What is the average faith level?

[BleuVII]

This is an observation question, based on your experiences.

I am switching some spells to be non-faith based. In order to do that, I've taken 65 as an average faith level. So to figure out the spell's power, I've changed the formula to DMG_(MA*Y), and then dropped the base power by the formula: Power*0.65*0.65. So, for example, Fire would go from 14 to 5.

Have you had to answer/playtest this before? If so, what formula did you use? Is 65 a good average number, or am I being too generous?

[Emmy]

59 is the actual average (for randomly generated units), 55 for soldier office units.  I've balanced my mod around a different set of (nearly all custom) formulas, for a few reasons:

1. To bring consistency that didn't exist in vanilla - there's too much stuff with magic-like effects that aren't based on faith, and stuff that you wouldn't think was faith based that is.  Generally speaking none of this is intuitive or explained to the player in any way, and a vast majority of players don't figure out which skills are/aren't faith based without a faq or multiple playthroughs.

2. To better balance magical and physical skills on characters throughout the game on characters who can't change movesets (such as monsters).  Looking at default vanilla formulas, magic peaks at artificially low levels, while physical attacks (fists) peak at level 99.  In a game where levels scale, this create a dynamic where the player is encouraged to abuse terrible formulas; and if levels are static, it encourages players to grind to overcome challenges, which creates an inconsistent challenge if you design some units to be offensive powerhouses and others to be status bots.  If magic and physical damage is about equivalent to each other overall in power (not just damage, but aoe, range, ct/mp costs, ability to hit elemental weaknesses, etc), and for as much of the game as possible, there is a larger variety of things that is worth the action to do.

3.  I've always hated the idea of having abilities that are redundant with each other and/or become outclassed quickly.  I'd much rather have abilities that are designed to be useful for the full game but do different types of damage, have different procs, etc. than to have fire 1/2/3/4, ifrit/salamander, etc.

[BleuVII]

Thanks, Emmy! And agreed on the redundant abilities. I personally changed Salamander to damage MP instead of HP.

The main problem I'm trying to solve right now is the horrible discrepancy between Brave and Faith. Brave is useful for reaction abilities, Knight Swords, and Katanas, and that's about it. You live or die by Faith. I have changed all damage-dealing spells to not be Faith based. Faith has a more limited role now, and Zodiac Compatibility a much HIGHER role. Faith is used for the giving/receiving of status effects, and for Summons. Oh, also, low Faith helps you with Fell Swords, since I'm doing a WotL mod. If you train up someone to use Fell Swords though, it means you will barely ever be able to cast Haste or Protect on them.

I have also moved around abilities between skillsets to eliminate duplicates whenever possible (particularly between Mystics and Orators). This has involved creating... I think the count is up to 20 new abilities now.

I'll go back and do my calculations with 59 Faith. That is EXTREMELY helpful.