or Summon Magic) if you want guaranteed damage without getting your frail face caved in and getting dropped, even in 1.3. That it doesn't even take CT or MP is more insult to injury and that it originally discriminated between ally and enemies is rather absurd. At least Geomancer's Elemental and Counter Flood is limited by terrain and hits allies if you're not careful.

Even with my plans to make magic generally more usable throughout the game, get rid of mid-Charge damage boost stupidity and the ability to make Draw Out M-evadable or hit allies or have katanas always break, Draw Out as instant AoE attacks would still be OP IMO. There's a reason that Gunner is really boring and single target outside of the two ammunition clips that can't be bought in shops and that's because it can't be "trusted" given the limitation and the nature of Draw Out.


3. Ninja: This is was more a case of "innate Two Swords is bad (at least with vanilla's damage) and Throw being based on movement is kind of stupid" than actual brokenness. I was going to get rid of Two Swords, originally, but getting rid of Martial Arts and Concentrate and making sure that Marksman can't equip Two Swords innately anymore (though this means they can't equip it at all...) prevented that. Additionally, Two Swords works on a lot fewer weapons now as does Throw, actually; you can't throw Flails or Knight Swords anymore, for example, though they've been replaced by Rods and Staves.

I might still get rid of Throw since it's just kind of there to give Catch something to do and because I can't think of anything Archer based due to the limitation of Weapon Range and not knowing how to use the ARH yet. (Even then, so far, I only have like five or six abilities that actually need the ARH and one of those is going to Archer anyway.) At present, the whole Archer tree is doomed by a lack of inspiration to get around the limitations of current formulas.


4. Oracle: Like I said, it wasn't a problem, it was a casualty, like Fighter against Sarda. I really liked Oracle and probably used it more than most people--hell, I'm probably the only person on FFH to use Dispel Magic with some regularity (read: seldom as opposed to never).

I mean, sure, it did have Life Drain versus Lucavi, but I'm capping the damage on such spells anyway and Wizard has it now; I'm fine with percentage spells on the Lucavi, though I might get rid of it on Wizard (and for generics) anyway for another ability since Priest might have too strong a status at present. (For the record, Templar has Spell Absorb and rather a decent amount of Oracle's old spells; other classes with Oracle's old spells include Priest, Time Mage and, somewhat, Illusionist.)


I'm hoping that answers everything. I hope that I can get done with going over human generics by tonight so that I can get to monsters given how I just realized I need to fix at least a quarter of them in addition to skill set stuff. After that, special characters and then...stuff.
"Sorrow cannot be abolished. It is meaningless to try." - FFX's Yunalesca

"Good and evil are relative, but being a dick cannot be allowed." - Oglaf's Thaumaturge in "The Abyss"

"Well, see, the real magic isn't believing in yourself. The real magic is manipulating people by telling them to believe in themselves. The more you believe, the less you check facts."  - Oglaf's Vanka in "Conviction"

philsov

stuff is good.

Speaking of ARH, you can employ it to fix your gunner class.  Rather than cannibalize a lesser weapon class, just change that weapon class to be gunner-friendly and flag its skills as "X weapon class only" instead of "X item only".  This'll allow you to have a spread of weaponry instead of just one.

QuoteI'm fine with percentage spells on the Lucavi


You are including Raz's ASM on the matter (ie, ceiling of 999), right?
Just another rebel plotting rebellion.

The Damned

February 23, 2011, 01:51:45 pm #9 Last Edit: May 21, 2011, 11:41:08 am by The Damned
Yes, I need to update that ASM list desperately. The ceiling probably won't even be as high as 999, even though it's looking like more and more the only percentage spell that the player will actually have access to is Time Mage's Demi/Quarter spell. Lich and Death died strange aeons ago, Demi 2 met a recent demise and Wizard is currently pissing me off because I'm trying to think what would actually be useful for it to have if it loses Life Drain; Life Drain will still be around, it's just that Queklain/Cuchuulain and perhaps that master magician will have it instead of generics.

Also, is there a tutorial for the ARH or something? Because I still have no idea how to use that thing and using the search function doesn't even turn up something that I'm very likely over-looking. It would probably help me finish up human generics if I knew what I could actually do with it since right now I'm running straight into a wall called "Archer path is being an asshole".
"Sorrow cannot be abolished. It is meaningless to try." - FFX's Yunalesca

"Good and evil are relative, but being a dick cannot be allowed." - Oglaf's Thaumaturge in "The Abyss"

"Well, see, the real magic isn't believing in yourself. The real magic is manipulating people by telling them to believe in themselves. The more you believe, the less you check facts."  - Oglaf's Vanka in "Conviction"

philsov

February 23, 2011, 01:58:49 pm #10 Last Edit: February 23, 2011, 02:00:16 pm by philsov
no tutorial that I'm aware of.  Seemed pretty intuitive to me, at least until the patching step.  But the spreadsheet itself is fine.

Create the restriction (ie, must be equipped with X weapon class, or be X status, or be X, class, or whatever).  Use that restriction (let's say 02) and then go over into the next sheet and assign 02 to whatever ability should have that restriction.  afaik the text/name sheets allow you to change the names, much like resources, so you can better keep track of stuff you've changed.
Just another rebel plotting rebellion.

The Damned

Quote from: The Damned on February 24, 2011, 08:09:36 pm
Ugh, it took forever just to update the vagueness of the Soldier and Tier 1 classes.

When will I ever learn to be concise? (I should ask the same of my apparent abuse of bold and spoiler.)

I'll try to update the ASM list by tonight too.


Try and fail apparently. Just like how I failed to notice thrice that I had hit the word limit (or left certain "list" functions in).

I really need to be more concise.

Anyway, posts separated for now. ASM list updated, including giving credit to the hackers.
"Sorrow cannot be abolished. It is meaningless to try." - FFX's Yunalesca

"Good and evil are relative, but being a dick cannot be allowed." - Oglaf's Thaumaturge in "The Abyss"

"Well, see, the real magic isn't believing in yourself. The real magic is manipulating people by telling them to believe in themselves. The more you believe, the less you check facts."  - Oglaf's Vanka in "Conviction"

RavenOfRazgriz

You... hit the word limit?

You really do need to go through and trim this baby down then.  I'm sure you can do it, hell, maybe I'll do it in the next couple days if I'm bored since I tend to be that guy who helps everyone write descriptions anyway. 

Soldier is... different, and not the kind of class design I approve of.  (See: the whole Red Mage thing in ASM'd and 1.4.)  In this case it at least serves a purpose in that the unit sampling everything is a flavored apprentice to all, but it's still not something I can endorse.  Also, you should describe the moves this class shares under both this class and the class its borrowing from.  It's annoying to need to go back and forth all the time.

Archer's Aim - Vital's should probably just Separate Inflict Poison and Blind for a net ~75% rate I think.  Death Sentence is really annoying to mess with unless you set it to be 0 or 1 counter.  Is there a reason you're murdering Equip Katana instead of just loading up Equip Crossbow?

I see you took my offhanded suggestion from 1.4 with moving Knight around.  (If you can't tell, I also did the same.)  Lol'd at "ghetto Take Aim" hard for some reason.  You messed your bold up hard here, I think.  Also, leave the -Speed dead.

Mediators, Re: Steal Heart - even Tiamats like them some titty.  For Scream: use a different MA+Y formula for it, since it's not technically meant to follow Talk Skill convention anyway.  I don't see why you'd have Mimic Daravon hit caster if the other's don't, you're not about to talk yourself to sleep.  See: Filibuster.

Priests, Eh.  That Pray spell seems like it could just be Cure 1 itself.  You should probably toss Slumber from Priest to remove the redundancy between them and Mediator altogether.

Wizards. So. Many. Spells.

The Damned

February 26, 2011, 07:18:33 pm #13 Last Edit: May 21, 2011, 11:45:11 am by The Damned
Yeah, I need learn how to be concise. I've gotten slightly better about not going off on tangents as of late, but...yeah.

I'll fix Soldier when I move it from the first post after I finish all the classes tonight. (Yes, I mean it this time.) And, yeah, I don't approve of it either, but it's really there to just fulfill a purpose without being as lazily Red Mage as possible since it will still have some use as a Secondary without obviating either White Magic or Black Magic (or being obviated by either).

The Aim: Vitals thing seems like a fair enough improvement. To be honest, Poison and Death Sentence was only there because Death Sentence is always bundled with Poison in my patch at present since you know how the AI is about Death Sentence.

Knight being based off FFTA Fencer happened in March 2010, well before I was even aware of 1.4. So...no. Just a welcome coincidence since Knight being Sir Breaks Shit is boring, especially if you used the enhanced Maintenance.

Take Aim vs. Featherblow is another thing I'm not proud of.

Mediator's Mimic Daravon hitting the user is just a piss-poor attempt to not have it be abused up-close, though it's not really necessary. (I've seen people talk themselves to sleep with boring stories, though.)

You're perhaps right about Priest. I'm just not sure what the hell Slumber would go to if I take it away from Priest since giving it to Wizard is just the same problem. I might just make it single-target.

Bushido EDIT: Equip Katana is dying because Katana are all dead already, being foreign weapons and all.
"Sorrow cannot be abolished. It is meaningless to try." - FFX's Yunalesca

"Good and evil are relative, but being a dick cannot be allowed." - Oglaf's Thaumaturge in "The Abyss"

"Well, see, the real magic isn't believing in yourself. The real magic is manipulating people by telling them to believe in themselves. The more you believe, the less you check facts."  - Oglaf's Vanka in "Conviction"

RavenOfRazgriz

Quote from: The Damned on February 26, 2011, 07:18:33 pmKnight being based off FFTA Fencer happened last year in March, well before I was even aware of 1.4. So...no. Just a welcome coincidence since Knight being Sir Breaks Shit is boring, especially if you used the enhanced Maintenance.


I meant flipping Knight into the Calculator slot to avoid slowdown.

My Knight is also Sir Breaks Shit technically, I think he's just kinda doomed to that role by everyone.  Mine just also has a habit of breaking peoples' kneecaps like a gangsta and enjoying the fact Maintenance got deleted.

Quote from: The Damned on February 11, 1974, 11:49:51 pmTake Aim vs. Featherblow is another thing I'm not proud of.


You really should merge them into a single Weapon Range skill.

Quote from: The Damned on February 11, 1974, 11:49:51 pm(I've seen people talk themselves to sleep with boring stories, though.)


Maybe if you're 60.

Quote from: The Damned on February 11, 1974, 11:49:51 pmYou're perhaps right about Priest. I'm just not sure what the hell Slumber would go to if I take a way from Priest since giving it to Wizard is just the same problem. I might just make it single-target.


Simple solution: Give it to nobody.  Use the space for something else.  Ability slots can get pretty precious depending on your plans.

The Damned

Well, I suppose that's fair enough, though getting rid of Featherblow means having to think up something else for Knight when I'm already kind of "meh" on ideas for them. Getting rid of Slumber is a much less problem given that at least two or three other classes will have Sleep-inducing abilities.

(Also, don't be ageist.)

Regardless, interesting to know you're getting rid of Maintenance entirely. I wouldn't have guessed, even with how problematic it is. (Or did you just mean that it's not going to be available to generics when you said "deleted"?)
"Sorrow cannot be abolished. It is meaningless to try." - FFX's Yunalesca

"Good and evil are relative, but being a dick cannot be allowed." - Oglaf's Thaumaturge in "The Abyss"

"Well, see, the real magic isn't believing in yourself. The real magic is manipulating people by telling them to believe in themselves. The more you believe, the less you check facts."  - Oglaf's Vanka in "Conviction"

RavenOfRazgriz

I'LL BE AGEIST IF I DAMN WELL WANT TO BE GRRRRR [/sarcasmthatissomehowundetectedovertheinternet]

I mean it's dead, as are most of the protections of the Immortal "status."  I'm going to write over it with something once I know how to disable its code.  All Maintenance does is give the player an easy out to Divine Knights and Knights/Thieves without actually making the game more complex or interesting, so I don't feel bad.

The Damned

February 26, 2011, 07:45:20 pm #17 Last Edit: May 21, 2011, 11:47:14 am by The Damned
Ah, I agree with you there, though given that I'm far inferior to you and FDC when it comes to working with code (though to be honest, I haven't even tried), I'm going the opposite route in much the same way I'm trying with Iron Will/Finger Guard: Give the classes that Maintenance currently obviates things to get around it rather than removing it completely.

I respect your decision, though, and look forward to how it turns out.
"Sorrow cannot be abolished. It is meaningless to try." - FFX's Yunalesca

"Good and evil are relative, but being a dick cannot be allowed." - Oglaf's Thaumaturge in "The Abyss"

"Well, see, the real magic isn't believing in yourself. The real magic is manipulating people by telling them to believe in themselves. The more you believe, the less you check facts."  - Oglaf's Vanka in "Conviction"

The Damned

February 28, 2011, 04:24:11 am #18 Last Edit: July 09, 2012, 11:29:34 pm by The Damned
Ugh. 13 hours between this and fixing just four classes in FFTPatcher. FML. I'll fix the boundless typos later.

I'm so tired that I'm actually going to double post for once, but here's all the human generic classes.

A Class Of Its Own:


Soldier
Formerly called "Squire" (which is a name reserved for Algus & Chapter 1 Ramza now), Soldiers are those who are trained in the most basic of battle competence. Jacks of all trades and masters of none, a soldier's position is nonetheless most people's starting points for many of Ivalice's basic trades both on and off the battlefield.

Equipment: Daggers, Swords, Axes & Hammers, Rods, Staves, Crossbows, Longbows, Instruments, Tomes, Polearms, Poles, Shields, Toques, Helms, Hats, Armor, Clothing, Robes, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 05 Basic Skill

Innate Abilities: Equip Change - They doubtless will well lose this, though.

Status Immunity: None.

Active Abilities: Soldier has 15 Active Abilities, though none are truly their own. Given the nature of "their" class, outside of their RSMs, any change in their active abilities is entirely dependent on changes in Tier 1 classes:

1. Dash (from Fencer) - Has been upped in power and I want to up the Knockback to 100%.

2. Revive (from Fencer) - Much the same as Monk's old Revive, except with an added vertical and increased chance to hit in exchange for now having an MP cost; it has returned to be instant.

3. Shield Break (from Fencer) - A replacement both here and in Fencer with Fencer having gotten Shield Break back from Berserker.

4. Blinding Bomb (from Marksman) - Replaces shared Take Aim, which is now dead.

5. Oily Bomb (from Marksman) - Replaces shared Charge, which is now dead.

6. Aim: Leg (from Marksman) - Lifted from Mustadio and uses PA now. Otherwise the same.

7. Converse (from Orator) - The replacement of its third shared skill with Mediator given that Scream is dead now, though that could go to Mediator's Befriend instead.

8. Praise (from Orator) - Will probably stay at +10 Brave/Fury.

9. Preach (from Orator) - Will probably stay at +10 Faith.

10. Fire (from Wizard) - Now the least damaging of three main Black Magic elements, it has the most AoE and the quickest CT/speed with AoE 2.

11. Blizzard (from Wizard) - The closest to vanilla and thus middle of the road in Black Magic damage and having AoE 1. It is the cheapest of the three in terms of MP.

12. Thunder (from Wizard) - Currently the opposite of its initial self in that its the slowest and avoidable in exchange for having the most range and power. Still single-targeting.

13. Cure (from Priest) - AoE of 2 now. Otherwise the same.

14. Protect (from Priest) - Ignores Reflective status now. Otherwise the same.

15. Shell (from Priest) - Ignores Reflective status now. Otherwise the same.

Reaction Abilities: None.

Support Abilities: Soldier has 3 Support abilities.

1. Defend - Still considering making this innate on everyone.

2. Equip Change - Soldier will probably lose this innately. Likely to end up getting removed from the game entirely, at least as a Support.

3. Gained EXP Up - Will stay around for a while, if only because of the Soldier office.

Movement Abilities: Soldier has 1 Movement ability.

Move-Get EXP - Likely to follow Move-Get JP and end up removed from the game completely or, at least, not be its own separate movement.


Those First Stepping Stones:



Fencer
More noble than the mere Soldier (though not of noble enough birth to be an actual Knight), these sons and daughters of Ivalice take up sword, mace, axe and other hardened steel alongside their shields in order to do away with foes in honorable close-combat. They now focus far more on swordplay like the Fencer class of FFTA as opposed to just breaking everything in their path like the brutes of vanilla, though they can still do that pretty well too.

Equipment: Daggers?, Swords, Knightswords, Axes & Hammers, Polearms, Poles, Shields, Helms, Armor, Clothing, Robes, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 07 Blade Work - No longer must be switched with Calculator's Math Skill for that to avoid slowdown for Animist/Blue Magick.

Innate Abilities: None.

Status Immunity: None.

Active Abilities: Knight has 8 abilities, half of which will focus more on sword-play now as opposed to just breaking things. Lost Blade Dance and got back Shield Break:

1. Dash - Shared with a few other classes, it will be stronger now and unavoidable. The knockback will probably end up being 100%.

2. Revive - Basically Monk's old Revive, except weakened and no longer instance in exchange for having actual vertical reach now. Might become instant at the cost of healing less and costing MP.

3. Shield Break - Since Berserker is now an entirely different beast and all generics can currently equip Shields, this can come much earlier now.

4. Magic Ruin - Taken from Acolyte since Berserker took all Knight's break skills.

5. Debarrier - Taken from Wizard and now back to being the "swordskill" it started out as. Rather changed. Weapon range ability that cuts through Protect and Shell, but takes MP and can't get past Reflective.

6. Checkmate - Somewhat changed as well. Close-range "swordskill" attack that does normal damage and cancels Reflective & Misty now that Reraise is currently "dead".

7. Featherblow - A lesser damage, more accurate attack that has can add Slow since it needs to better than Take Aim as it's close-range only; it is generally more powerful than Take Aim in terms of straight damage. Or, it was, until Take Aim died.

8. Nighthawk - Like Featherblow, it has to be balanced against a certain Marksman ability, in this instance Sonic Boom, though there's additional "pressure" because it's a single-target Wind attack and the only distance attack that Knights have. Its ARH limitations will basically be the exact opposite of Sonic Boom when it comes to weapons.

Reaction Abilities: Fencer has 2 Reaction abilities at present.

1. Cover (Caution) - Might become an Auto-Protect reaction, but then it would go to Priest most likely....

2. Pushback (Counter Tackle) - Not much to say here.

Support Abilities: Fencer has 2 Support abilities at present.

1. Defense UP - Back from Orator after Orator returned Marksman's spot. Reduced to 25%, though that is likely to change. Might go to the Tier 2 Knight path class, Paladin.

2. Equip Sword - Might include Knight's Swords/Knightswords. Not sure of any other changes. Otherwise the same.

Movement Abilities: None.



Marksman
Masters of the perhaps antiquated bow, they are still the primary marksmen of Ivalice even with much advancements and rumors of discovery hidden treasure in Goug. So skilled are Marksmen that they can hit specific parts of a target and disable them without causing much pain.

Equipment: Crossbows, Longbows, Shields, Hats, Clothings, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 08 Marksmanship - This takes the place of Charge and is a <Default> skill set. Selected over "Target" given the coherence I'm trying to go for naming-wise.

Innate Abilities: None.

Status Immunity: None. - Lost immunity to Confused due to the back and forth switching with Orator and the lesser stats that come with leading into Thief & Chemist--well, now Scholar & Animist--because of it.

Active Abilities: Marksman now has 9 Active abilities. Latest causalities, after Cupid, Salve and Aim: Vitals died, are Take Aim & Charge, which died both because they are 'inevitably" redundant and because would have had targeting problems:


1. Blinding Bomb - Lifted from RavenofRazgriz since Aim: Vitals is dead. Three-range, single-target, Direct attempt to add Blind.

2. Oily Bomb - Lifted from RavenofRazgriz since Cupid is dead. Three-range, single-target, Direct attempt to add Oily.

3. Aim: Leg - Lifted from Mustadio and uses PA now. Otherwise the same.

4. Poisonous Bomb - Lifted from RavenofRazgriz since Salve is dead. Three-range, single-target, Direct attempt to add Poisoned.

5. Sonic Boom - Rather changed from before. Now an Auto AoE 1 Wind element attack around the user.

6. Aim: Arm - Lifted from Mustadio and uses PA now. Otherwise the same.

7. Arrow Deluge - An AoE 1 (currently) magickal Water attack that can be used from a distance, but is somewhat random.

8. Helm Break - Got this from Berserker.

9. Armor Break - Got this from Berserker.

Reaction Abilities: Marksman has only 1 Reaction ability.

Arrow Guard - With the increased chance that the few guns in the games won't even be able to be equipped by generics and already took a power and range nerf, this very likely still WON'T affect Guns. It might, though, now that Equip Ranged exists in Embargo

Support Abilities: Marksman has 2 Support abilities.

1. Attack UP - Now that Marksman and its "upgrades", Berserk & Dragoon, are the path of PA unlike Knight, this goes to them. Reduced to 25%, which is likely to change. Might go to the Tier 2 class, Berserker.

2. Equip Ranged (Equip Crossbow) - Allows on to equip Longbows, Crossbows & Guns. Marksman won't be able to use Guns otherwise still, though.

Movement Abilities: Marksman has only 1 Movement ability.

Explore (Move-Find Item) - Still considering to make this innate on Marksman now that Chemist is totally dead and no one has it innately at present.



Orator
Some Soldiers grow weary of battle and instead largely give up arms to help with diplomatic matters or even the non-violent taming of the wild. Do not mistake their reluctance to fight for cowardice as many Orators have a more solid, ironclad will than most common men. They can still fight if pressed, though they rely more on their words to disorient and sway their enemies than the largely hidden or inconspicuous weapons most Orators carry.

Equipment: Daggers, Rods, Staves, Instruments, Tomes, Shields, Toques, Hats, Clothing, Robes, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 0F Speechcraft - Funny how I switched from "Oratory Skill" to that now that I'm actually using Orator as the name.

Innate Abilities: Monster Talk.

Status Immunity: Charmed - It might seem a bit overpowering, especially for so early a class, but I feel that it at once allows for me to give them slightly lower stats overall than the four other Tier 1 classes and make up for them inevitably having lower stats anyway.

Active Abilities: Orator has 10 active abilities now that Provoke went to Berserker. It's probably the most stable of the Tier 1 classes, though it may get an 11th skill again. I should note here that the only Speechcraft that can hit its user now is Drone and that's single-targeting now:

1. Befriend - "Invitation" is now temporary and only causes Charm. This would be the unisex Charm to Steal Heart's sexy charm (that somehow works on all manners of beasts, but not the same-sex...)...if Steal Heart was still available to the player.

2. Converse - Just a renamed Persuade at this point, though it has a lowered chance to hit. I have an idea about how to make this less broken than sending CT to 00.

3. Praise - This has dropped to +8 "Brave". It will probably stay there.

4. Undermine/Caution - Just a renamed Threaten. This has dropped to -10 "Brave" again.

5. Preach - This has dropped to at +8 Faith. It will probably there.

6. Reject - Just a renamed Solution. This has dropped to -10 Faith again.

7. Intimidate - Death Sentence's Disabling replacement. Was originally called "Threaten", but I didn't want to create confusion with the vanilla skill.

8. Drone - Just a renamed Mimic Daravon. It's single-target now, though only recently, which is why it can still target the user--I doubt I'll change that just because I find it amusing. Single-target because an instant, no MP, multi-target Sleeping that can't be dodged and only cares about the user's stats is rather dumb, even if Steel Will/Finger Guard should be actually usable now.

10. Refute - One of the newest Orator ability (and now renamed from "Pacify"), it is a necessary cure of Berserk. It also cancels Charmed. It is one of only two things able to either and both, sharing the distinct with Basuna, which can also heal Charmed without damage. Refute, unlike Basuna, doesn't self target anything self-targeting canceling Charmed is BS given the AI always self-targets itself out of Charmed; Basuna, unlike Refute, costs MP. With Confused "dead", now cancels Faithful & Doubtful as well.

11. Mixed Message - Orator's sole directly attacking ability. It has weapon range and a 100% chance of randomly causing one of 9 different statuses akin to any of Orator's other abilities (including vanilla's Death Sentence): Cautious, Silenced, Slowed, Faithful, Doubtful, Charmed, Sleeping, Disabled or Immobilized. It's...a necessary evil to get around Steel Will, though it cost 20 MP, is physical evadeable, lose Berserk, Doomed & Hasted and will probably end up further weakened later.

Reaction Abilities: Orator has 1 Reaction ability now that Gilgame Heart/Reimburse is dead.

Steel Will - A renamed Finger Guard that I hope is much more useful given that it works against much more than just Speechcraft. I still need to make a list for what this blocks.

Support Abilities: Orator has only 2 Support abilities now with Focus [Support] dead.

1. Monster Talk - Necessary evil unlike Monster Skill.

2. Train - The only source of Invite in the game now at present.

Movement Abilities: Orator now has 1 Movement Ability.

Sprint (Move +1) - This might come too early now given that it was all the way in Bard & Dancer territory until 07/08/2012.



Wizard
Despite the name of their destructive arts, Wizards who wield Ivalice's Black Magic can just as soon rain down Heaven's thunderous wrath as cause chilling blades to fall from the sky or generate fiery explosions. They can also generate clouds of poisons and thick patches of oil.

Equipment: Knives, Rods, Tomes, Shields, Toques, Hats, Robes, Clothing, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 0B Black Magick - Now with seemingly pretentious "k", as is the fate of all "magicks" since almost no one spoke up.

Innate Abilities: None.

Status Immunity: None.

Active Abilities: At present, Wizard has now 13 active abilities (again) like Priest since I loathe asymmetry, though Priest technically was the asymmetric one for a bit when I gave Unction to Wizard after combining all the Bio spells into one Miasma spell...which Wizard now no longer has:

1. Fire - Now the least damaging of three main Black Magic elements, it has the most AoE and the quickest CT/speed with AoE 2.

2. Blizzard - The closest to vanilla and thus middle of the road in Black Magic damage and having AoE 1. It is the cheapest of the three in terms of MP.

3. Thunder - Currently the opposite of its initial self in that its the slowest and avoidable in exchange for having the most range and power. Still single-targeting.

4. Leaf - Say hello to weakest attacking spell in the entire game. It's a necessary "evil", though, given that it's non-elemental. It has AoE 2 and bypasses Reflective status at least, among a few other things....

5. Fira - Stronger version of Fire that's slower & has less range and has a 19% chance to cause Immobilized, but is AoE 1. This remains quickest of second tier.

6. Blizzara - Stronger version of Blizzard that's slower & has less range and has a 19% chance to cause ???. This remains AoE 1 and cheapest in MP cost.

7. Thundara - Stronger version of Bolt that's slower & has less range and has a 19% chance to cause Silenced. This remains AoE 0 and single-target.

8. Unction - Taken from Priest since Wizard can use Oily status a hell of a lot better even I plan for there to be more to it than creating a weakness to Fire. Now AoE 2, this now also bypasses Reflective, but can still be magickally evaded.

9. Firaga - Strongest, slowest generic version of Fire that's currently still the fastest among the third tier, which are all single-target and can't be evaded, though they are subject to Reflective.

10. Blizzaga - Strongest, slowest generic version of Blizzard that's currently still the cheapest in MP among the third tier.

11. Thundaga - Strongest, slowest generic version of Thunder that currently still has the greatest range and power among the third tier.

12. Curse - An AoE 0 Dark element status spell that adds All Cursed to a target. It cannot be magickally evaded at present, only Reflected or Silenced.

13. Flare - Still considering making it Fire-element. It's Learn on Hit Only now, but otherwise it's more or less the same; it's no longer decidedly inferior to Holy, though.

Reaction Abilities: Wizard has 1 Reaction ability.

MP Restore - I still think I've finally decided how to "fix" this. Now I just need to learn how to code it.

Support Abilities: Wizard has 1 Support ability.

Magick Attack UP - Reduced to 25%, which is likely to change now. Might be moved up to Tier 2 Wizard path class Geomancer.

Movement Abilities: Wizard has 1 Movement ability.

Any Weather - Still kind of sucks, but Wizard is pretty much the only class that can get some use out of it (mostly for Fire spells) and it has to be used early to have any potential use at all (outside of on Bombs, hurray), so....



Priest
Those of the Priestly caste follow Saint Ajora's will to heal the world rather than destroy it. Like Orators, Priests tend to passive-aggressively deal with foes in battles while mending and protecting their allies, though woe be unto any of the wretched undead that shambles their paths.

Equipment: Staves, Axes & Hammers?, Tomes, Shields, Toques, Hats, Robes, Clothing, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 0A White Magick - Now with seemingly pretentious "k", as is the fate of all "magicks" since almost no one spoke up.

Innate Abilities: None.

Status Immunity: None.

Active Abilities: Priest has 13 active abilities still. Its skills, once having the illusion of stability, widely fluctuated with in the past month. It has lost Repose, Regen, Unction, Reflect and Might and generally gotten an order overhaul to what it did get to replace those:

1. Cure - An AoE 2 healing spell that now ignores Reflective.

2. Protect - As aforementioned, no longer subject to Reflective status. Has a slightly increased vertical, but otherwise the same.

3. Shell - As aforementioned, no longer subject to Reflective status. Has a slightly  increased vertical, but otherwise the same.

4. Blindna - A single-target, currently direct, short-range healing spell that both restores sight by canceling Blind and some minor HP. This ignores Reflective.

5. Cura - This is back to an AoE 1 ability so as to differ the Cures from each other more.

6. Recharge - Basically Ether's replacement with Items currently dead. It restores 30 MP at the cost of 20 MP and being unable to hit the user.

7. Poisona - A single-target, slightly-more-ranged-than-Blindna, not-Direct healing spell that cures Poison and any initial Poisoning damage. This is the last White Magick spell to ignore Reflective.

8. Curaga - Still a single-target healing spell that heals for a large amount.

9. Arise - A renamed Raise 2 that's still only single-target. Having it gotten it back from Paladin months ago, it was reduced from that silly 100% to a mere 50%. However, I've now decided to let it restore 66% HP, but that's as high as I'm willing to go; it will still be rather slow and costly too.

10. Bless - A single-target add All Blessed ability.

11. Esuna - An AoE 1 healing spell that has been significantly changed for the second time in the past few months as to what it heals. It now cures Blind, Poisoned, Doubtful, Disabled & Sleep and only those five statuses, down from an already lessened six. The rest will force Priest either to get creative or to look outside White Magick to cure them (if they can be cured at all).

12. Charm - An AoE 0 add All Charmed spell that's honestly still kinda iffy, especially since Befriend is right next to it Tier-wise; this has Range 5, goes off Faith, generally is more likely to hit (for "normal" Faith) and ignores Steel Will, though. You don't want to know how many times I went back and forth between giving Priest this or letting it keep Repose (or letting it keep both).

13. Holy - I've decided that this will be Learn on Hit Only now. Besides that and being weaker & quicker than its vanilla counterpart at present and eschewing counters, it's otherwise the same; no longer obviates Flare as it did in vanilla. (See Miscellany.)

Reaction Abilities: Priest only has 1 Reaction ability now that Regenerator is gone.

Share Blessings (Distribute) - I'd be up for making this activate off of self-healing if we could do it, though that might screw over the AI since it might ultimately be too abusive for players.

Support Abilities: Priest has 1 Support ability.

Magick Def. UP - Reduced to 25%, which is likely to change now. Might be moved up to the Tier 2 Priest path class, Illusionist.

Movement Abilities: Priest has 1 Movement ability.

Any Ground - Somewhat fitting that a pitiful RSM gets used a pity RSM after Priest loses Regenerator. Likely to die.




Paladin
The purest of the soldierly swordsman class, these often celibate heroes travel the land defending others and actively preventing evil and mishap through both force and seemingly gentle yet firm means. (Finally a different intro than its old female-only one talking about Sword Saint and eunuchs.)

Equipment: Daggers?, Swords, Axes & Hammers, Polearms?, Poles?, Shields, Helms, Armor, Clothing, Robes, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 13 Pure Skill - Much better than that "Geass" name I was originally thinking of.

Innate Abilities: None - Used to be Defend.

Starting Status: None - Maybe innate Defend to start, though....

Status Immunity: None - Had Poison immunity way before Chemist, and then gained Charm immunity when Orator lost it, though then Orator promptly got it back when. Used to have Curse and Charm immunity before it lost its spot to Slayer/Vanquisher and became a unisex class.

Active Abilities: Paladin now "only" has 10 active abilities with all the trading and trying to narrow down its focus, especially given its lost Regen, Confusion Song, Cleanse (sort of), Mind Ruin and Cover (active ability). It could probably still use some more physical abilities:


1. Shield Bash - No longer a Spin Fist-esque move, it is instead single-target and has a chance to cause Disabled now. Still requires a Shield, which is hardly asking much now that every generic can equip them, which is why it's now evadeable.

2. Basuna - A close-range-only, single-target healing ability that heals more than Esuna despite the name. It cures Poisoned, Sleeping, Charmed, Oily, Berserk, ??? & Immobilized. Can, unlike Refute, target the self at present. Yes, you can "touch" yourself with Basuna if you really must.

3. Speed Ruin - Its 1.3 range 3, single-target Add All Slow self except with infinite height. Probably nixing said height.

4. Weapon Break - Unchanged and, unlike Steal Weapon, probably not dying, especially since Martial Arts is back. Still needs a better name....

5. Raise - It was going to only resurrect with 25% HP, but at present it will probably remain at 33% HP recovery. Otherwise the same outside of planning to need more MP and maybe hitting a bit less.

6. Power Ruin - Its 1.3 range 3, single-target self except with infinite height and "only" -2 PA. Probably nixing said height.

7. Nurse - Basically Chakra at present, though bound to Rng 1 and using up 6 MP. Will likely change at least a bit later on.

8. Silent Voice - Basically ARENA's Oracle's Silence Song in that it adds All Silenced in AoE 1 and is quite quick.

9. Saint Cross - Same as ARENA's Grand Cross in that it's a range 1, AoE 1 physical attack that can take weapon element, causes Bln and hits the user.

10. Holy Circle - Still a self-AoE 1 Holy-element attack that discriminates.

Reaction Abilities: Paladin has 2 Reaction abilities.

1. Brave Up - I think I've finally thought of a way to ultimately improve it regardless of whether I use the Fury hack initially or not. For now, though, will add +5 Brave.

2. Counter - Taken from Acolyte. Weird how something so plain is rather difficult to balance Counter Tackle and Meatbone Slash against.

Support Abilities: Paladin has 1 new Support ability to replace Equip Shield's becoming useless.

Unyielding - ARENA ability that reduces damage done to and healing done by unit by 20%.

Movement Abilities: None.



Berserker
Wild-eyed men of Ivalice, these fierce and feral creatures are known for theft in the heat of the movement though are not so greedy as even lesser thieves. If it wasn't the power this way of training brought, they would not be tolerated in Ivalice. (I guess 2020 came a bit earlier than I expected if this has a description now.)

Equipment: Daggers, Swords, Maces, Axes & Hammers, Shields, Hats, Clothes and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 09 Frenzy - Takes the places of Monks now instead of Acolytes.

Innate Abilities: None.

Status Immunity: None

Active Abilities: Completely overhauled. They're basically Thief mixed with Viking under the name Berserker with a few FFX-2 influences. They're still dedicated to destroying people, though:


1. Steal Accessory - Guess what it does.

2. Mug - Steal Gil + dmg.

3. Steal Helm - Guess what it does.

4. Steal Shield - Guess what it does.

5. Provoke - Taken from Orator. Adds All Berserk at Range 3, Vertical 3. Unlike most of Speechcraft, this can target the user. One of only 2 Frenzy abilities subject to Silenced.

6. Scream - Auto AoE 1 lesser Dispel that doesn't discriminate, hits the user and cancels Floating, Transparent, Regening, Protected, Shelled, Hasted, Misty & Reflective. Also costs 15 MP, but at least it's instant and can't be evaded. The second of only 2 Frenzy abilities subject to Silenced.

7. Envenom - Physical blow that adds 100% Poisoned or ???. This costs 15 MP

8. Rippler - Currently possibly busted, but eh, its effect is currently a placeholder of sorts. This is a range 3, AoE 0, Direct, Water element physical attack costs 20 MP because it currently adds Imperiled at 100%.

9. Mighty Thunder - A linear range 3 Lightning element  instant magickal attack that costs 10 MP.

10. Slash All/Omnislash - An Auto AoE 2 physical attack that hits everyone in range except for the user. Yes, this doesn't discriminate at all.

Reaction Abilities: Berserker has 1 Reaction ability.

Adrenaline - Renamed Speed Save. It's getting a nerf to use +CT instead of the idiocy that is +Spd.

Support Abilities: Berserker has 2 support ability.

Equip Axe - Taken from Soldier. Still not quite sure what this will include.

Overwhelm - The same as the ARENA support deals out 20% more damage and 20% more healing.

Movement Abilities: None.



Scholar
Although they prefer to toil away in secluded libraries and archives studying Black and White Magick, due to the war that has ravaged Ivalice for these many years, Scholars have more and more been dragged to the battlefield medics, much to the lament of many Scholars themselves. Though able to analyze the weaknesses of their enemies and even defend themselves with Holy and Dark magick if need be, they are still the most frail soldier Ivalice has to offer.

Equipment: Daggers?, Rods, Staves, Tomes, Shields, Toques, Hats, Clothing, Robes, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 06 Lore - I'm actually not satisfied with just Lore.

Innate Abilities: None - They don't have Chemist's innates (at present).

Innate Status: None.

Starting Status: None.

Status Immunity: Sleeping - Lost Chemist's immunity to Poisoned for what's arguably just as good an immunity.

Active Abilities: Compared to Chemist's 14 ones, Scholar "only" has a mere 8, which 6 of which are entirely new and one of which has been buffed. All pseudo-correspond to an element, but that's not important at present:


1. Wall - Adds All Protected & Shelled to a single target. Ignores Reflective status. ("Earth".)

2. ??? - Adds All ??? to a single (enemy) target. ("Wind".)

3. Cleanse - Despite the name, not nearly as similar to Paladin's old Cleanse. Now an AoE 2 healing spell that cancels ???, Undead, Oily (maybe), Cursed, Silenced & Imperiled. ("Water".)

4. Hold - Inspired by that PSP-only cut scene with Kletian/Cleitenne at Dorter II (?), this adds All Immobilized and Slowed to a single target. ("Lightning".)

5. Undeath - Guess what this adds to a single target. It really needs a better name, but it will probably end up with "Zombify" given Acolyte's Zombify now. Has an experimental nature.... ("Ice".)

6. Libra - Adds All Imperiled to a single target. Currently Direct though, partly because it's the fastest spell and Imperiled is rather strong, even if Libra itself is subject to Reflective like all Lore except for Wall and ???. ("Fire".)

7. Dia - For once, not wholesale ripping from ARENA since while this is single-target and Holy element, it's twice as strong as ARENA's Dia, doesn't trigger counters and doesn't cause Blind.

8. Dark - Single-target Dark element spell that's slightly stronger and slightly faster than Dia, but more expensive and vulnerable to counters.

Reaction Abilities: Scholar appropriately has none.

Support Abilities: Scholar has 2 support abilities.

1. Maintenance - Got this back from Gunner/Arbalist/Reliquarian's spot...forever ago. With Chemist dead, this goes here. Probably going to use Xifanie's hack related to stats here.

2. Equip Magegear (Equip Katana) - This is to allow Rods, Tomes & Instruments to be equipped.

Movement Abilities: Scholar has 1 Movement ability.

Flee - This may switch with Orator since I'm not sure if Move +1 comes too earlier. This technically gives more Move though with Move +2, though only when in Critical at present.



Animist
Curious mages who could be said to study Ivalice's more esoteric magicks with far more hands on approaches. Risking their bodies and often their minds as well, they can learn many attacks from monsters through analysis...if they survive....

Equipment: Daggers, Swords, Rods, Staves, Shields, Toques?, Hats, Clothing, Robes, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 0E Blue Magick

Innate Abilities: None - Wasn't going to get Thief's Two Swords, since generic Thief was going to lose that anyway.

Innate Status: None.

Starting Status: None.

Status Immunity: Imperiled - Technically just the inheriting of the Confused immunity generic Thief had. I'm rather unsure about this given Imperiled's power, but Animists all start "naked", so they might need some help.

Active Abilities: Animist has a full 16 abilities...that you don't get to know about here anymore. The Select button in-game will be kind enough to tell you. Probably.

Reaction Abilities: Animist has 1 Reaction Ability.

Share Pains (Damage Split) - Still a bit worried about this coming so "early" even with the reduction to 25% since Animist is now accessible a lot earlier and still has probably the most HP for a "mage". It doesn't help that AI still can't see Reactions.

Support Abilities: Animist has 2 Support abilities.

1. Brawler (Martial Arts) - This has returned to Embargo and will probably be reduced to 25% even if other things, like the UPs, go back to being higher than that.

2. Secret Hunt - Currently shared with the now non-generic Thief.

Movement Ability: Animist has none, having lost Fly. No way that was coming this early now.



Geomancer
Wizards who have shown sufficient mastery of the more easily manipulated elements begin to able to manipulate the more common but more capricious elements that make up the world. Wizards who start to focus on Wind, Earth & Water are called Geomancers and some become skilled enough to cause Ivalice itself to lash at those who attack them.

Equipment: Rods, Staves, Instruments, Tomes, Shields, Hats, Toques, Clothing, Robes, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 11 Terrain Magick - "Geomancy" is now only accessible through Gaia Revenge.

Innate Abilities: Any Ground, Move on Lava and Walk on Water. - Probably the most buff set of innates for a generic outside of Mime. Likely not changing anytime soon.

Status Immunity: None.

Active Abilities: Geomancer now has 11 active abilities that are extremely different from its typical abilities, being akin more typical magick:

1. Aero - AoE 2 Wind element spell that is weak and magickally evadeable, but quick and gets around Reflective status.

2. Stone - AoE 1 Earth element spell that is strong and can't be avoided, but can be Reflected.

3. Water - AoE 3 Water element spell that is only slightly weaker than Aero since it hits such a wide area.

4. Leafra - AoE 1 non-elemental spell barely stronger than Stone, but with a trick up its sleaves. (...Sorry.)

5. Aera/Aerora - AoE 1 Wind element spell that can't be Reflected and has a 19% chance of causing Floating.

6. Stonera - AoE 0 Earth element spell that can't be magickally evaded and has a 19% chance of Slowed; I may lower that chance or remove it entirely.

7. Miasma - Poison by a less generic name, though it may go back to that. This is AoE 2 Add All Poisoned now, which no longer does initial (Dark) damage. This currently ignores Reflective, but it might become affected by it again even though it is magickally evaded.

8. Leafga - AoE 0 non-elemental that is barely stronger than Stonera, but it ignores both Reflective and M-EV.

9. Aeroga - AoE 0 Wind element spell that is the only elemental -ga spell to ignore Reflective, but also the only one to still be subject to M-Ev at present.

10. Bio - AoE 0 12% HP damaging ability that adds 100% Poisoned if it hits.

11. Might - Adds +1 PA to any target except the self. I may reverse that and lessen the presently steep MP cost, even though I'll be using Xifanie's limiting hack.

Reaction Abilities: Geomancer now has 2  reaction abilities.

1. Absorb Used MP - Still rather weak, but I'd rather not get rid of another RSM just for weakness at this point. I may now have a solution.

2. Gaia Revenge (Counter Flood) - Since it's a free "magical" reaction now (as opposed to Counter Magic), it reacts purely to directly damaging magical attacks, ignoring everything else (except for the physical attacks that I can't make it ignore unfortunately). It now is the only way to access the now condensed 6 Geomancy abilities (that I'll have to remember to include its in-game description):

- Stormsurge/Plasma: Lightning element that has a very minor chance of Slowed.
- Water Ball: Water element that causes 19% ???.
- Tanglevine: Earth element that causes 19% Oily.
- Icestorm: Ice element that causes 19% Blind.
- Will'o'wisp: Fire element that causes 19% Silenced.
- Wind Slash: Wind element that randomly causes 19% Disabled or Immobilized.

Support Abilities: None.

Movement Abilities: Geomancer only has 1 movement ability now.

Walk on Water - I'm still thinking of taking it away from Geomancer innately, but most movements tend to be so weak as it is.....



Illusionist
Sticking to their principles to (generally) not hurt the living (directly), Priests who become Illusionists create illusions that allow their enemies guilt to do away with them. The arm of guilt is far-reaching, though Illusionists tend to have problems against those who are devoid of guilt or can't even see their illusions....

Equipment: Daggers?, Rods, Staves, Instruments, Tomes, Shields, Hats, Toques, Clothing, Robes, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 10 Illusion Magick - Pretty obvious and it's not like it could keep Yin-Yang Magic. Might change to "Phantasm Magick".

Innate Abilities: Nothing.

Status Immunity: Nothing.

Active Abilities: Illusionist now has 11 active abilities, up from 10, and is now at its most stable after all the changes. It may still lose Vanish, though that's more dependent on what happens to Transparent status as a whole. It lost the Aero spells to Geomancer and Mesmerzing Lights, which just died:


1. Flash - Used to be a slightly stronger Holy-based "Lore" that has a chance of causing Blind & Atheist. Now just causes Blind non-discriminating AoE 2 since Priest's "Umbra" is (long) gone.

2. Cold Flame - A slightly stronger, slightly faster, Ice version of Fire. May seem unnecessary. Perhaps is (now). Can no longer go back to being non-elemental since Leaf now exists and is intentionally, literally, half as strong as Cold Flame.

3. ??? - Adds All ??? in AoE 2.

4. Repose - Adds All Sleeping in AoE 1. Illusionist ultimately got this over Charm because I realized, after I killed Mesmerizing Lights, that they needed something to trigger Night Terror. That and Priest was getting obnoxiously powerful.

5. Proselytize - Renamed Oracle's Pray Faith. Probably still needs to not be able to target self, even though I nerfed Faithful status a bit. (Now if only I could nerf Innocent/Doubtful status as easily.)

6. ??? - Adds All ??? to AoE 0. Cannot self-target.

7. Terrorize - Single target add All Poisoned, Immobilized & Disabled. Still might be a bit OP....

8. Night Terror - Single-target, Dark element spell that cancels Sleeping at the cost of 66% HP. It can only affect the Sleeping.

9. Refresh - Adds All Misty in AoE 1. The only Illusion Magick spell at present to entirely ignore Reflective.

10. Vanish - Single-targeting Transparent-granter that can target the user...for now.

11. Focus - Adds +1 MA to any target except the self. I may reverse that and lessen the presently steep MP cost, even though I'll be using Xifanie's limiting hack.

Reaction Abilities: Illusionist has 3 Reaction abilities.

1. Abandon - Currently adds 60% C-EV rather than its original 100%. Currently still a reaction rather than a support.

2. Faith Up (Face Up) - Unlike Brave Up, this is actually still useful, even if still somewhat weak. Like Bravery Up, I've recently thought of a way to make it even more useful, theoretically. Presently will add +5 Faith.

3. Hide (Sunken State) - I figure that they might as well get this if they're going to keep Vanish (for now) even if it's kinda useless to mages.

Support Abilities: None.

Movement Abilities: None.





Acolyte
Called "witch-hunters" by some, Acolytes and their betters, (Knight) Templars, are warriors of Ivalice who have decided to focus on fighting magic and similar supernatural threats with spells as much as weapon-play. Wherever the might of mages runs rampant, Acolytes and Templars are sure to appear.

Equipment: Swords, Axes & Hammers, Polearms, Poles, Shields, Helms, Armor, Clothing, Robes, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 14 Binding Art - Since Punch Art wouldn't really make sense, though this actually replaces Throw now, so....

Innate Abilites: None. - Lost Martial Arts (now Two Swords) and wouldn't be able to equip it manually even if it still existed for generics. (See above about how this replaces Ninja now).

Innate Status: None.

Starting Status: None.

Status Immunity: None.

Active Abilities: Acolyte still has 11 abilities now despite all the change over. They lost Return, Soul Sphere and Rain of Lances, with only Return still existing. Like Paladin, it probably needs more physical attacks still:


1. Rapid Strike - Akin to vanilla Repeating Fist, but with a weapon. This still desperately needs more definition.

2. Impale - A linear AoE of 2 attack. Still likely to be restricted by the ARH somehow. There's still a decent change that this may go to Marksman.

3. Osmose - Acolyte gets its MP Drain back in renamed "Spell Absorb", especially now that Soul Sphere is dead. Technically shared with Thief.

4. Apostatize - Renamed Oracle's "Doubt Faith". I'm still rather hesitant to have it come this early due to Doubtful still screwing over mages.

5. Mind Ruin - Its 1.3 range 3, single-target self except with infinite height and "only" -2 MA. Probably nixing said height.

6. Dispel - Now extremely fast (CT 1) and accurate in addition to being unevadable and cancels Reflective, Cursed, Faithful & Doubtful in addition to all positive statuses except for Hasted.

7. Zombify - Still adds All Undead and Slowed to a single-target, but now physically-based and close-range, so it's likely to be named "Zombie Powder".

8. Blind Rage - Still adds all Berserk & Blind to a single target and still magickal.

9. Seal Evil - I was finally able to devise a solution to Petrified that was at once both threatening and yet didn't completely obviate Always: Undead units who were vulnerable to it. This now adds All Sleeping & Silenced to a single Undead unit.

10. Northern Cross - Same as ARENA's newly proposed Paladin ability in that it's a range 1, AoE 1 physical attack that can take weapon element and doesn't hit the user.

11. Sight Unseeing - A physical, weapon range attack that causes Blind at 100% but can only be used while Blind, it is now physically evadeable, initially Dark element and generally more powerful.

Reaction Abilities: Acolyte has 1 Reaction ability.

Meatbone Slash - Still haven't figured out quite what I was going to do this. Have a feeling that I forgot....

Support Abilities: Acolyte has 2 Support abilities.

1. Equip Armor - Seriously considering having it be independent of Helms. Might trade Dragoon this for Equip Polearms since Dragoon now ends the branch of HP and Acolyte now has Two Hands.

2. Dual Wield (Two Swords) - Rather appropriate that Acolyte got this (back) since it's in Ninja's spot. Will eventually get weakened a bit in damage & accuracy.

Movement Abilities: None.



Dragoon
[Just a renamed Lancer again. I'm sorry, but it's still tough to BS a majestic description for something that still just Jumps, especially after having typed for literally hours straight. Argh....]

Equipment: Swords?, Polearms, Poles, Shields, Helms, Armor, Clothing, Robes, and all Accessories. - They have gained Swords and Poles (Sticks), though Swords may still only be for trial purposes of the abilities I made that Require Sword.

Skill Set: 12 Jump - Sigh. As opposed to the planned "Draconic Lance".

Innate Ability: None.

Status Immunity: None.

Active Abilities: ...It's just Jump. Just Jump. *cries*

Reaction Abilities: Dragoon no longer has a Reaction ability.

Support Abilities: Dragoon now has 2 Support abilities.

1. Equip Polearms -  Has long since been intended to be Equip Polearms, which would include Poles. I suppose I should point out here that Polearms = Spears for anyone wasn't already sure. Still might trade with Acolyte for Equip Armor. Staves are probably becoming part of this.

2. Two Hands - Needs to be less than 2x boost. 1.5? 1.8? Also needs to be greater than Two Swords arguably.

Movement Abilties: Dragoon has 1 Movement ability.

Jump +3 - Since Jump +1 and Jump +2 are weak and Ignore Height is still inferior to Fly and an actual high Jump stat. As of 07/08/2012, I think I actually have a solution as to how to "fix" that though.



Dimensionalist
Those who further hone their elemental abilities begin to be able to shape even more basic aspects of reality. It is that said master Dimensionalists have abilities that begin to rival those legendary abilities of mythical Holy Stones. (Now comes after Illusionist, not Geomancer.) [Don't feel like differing Dimensionalist's and Temporalist's (old) description at present.]

Equipment: Rods, Staves, Tomes, Shields, Hats, Toques, Clothing, Robes, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 15 Dimension Magick. - Still, an obvious change from "Time Magic" and one that has been used before in FF history.

Innate Abilities: Teleport - Only as a test with Move 1 from way back. It's going to change back to nothing.

Status Immunity: None.

Active Abilities: Dimensionalist "only" has 10 spells after its split from Time Mage, now officially Temporalist (rather than Dimensionalist). Dimensionalist focuses on spatial spells and they're technically all new:


1. Levitate - Renamed Float; has now been further buffed beyond the buffs that Floating status got, though it's back to being AoE 1.

2. Immobilize - Renamed Don't Move; will become an AoE of 2 for testing purposes.

3. Disable - Renamed Oracle's Paralyze; otherwise the same since making this AoE 2 would be OP. I'm still considering making it single-target, but for now AoE 1.

4. Gravity - Renamed "Demi" cancels Float (only 19% of the time at present) and only shaves 25% off of current HP now; I may yet change the formulas and hacks regarding it, but it's still not Dark element because of that, so it will be usable against the Lucavi. Probably.

5. Reflect - This is back from Priest and basically unchanged from vanilla still.

6. Polymorph - Renamed Frog; otherwise same. I need to remember to test something. Might up its hit rate a bit since Frogged is now canceled upon death.

7. Gravira - Renamed "Demi 2" that also cancels Float only 19% of the time. More importantly, its becomes AoE 0, quicker and cheaper due to  shaving 50% off of "only" current HP.

8. Break - Still iffy about this, but at present it's an Earth element AoE 0 spell that causes 6% damage and, more importantly, 25% Petrified. It is currently unavoidable, though that may change even with Earth element's "focus".

9. Comet - Former Choco Meteor; single-target moderate non-elemental damage; might still get rid of it. Incredibly iffy right now.

10. Doomsday - Renamed Meteor that's returned from Wizard and is Dark-elemental and Learn on Hit only. Still up in the air like Comet, but not as unsure.

Reaction Abilities: Dimensionalist has none.

Support Abilities: Dimensionalist has 1 Support ability.

Half of MP - Will almost certainly only reduce MP by 75% or 80%, but get some other "buff" to make up for that.

Movement Abilities: Dimensionalist has 2 Movement abilities.

1. Fly - Still considering making this unavailable to generics.

2. Self-Levitate - Renamed Float movement. Not as different a name from the renamed Float spell as I would like, but it should work and it's better than "Airwalking" or anything as such.



Temporalist (Time Mage)
Those who further hone their elemental abilities begin to be able to shape even more basic aspects of reality. It is that said master Dimensionalists have abilities that begin to rival those legendary abilities of mythical Holy Stones. (Now comes after Illusionist, not Geomancer.) [Don't feel like differing Dimensionalist's and Temporalist's at present.]

Equipment: Rods, Staves, Tomes, Shields, Hats, Toques, Clothing, Robes, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 0C Time Magick.

Innate Abilities: None - Testing Teleport is now Dimensionalist's job.

Status Immunity: None.

Active Abilities: Temporalist also "only" has 10 abilities after its split with Dimensionalist. Temporalist obviously focuses on the temporal side of Time Mage:

1. Regen - Add All Regening in AoE 1. Taken from Paladin.

2. Bleed - One of Temporalist's two direct attacks, even though its only does 1% damage, it adds 100% Poisoned & ??? in AoE 1. Currently Dark element.

3. Hasten - This is still AoE 2 for testing purposes. Finally decided on a name for this.

4. Slow - This is still AoE 2 for testing purposes.

5. Return - The "necessary" temporal cure spell to Dimensionalist's abilities, it removes Floating, Frogged, Hasted, Slowed, Stopped, Immobilized & Disabled...and Petrified. Yeah. Even as a single-target spell and taken from Acolyte, it's probably still overpowered right now.

6. Undo - Still experimental revival. Still somewhat likely to end up dying, especially since I have enough revival as it is; perhaps too much despite not wanting it to be monopolized again.

7. Quicken - Renamed Quick; otherwise the same...outside of triggering Counter Magick like it did in vanilla.

8. "Stop" - At present, still AoE 1, but it may become AoE 0, especially since I've figured out what I want to do with Stop. (Previously said "see miscellany"; that no longer really applies.)

9. Drain - Hesitantly given, generics now have access to HP Drain, though it's now evadeable and "only" drains 20% of current HP. It may end up Dark element.

9. Doom - Previously Poisoned & Doomed (Death Sentence) to one target. Now still ??? & Doomed to one target, though it may return to Poisoned. Previously named "Countdown", which it may similarly return to. Now Learn on Hit Only.

Reaction Abilities: Temporalist has 2 Reaction ability.

1. Critical Quicken - Renamed Critical Quick; otherwise the same.

2. Regenerator - All the way up here because Regen's a lot stronger than vanilla (at present) and because, well, Temporalist actually has Regen.

Support Abilities: Temporalist has 1 Support ability.

Short Charge - Will possibly end up weaker ...somehow.

Movement Abilities: None




07/14/2011 EDIT: Now updated with the skills in the first version of Class Tracker and the classes of (unisex) Paladin, Berserker and Acolyte/Templar.

09/26/2011 EDIT: Now updated with the latest skills for Orator, Priest, Wizard, Paladin, Illusionist & Acolyte alongside some other various changes, fixing of typos and such.

03/18/2012 EDIT: Finally see and fix the format problems caused by the switch-over to the new forum. Update Marksmen, Orator, Priest, Wizard, Paladin, Berserker, Chemist, Illusionist, Acolyte, Summoner and Dimensionalist. ...Now has proper equipment updates too. Sigh.

04/29/2012 EDIT: Fixed got rid of all those instances of "Maces" as those had been dead for months before my last edit. I also got rid of, sigh, "Greatbows" under Marksmen. I rearranged Summoner's Summon Magick as well as noting here as well that Summoner and Dimensionalist were switched.

07/08/2012-07/09/2012 EDIT: Instead of doing work I should have actually done, I redid all the classes and abilities here, adding Temporalist, Scholar, Animist and "new" Dimensionalist and excising a bunch of other things among other things. Other other things await, like fixing most typos and making sure Shields were on everyone and every instance of Whip was dead on the 9th.
"Sorrow cannot be abolished. It is meaningless to try." - FFX's Yunalesca

"Good and evil are relative, but being a dick cannot be allowed." - Oglaf's Thaumaturge in "The Abyss"

"Well, see, the real magic isn't believing in yourself. The real magic is manipulating people by telling them to believe in themselves. The more you believe, the less you check facts."  - Oglaf's Vanka in "Conviction"

The Damned

February 28, 2011, 04:32:37 am #19 Last Edit: July 09, 2012, 11:48:49 pm by The Damned
Or, rather, above are 16 classes because the freaking limit kicked again without telling me AFTER I PREVIEWED IT. I'd be pretty livid right now if I hadn't backed this up. As it is, it's still pretty damn annoying that the limit doesn't pop like every other forum I post on. (This should tell you how long-winded I am.)

(And now I am forced to triple post. The shame.)

Here are the four, final complex classes:



Mime
....

Equipment: None.

Skill Set: 18 Mimicry - Slightly changed to make it a noun.

Innate Abilities: Alertness, Counter, Gaia Revenge, Move-HP Up - No longer has both Defense UP and Magic Def. UP together innately since I long realized that's mostly rather pointless. Gaia Revenge is "iffy".

Innate Status: None.

Starting Status: None.

Status Immunity: ???, Silenced, ???, Oily, Berserk & Poisoned - Mime is no longer immune to almost every negative (and neutral) status under the sun; it hasn't been for months. It's even less immune to things as of 07/08/2012, having lost immunity to Frogged, Undead, Cursed and Blind. It might get Blind back, though not if it gets Concentrate innately. Also, it currently gets to keep immunity to Silenced even though Bard also has that.

Active Abilities: It's Mime. There are none (yet). See Miscellany.

Reaction Abilities: It's Mime...so, as of 07/08/2012, I'm going to experiment to see if it can take any now. Mime now has 2 Reaction Ability.

1. Alertness - Causes C-EV & W-EV of the front to be applied to sides and back as well.

2. Dragon Spirit - Taken from Dragoon, which took it back from Animist (Blue Mage) a while ago since Animist still has Damage Split. Needs to go somewhere since Reraised is likely dying, possibly for good, so this is effectively just a placeholder.

Support Abilities: Mime now has 1 Support Ability.

Concentrate - This is back and it's rather likely that this is going to go to Mime innately over Gaia Revenge. That would prevent it from getting Blind immunity back, though, since Concentrate now being taken out by Blind is the only reason I'm allowing it back.

Movement Abilities: Mime now has 1 Movement ability.

Move-HP Up - This had to go somewhere toward the end and it would make no sense on Summoner, I didn't want to put it on Temporalist and Bard & Dancer already have too many Movements.




Summoner
Priests Wizards Mages who give themselves over and offer themselves up as tools for celestial beings become Summoners. Often, they undergo tests of Faith when trying to contact new beings, though one should be cautioned that they may be Faran and thus infernal.... (Now has the spot of the "ultimate" mage, rather appropriately, instead of coming after Illusionist and then Geomancer.)

Equipment: Rods, Staves, Instruments?, Tomes, Shields, Hats, Toques, Clothing, Robes, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 0D Summon Magick - Almost forgot the seemingly pretentious "k".

Innate Abilities: None.

Status Immunity: None.

Active Abilities: Summoner had 16 active abilities, half of which were Learn on Hit Only. It  now it "only" has 13 due to deciding to kill some in effort to both scale down and keep pace with the plot changes and such; 4 Learn on Hit only Summons "died", a new one was created and two old Learn via JP summons are now Learn on Hit only. I'll still separate the two types and for now I'll still keep what the Learn on Hit Only ones do "secret". As of mid-April 2012, these have completely changed around. As of 07/07/2012, they have changed around yet again, I would "hope" for the final time:


1. Titan - Relatively weak Auto-AoE 2, instant Earth element attack Summon that's actually avoidable. (Miscellany for Titan vs. Midgarzolom no longer valid.)

2. Ifrit - AoE 2 Fire element Summon that has a 19% chance of adding Cursed.

3. ??? - (Minor surprise.)

4. Sylph - No longer an attacking summon, this now adds Shelled & Regening to one ally at Rng 6.

5. Seraph(im) - Renamed Fairy; revives AoE 1 at 25% HP, discriminating.

6. ???? - (It's a surprise.)

Learn on Hit ONLY:

1. Carbunkle - This now become Learn on Hit Only, ironically after I finally just decided to forego all the "random" crap to make sure it wasn't obviating (what is now Dimensionalist's) Reflect. So this is still AoE 2.

2. ???? - (Minor surprise.)

3. Leviathan - ????

4. Shiva - ????

5. Ramuh - ????

6. Odin - ????

7. Bahamut - ????


Reaction Abilities: Summoner now has 2 Reaction ability.

1. Counter Magick - Will return all non-positive magic. This is rather likely to die, actually.

2. Mana Shield (MP Switch) - Yes, I am aware that both this and Move-MP Up are on the same set. Considering I'm using Pride's hack that allows overflow damage, even with the larger MP pools, it will likely need that just to be useful (to mages).

Support Abilities: Summoner has none anymore.

Movement Abilities: Summoner has 1 Movement ability.

Move-MP Up - The same as it was before currently for now.



Bard
Free-roaming, Bards traverse Ivalice in an attempt to spread joy and entertainment to the people of the warring nation. Their performances tend to be hard to forget, though one might mistakenly forget their capability in battle. This will often be the last mistake one makes.

Equipment: Daggers, Swords, Rods, Staves, Instruments, Tomes, Shields, Hats, Toques, Clothing, Robes?, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 16 Bardic Song - Since it's back to just being Song.

Innate Abilities: None.

Innate Status: None.

Starting Status: None.

Status Immunity: Silenced & Disabled (Don't Act) -- Addled is now back to being Silenced, which even more sense for a Bard to be immune to, so it of course stays.

Active Abilities: Bard has 8 active abilities to be symmetric with Dancer's 8 active abilities. Bard focuses on (magical) support, but isn't completely toothless like its vanilla counterpart is when screwing people over with Song. Buffing songs back to being MAP Range:


1. Vox - Currently range 4, AoE-1 cancellation of Disabled & Silenced, it might become single-target only.

2. Shatterchord - An attack originally taken from Orator (though it was only "holding" it for Bard), it is a range-4, Direct multi-attack that is still rather experimental--more so than things....

3. Moogle Dirge - A range 4, AoE 1, discriminating attempt to add Slowed.

4. Angelic Hymn - Now MAP Range All Regening & Misty.

5. Pond's Lullaby - A single-target attempt to turn an unfortunate enemy into a Sleeping Frog via Frog Song; it is currently also resisted by Iron Will, though it has a generous range of 4. Now no longer named "Frog Lullaby", though that may change back.

6. Soul Elegy - Auto-AoE 2, repeating resurrection. The formerly named "Requiem" of Minstrel, it still doesn't Discriminate.

7. Herculean Etude - Back to being the same old +1 PA "Battle Song" for now, though I'm still not sure about stat-affecting abilities in general.

8. Mystic Nocturne - Back to being the same old +1 MA "Magic Song" for now, though I'm still not sure about stat-affecting abilities in general.

Reaction Abilities: Bard has 3 reaction abilities. See Miscellany.

1. PA Save - Renamed A Save. Both Bard and Dancer have this.

2. HP Restore - Apparently forgot to give this to anyone else first time around. Gee, I wonder why.... It's still pretty likely to die unless I can only make it trigger once like it was probably supposed to.

3. MA Save - Both Bard and Dancer have this.

Support Abilities: None.

Movement Abilities: Bard has 2 movement abilities, though they both currently don't technically exist. See Miscellany.

1. Warpath - ARENA's +2 Brave movement. Shared with Dancer.

2. Holy March - ARENA's +2 Faith movement. Shared with Dancer.



Dancer
[Despite being changed back to Dancer, I'll just leave the obvious inspiration for "Slayer" here and come back to fill this in later still.]

Equipment: Daggers, Swords, Polearms, Poles, Whips, Shields?, Hats, Toques, Clothing, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 17 Battle Dance - Since just "Dance" isn't going to cut it, pun not intended.

Innate Ability: None

Status Immunity: Petrified & Immobilized - Part of the reason that Mime lost both of those, though Minstrel had Immunity to Immobilized because it could Dance, so....

Active Abilities: To stay symmetric with Bard, it has 8 skills; that's actually one more than it had as Slayer and there's definitely more variety than with the "Phantasmal [Whatever]". Slightly more support-based than I would like, but unlike vanilla Dancer, actually has Direct physical attacks. Has (slightly) better named abilities now, three of which are new:


1. Quickstep Jig - Range-3, AoE 1 attempt to add discriminating Hasted.

2. Silence Samba - Rng 2, AoE 1 physical attack that does randomly causes 100% Silenced or Doubtful.

3. Tempt Tango - Rng 6, "strong", physically-based single-target Charmed. The most iffy ability Dancer now has.

4. Brakedance - Close-range, heavily damaging attack that randomly causes 100% Undead or Stopped. Probably going to get slightly weaker.

5. Terpsichore - Single-target cancellation of Petrified & Immobilized. May expand to AoE 1 like Vox.

6. War Flamenco - Back to being the same old -1 PA "Polka Polka" for now, though I'm still not sure about stat-affecting abilities in general.

7. Magickal Masque - Back to being the same old -1 MA "Disillusion" for now, though I'm still not sure about stat-affecting abilities in general.

8. Endless Waltz - Currently the now second highest-restoring resurrection in the game at 50% HP, it also currently costs the most, is close-range only and is repeating, so it might see some cost decreases....

Reaction Abilities: Dancer has 3 Reaction abilities. See Miscellany.

1. PA Save - Renamed A Save. Both Bard and Dancer have this.

2. HP Restore - Apparently forgot to give this to anyone else first time around. Gee, I wonder why.... It's still pretty likely to die unless I can only make it trigger once like it was probably supposed to.

3. MA Save - Both Bard and Dancer have this.

Support Abilities: None.

Movement Abilities: Dancer has 2 Movement abilities, though they both currently don't technically exist. See Miscellany.

1. Warpath - ARENA's +2 Brave movement. Shared with Dancer.

2. Holy March - ARENA's +2 Faith movement. Shared with Dancer.



I'll maybe start on monsters Tuesday. At most today/Monday, I'll probably just look the Equipment list and get it to RavenofRazgriz...maybe. I kind of don't want to type anything for a day.


(05/23/2011 EDIT: Moving the Miscellany section back here since I keep referring to it above. It's been edited for typos, though the information is still old. The only new addition at present is Summoner's last line.

07/09/2012 EDIT: Now part of the "Sentimentality" section of other excised stuff from above that I don't want to copy into my cluttered Word documents right now.)

Given that other classes, namely special ones, also depend on Squire's/Soldier's beginning position, as much as I would like to make all those abilities free so people wouldn't have to re-buy them, I can't. They'll be really cheap, though. Either 5 JP or 10 JP. 15 JP max.

This also the reason why Soldier only has 4 RSMs now instead of its original 6 since I finally realized that pretty much all PC special classes probably need room for at least two different RSMs. That number might decrease to 3 if I deem enough PC special classes need more.


(NO LONGER VALID) The switch between Battle Skill and Math Skill happened because pretty much all Knight's abilities are single target and since Math Skill seems to slow really horribly with multiple-target abilities for some reason. As such, it was pretty necessary to switch Math Skill and Battle Skill for Blue Magic's sake unless you wanted to really admire Blue Magic.


1. Currently the path that's bugging me the most because of both formula limitations--be silent, dear Raven and FDC--and general lack of ideas. As much as I like bows (as seen by adding an entirely new weapon category), there's only so many ways you can shoot the damn things, especially within present formula parameters.

2. Originally had a pure Blinding technique, Blackout, that they mainly because it seems really weird to picture them shooting something in its eye and having it go "gosh, I'm blind now. Darn, guess I'll retreat" rather "ARGHDSAGHAREEHJAFGH!" The lack of damage if you don't use formula 2D, which uses straight weapon damage without any reduction, is one of the formula things that bugs the hell out of me. I guess I could have thought of it earlier as a blinding poison ala vanilla Night Killer rather than just now (if I weren't an idiot). However, I already have another Tier 1 class now with a Blind-inducing ability and Blind kind of needs to be balanced carefully, even if a lot more things prevent or cure it now.


1. With regards to Deflect/Reflect and the "might need change stuff so far", it's largely due to wanting all single status to have the same "inventive" naming scheme instead of being split half and half between "inventive" and "tautological". What I mean by the latter is stuff like the "Protect" spell causing Protect status, the "Shell" spell causing Shell status and the "Haste" spell causing Haste status. Compare this to more inventive things like the "Blind Rage" spell causing Berserk, the "Paralyze" spell causing Don't Act and the "Silence Song" spell causing Silence. While things needn't get as flowerly as PSP seemed to get about Yin-Yang Magic (though some of those names, like Umbra, are excellent), I want things to be consistently named just because I'm a freak like that. I also suppose because it makes some of a tribute to Oracle's "death" (and everyone raiding its corpse) that I also want to do this. I hope it won't be too confusing; there's always the select button to tell you what things do anyway.

2. Originally, I was going to have all White Magic be Holy element, but I realize that this kind of interfered with healing more than I want given that I've also given some equipment Holy halving and absorption. I might change this back, though.

3. With regards to Holy, I was originally, also, going to make a "quicker" Holy named "Pearl" (even though that technically WAS Holy in FFVI) that was a direct and Holy element, but I didn't want to give Priest too much assailing power. This became especially true with them gaining status spells (and my brief consideration to give them Break); they could probably stand to become 6th in MA and 5th in MP, really. At present, for the actual Holy spell, I might make it hit enemy-only or able to hit allies so that one of the replacement characters who will doubtless have it can teach it to you. It will be generally be less powerful, but it will be quicker and cost less MP, so that will make it easier to learn. That might make the AI spam it even more, though....

4. Speaking of White Magic, due to the Life Drain consideration in Wizard (that's coming up), I've been considering giving them something over Umbra or, more likely, Slumber. Probably just another status spell or maybe a magical version of Seal Evil (though Paladin already has two of those at present, so...). Not sure what will happen to them in the likely event now that Life Drain leaves Wizard, though though it won't be total upheaval as it potentially will in for the physical Tier 1 classes at this point.


1. Ugh, where to begin with this. Perhaps the mysterious lack of a Wind elemental in Wizard. Well, it's a combination of two other Tier 1 classes already having Wind-based attacks and Blue Mage, at present, having two alongside with Summoner and Illusionist having one each. So it seemed kind of unnecessary given that all 8 elements were covered in just the Tier 1 classes overall. Besides, I wanted a relatively "cheap" Dark-element spell and no other Tier 1 class could support it, so....

2. Oh, who am I kidding? That "might change" stuff on all over the elemental spells is rather telling. I'm just not sure if I'm overdoing it, especially since AoE and linear stuff probably affects Counter Magic and charging and moving in weird ways. Any thoughts?

3. As far as replacement abilities for Life Drain go, Wizard has five potential abilities off the top of my head: Taking either Priest's Umbra or Slumber, using that Break (Oracle's Petrify) spell that no one is currently using, getting Ultima back as Learn on Hit only (in which case Flare probably WILL become Fire-element or getting a Curse-inducing spell since no class has that (only class that can even inflict Curse at present is Summoner), though I was kind of leaning of giving that to Archer.... Again, any thoughts?


1. Ah, Chemist. Such a far and loathed class subject to my heart, one that, like Monk, I've long considered just getting rid of. Hence all the "see miscellany" things. I hope that my loathing has it made balanced as opposed to overpowered or underpowered. It got Immunity to Poison for the same reason that Mediator got immunity to Charm and Thief is getting a relatively strong innate that I was going to get rid of: specializing in Speed doesn't mean much when Speed is kept from going apeshit all over everything.

2. It would be oh so useful if Items could take X as things other than a whole number. I suppose Hi-Potion will stay 70 for now since X-Potion probably won't end up being much stronger. Auto Potion might keep being able to use X-Potions because of that.

3. The status cure items might go down to curing only 4 statuses and healing 1-100 or 1-150 HP like philsov's status cure items. At present, I've at least realized that Fairy Kiss does something I really don't think I want it to do.


1. Yeah, the Flash thing is kind of weird, but I feel that the Blindness invoking Innocent as well in this case is rather fitting. I'm kind of flip-flopping back and forth whether to have Flash be Holy element or just non-elemental.

2. I caved in and gave them a Vanish ability, but the AI seems like it's going to be so stupid about Transparent that I'm still rather wary. Lots of testing will need to be done just for this.


Geomancer is...problematic. Beyond the moveset limitations (unless you want to completely overhaul everything and get rid of the uniqueness), including the annoying inability to require CT and MP costs, there are a couple of other problems.

1. Formula limitations...that I'm not entirely sure I want to change to more MA-based given that it's free, instant "magic" even if it is dependent on what the hell you're standing on. I guess I could make every single Elemental ability able to be Reflected, but that seems...problematic. For now, I've decided just to use a purely-MA based formula but nerf the power of almost everything and make most Geomancy able to be dodged.

2. Anything "interesting" that can be done probably causes Counter Flood to become more of a liability than an actual counter. My wanting to do Auto-AoE or linear Elemental abilities doesn't seem like it would end well with regards to Counter Flood. As such, I've decided to just go the ARENA route of affixing less serious status to more frequent terrain, affixing more serious status & larger AoE to less frequent terrain nerfing the AoE of a couple of things like Carve Model.

At present, the only "constant" that I'm working on is that everything has to have an element, Elemental will now probably use the Dancing animation ala Mog and that Carve Model can only affect one panel due to Petrify stupidity. Everything else is kind of up in the air at present, including the opponent given that like half of the abilities are now Earth-based (including the more troublesome ones like Sinkhole and Carve Model) and able to dodged normally.

Equipment-wise, I think I might allow them to use Rod and Books, but that's probably all I'd be willing to give them additionally.


1. Confusion Song might just die and I need to actually see if there are any decent formulas for Sight Unseeing beyond 2D, which I've come to hate.

3. Like Priest, Acolyte might have too good a vague distribution at present.


The instant we are able to separate Jump or emulate it without restriction, it is getting its completely new skillset back, especially since Templar now has physical attacks that haven't been pilfered from it.


Titan and Siren might switch places...eventually. At present, I'm having difficulty distinguishing Titan from Midgarzolom utility-wise, which shouldn't be happening. Midgarzolom might just leave again at this rate; it's not like Summoner needs 16 spells.


More and more I'm thinking of getting rid of Wall and just gutting it for something. Maybe after/if I learn to code. At present, Wall status counts as a KO just because the AI apparently ignores it and having units on the field whore Wall...stupid. Since we're talking about it and relates to a status that Dimensionalist has, Frog counts a KO now as well; I'm not sure if it affects the AI's behavior towards Frogged units.

(It would appear that has happened now that Wall is Mist, which still needs its place in the game figured out. Given that Stop is likely staying around now with Blood Suck status having died, Dimensionalist might get another spell should another status I want to try out go through. We'll see how that goes, though.)


1. They're probably not going to get Concentrate or Martial Arts back innately; they'll probably get that damage reducing ability, though that will decrease the damage they can do.... Not sure what I'm going to give them besides, though they're definitely not getting Monster Talk back now--they at least Mimic Mediator again now, though.

2. Speaking (or not) of which, Mimes aren't going to be able to mimic any of the other complex classes at present. I might relax this later.


1. Innate Monster Talk seems like it might be stepping on Mediator's toes, especially since Animist has stronger stats and arguably stronger innate resistances. Similarly, them having Monster Talk is one of the reasons that Mime is unlikely to get it back.

2. Animist's RSMs are a source of vexation and annoyance given that they either will host overpowered ones that monsters have or have the weaker ones that many monsters have, like Regenerator, that will be underwhelming for a human by time Animist is unlocked. They lost Monster Skill as a Support too since it's completely useless now.

I've been considering giving them Counter Magic since it sort of makes the most sense to be there rather Summoner given that Animist is the premiere magical class, able to cast magic so adeptly that it can even cast the "magic" of monsters and it back at them. However, them getting Counter Magic means that Mime would likely lose it as Innate since I want to keep the two as separate as possible, which is the only thing stopping me from doing the switch. Given that Mimes can Mimic magic, it seems weird that they could Counter Magic, though maybe making them utterly physical in their innates isn't exactly a bad thing....


2. Soul Sphere - Basically MP-Demi. Still not really sure about MP-damaging attacks in general, but that's more on monsters to be honest.

10. Rain of Lances - Wind-based AoE attack. Might restrict it to need Spear. Will still be superior with Spears above other weapons even if not.



Animist (Blue Mage)
[Needs a non-Mage name eventually, especially since I told RavenofRazgriz I'd think of one in exchange for "borrowing" Dimensionalist. ...So I instead just borrowed "Animist" from him/FFT:A as much as I don't like the name and as much as it makes me feel like a lazy, thieving bastard.]

Equipment: Daggers, Swords, Rods, Staves, Shields, Hats, Toques, Clothing, Robes, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 07 Blue Magick - Had to switch this with Math Skill, so technically it is a renamed Battle Skill.

Innate Abilities: Monster Talk.

Starting Status: None - Although I'm tempted to give them initial Reraise.

Status Immunity: Dying (Dead) & Doomed (Death Sentence) - Which is why Mime wasn't immune to these even before it became more vulnerable to them; Animist's might become immune to a status other than "Dying" since nothing causes outright Dying right now and it's unlikely that anything ever will beyond, maybe, a few bosses.


Active Abilities: Blue Mage has 16 active abilities, all Learn on Hit Only. They now all secret, though I'll probably give hints if not outright mark them in monster descriptions. Probably.

While I make no promises, the Select button is there for a reason, after all, especially when the game gives you auto-Libra.

Reaction Abilities: Animist has 1 Reaction ability. at present.

Damage Split - Still needs to get nerfed...somehow. I think I've thought of way to at least initially nerf it finally.

Support Abilities: Animist has 1 Support ability.

Unyielding - The same support ability from ARENA.

Movement: Animist has 1 Movement ability.

Fly - Still trumps Ignore Height at present, which unfortunately means Ignore Height must still die since it's still completely useless.


1. Eschew - "Takedown"'s non-physical replacement. It exists mostly because a)Takedown sucked (with the current AI directions) and b)something needed to "cure" Faithful if things "cure" Doubtful". So this cancels currently cancels both. Not sure if it will continue to cancel Doubtful, though.

2. Shield Smash - Renamed Shield Break. Going to be slightly more likely to hit, but otherwise the same. I was briefly debating making it unable to be evaded given what's it aiming for, but then it could be used as a ghetto "Take Aim" with greater power, so that didn't pan out among other reasons. It may remain at its base percentage. Might go to another class just because I'm kinda wary of all the breaks being able to gotten with just two skill sets.

3. Lash Out - Spin Fist with less AoE and no discrimination, but more damage, no (initial) element and no (current) equipment restriction.

4. Head Smash - Renamed Head Break. Going to be slightly more likely to hit, but otherwise the same. It may remain at its base percentage.

5. Envenom - A close-range attack with a chance to Poison. A lot less likely to be confined with the ARH.

6. Armor Smash - Renamed Armor Break. Going to be slightly more likely to hit, but otherwise the same. It may remain at its base percentage.

7. Cripple - A close-range attack with a chance of Don't Act, Don't Move or Slow. Probably confined with the ARH.

8. Last Berserk - Inflicts Regen, Haste, Addle and Berserk to self. Can only be used in Critical.



Chemist
Although they prefer to toil away in secluded laboratories, due to the war that has ravaged Ivalice for these many years, Chemists have more and more become battlefield medics, much to the lament of many Chemists themselves. Preferring to still stay away from action, Chemists use accurate tosses to move their surefire remedies around the battlefield.

Equipment: Daggers, Rods, Staves, Crossbows?, Longbows, Instruments?, Tomes?, Hats, Clothing, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 06 Chemistry - Because Item doesn't keep with the "proper noun title" I'm going for with skill sets most likely (for humans). That and "Item" is extremely generic.

Innate Abilities: Throw Item, Move-Find Item.

Innate Status: None.

Starting Status: None.

Status Immunity: Poisoned.

Active Abilities: Chemist still has 14 of them, though they've pretty much all received some type of overhaul outside of the lower Potions and Ethers. Let's just say see Miscellany. At present, their latest set of overhauls makes them a lot more powerful than I'm comfortable with, this even though I got rid of the arguably overpowered "X-Potion", "Ultra-Potion", "Stimulant" and "Echo Grass":

1. Potion - Restores 40 HP now.

2. Hi-Potion - Restores 80 HP now.

3. X-Potion - Restores 120 HP now.

4. Ether - Restores 30 MP now.

5. Hi-Ether - Restores 60 MP now.

6. Giant's Drink - ???? Experimental.

7. Hero's Drink - ???? Experimental.

8. Echo Herbs - Formerly "Turtle Shell"; now cancels Confused, Addled & Faithful.

9. Golden Needle - Formerly "Stimulant"; now cancels ??? & Petrified.

10. Phoenix Down - Won't affect Undead; back to healing between 1-20 HP when it raises.

11. Fairy Kiss - Renamed Maiden's Kiss; only Berserk, Frogged, Charmed and Sleeping now, having lost Petrified despite possible hypocrisy given Acolyte's newest technique....

12. Holy Water - This heals Undead, Cursed, Oily, Doubtful and Doomed "only" now since Blood Suck is, well, dead (and loving it).

13. Remedy - This only heals ???, Blind & Poisoned now, as much as the asymmetry that now exists between it, Fairy Kiss and Holy Water bugs me.

14. Second Life - Formerly Elixir; I'm keeping this a secret for now since I still need to test it out even if Elixir might be coming back (unfortunately).

Reaction Abilities: Chemist had 2 reaction abilities, but Catch is dead now, so it only has 1.

Auto-Potion - Might cap this at Hi-Potion.

Support Abilities: Chemist has 2 support abilities.

1. Maintenance - Got this back from Gunner/Arbalist/Reliquarian's spot, though might go to Thief or...something. Probably going to use Xifanie's hack related to stats here.

2. Throw Item - It will have its range reduced from 4 to 3.

Movement Abilities: None.



Thief
Even though the hardships of Ivalice have caused many thieves to be born by necessity, there are still those who turn to thievery due to sheer wanton avarice. A Thief of this class is equally dangerous as one born of necessity, perhaps even more so due to their lack of conscious when it comes to stealing anything and everything from another.

Equipment: Daggers, Crossbows, Longbows, Whips, Hats, Hair Adornment, Clothing, and all Accessories.

Skill Set: 0E Thievery - Might change to "Pilfer".

Innate Abilities: Two Swords.

Innate Status: None.

Starting Status: None.

Status Immunity: Confused - Gained the immunity that Marksman used to have given both Orator and Chemist have an immunity to something.

Active Abilities: Thief has 11 active abilities, 3 of which still need a lot of testing, having been developed only hours before this was originally posted:

1. Muddle - Formerly Gil Taking; Confusion at 3v3 to 1.

2. Steal Accessory - More likely to hit now; otherwise the same.

3. Steal Heart - The same; I'd like this to not work on monsters if possible, though.

4. Steal Shield - More likely to hit now; otherwise the same.

5. Steal Magic - Renamed Spell Absorb; taken from Templar; otherwise the same at present.

6. Steal Helm(et) - More likely to hit now; otherwise the same.

7. Steal Luck - Adds Curse at 3v3.

8. Steal Weapon - More likely to hit now; otherwise the same. As noted under Paladin, this might die in general.

9. Steal Experience - Formerly Steal Exp and then the "-15 Brave up-close" ability Steal Will; Addle at 3v3 to 1; weakened by Iron Will.

10. Borrow Time - Former Negotiate; Slow or Stop at close-range; might make available only if Hasted.

11. Sweet Dreams - A sleep-inducing attack that will probably only be limited to Knives.

Reaction Abilities: Thief only has 1 Reaction ability, which is no longer Speed Save.

Alertness - The space between Counter and Distribute reactions; the same as in ARENA where it allows for W-EV and C-EV to be used from the sides & back (and called "Awareness").

Support Abilities: Thief only has 2 Support abilities.

1. Secret Hunt - They regain this even though I was considering giving it to Berserker.

2. Two Swords - At present only really usable with Knives and some Swords. Might have its power reduced further.

Movement Ability: Thief only has 1 movement ability.

Flee - User gains +2 Move when in Critical and only when in Critical. Might gain this innately. Probably not, though.




07/14/2011 EDIT: Filled Slayer/Vanquisher into Paladin's spot. Updated the other three classes, though it's not like Mime got anything just yet. Got rid of some of the miscellany that just didn't apply anymore, though I did add a good bit towards the end of Blue Mage regarding it and Mime.

09/26/2011 EDIT: Did some minor adjusting, mostly under Mime & Blue Mage. Otherwise, didn't change anything else. I'll probably change the miscellany section later once I look over it again.

03/18/2012 EDIT: Adjusted all complex classes innates. Formally brought back Bard and Dancer here. Changed the name of "Blue Mage" to "Animist". Not going to bother really updating the miscellany, at least right now, especially since I have to back and fix/update equipment for the other classes since I forgot. Hurray.

04/30/2012 EDIT: Keep forgetting to change Addled to Silenced in some places even a month later. Well, it's changed for Bard now. I'll look over the miscellany when I feel more like killing my eyes.

07/08/2012-07/09/2012 EDIT: Switched out Animist for Summoner here. Added "Sentimental" section, perhaps for later use, which the old miscellany is a part of. Still avoided looking over miscellany since my eyes are kinda dead already. Will do next time, though I wouldn't surprised if I just excised it.
"Sorrow cannot be abolished. It is meaningless to try." - FFX's Yunalesca

"Good and evil are relative, but being a dick cannot be allowed." - Oglaf's Thaumaturge in "The Abyss"

"Well, see, the real magic isn't believing in yourself. The real magic is manipulating people by telling them to believe in themselves. The more you believe, the less you check facts."  - Oglaf's Vanka in "Conviction"