Final Fantasy Hacktics

Quote from: "tithin"Disperse, whilst a great idea is a bit overpowered. It's essentially a passive version of the Monk Cleanse / White Mage dispel. What would be the point of those statuses if that would be all that would be equipped? It's essentially immunity. It may hinder for one round, but that's about it.

This is a movement skill and as such doesn't directly compete with skill-based heals. The benefit of not taking Disperse into battle and relying on Stigma or Esuna is that your movement slot can be used for teleport or move+3 or something.

Can you make move bonuses and move penalties as complex as FE4, I wonder?

Like, it doesn't matter where you start but what squares you move through?

Actually nvm, there's nothing like this in the game already, so this would be really difficult.  Having move reduced while on sand by 1 or 2, and move increased on tiles such as brick by 1 are cool ideas.

I like adding movement penalties/bonuses to terrain, but what surfaces would actually merit a movement boost? There are plenty that I can see giving a penalty. My only other concern is that the terrain only give bonuses/penalties while moving through the same type of terrain, otherwise it becomes kind of silly. Brick shouldn't give a bonus for moving through sand, right?

Here's the list of terrains that have a corresponding Elemental skill from the BMG:

Natural Surface
Road
Wasteland
---> Pitfall (No Element/Don't Move)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Waterway
River
Lake
Sea
Waterfall
---> Water Ball (Water / Frog)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grassland
Thicket
Water Plant
Ivy
---> Hell Ivy (No Element / Stop)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gravel
Stone Wall
Stone Floor
Tombstone
Mud Wall
---> Carve Model (No Element / Petrify)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rocky Cliff
Lava Rocks
---> Local Quake (Earth / Confusion)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Book
Tree
Brick
Moss
Bridge
Furniture
Iron Plate
Coffin
---> Kamaitachi (Wind / Don't Act)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wooden Floor
Rug
Box
Stairs
Deck
---> Demon Fire (Fire / Sleep)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Swamp
Marsh
Poisoned Marsh
---> Quicksand (Water / Death Sentence)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sand Area
Stalactite
Salt
---> Sand Storm (Wind / Darkness)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Snow
Ice
---> Blizzard (Ice / Silence)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Roof
Sky
Chimney
---> Gusty Wind (Wind / Slow)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lava
Machine
---> Lava Ball (Fire / Dead)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm not sure if it covers every type of terrain, but it's a good start.

Quote from: "Zozma"that first support skill you mentioned just now about gaining the element of the terrain sounds like a pretty sweet geomancer support skill

That would make a pretty good support skill. Should something like this also have weaknesses added to give it some risk too? Like if the unit is standing on Snow and absorbs the ice element to attack they also become weak against fire in the process?

Well vanya that weakness makes sense... most maps have more than one or two terrain types...

You could have water element one second because your in water, or earth the next cause you move to the grassland.

Its a variable kinda thing.... and it can kinda change....

Take barius valley right below lionel castle

you fight panthers and squids at the same time often

In the water, you do less damage to squids. on the grass you do more damage to panthers.

gravel should be earth too, theres already not enough earth, wind and water stuff

there may not be many types of earth

but grass is the most common tile in most maps

Some support skill ideas from FFTA/2:

*Half MP - Nerf it a bit by reducing damage & accuracy.
*MP Turbo - 2x MP consumption, for increased damage & accuracy spells. Should give no net bonus if combined with Half MP.
*Piercing Magick - Spells ignore reflect, but have decreased damage & accuracy.
*Item Lore - Increase item effectiveness.
*Blood Magick - Use 5x HP to cast spells instead of MP.
*MP Attack - Normal attacks consume MP to increase damage.
*Stasis - Immune to most buffs and debuffs.

Some ideas from or inspired by WildARMs XF:

*Tactical Evasion - Increase evasion based on the number of empty spaces adjacent to unit.
*Resting - Heal HP when using the wait command. If one action or movement is used before wit effectiveness is at 50% reduction. If both an action and a movement is used then effectiveness is at 100% reduction. Should heal more than "Move - HP up", say 20% of current HP.
*Accretion - Same as above, but for MP.
*Detect - Reveals hidden items and traps. (It may be difficult to add, but maybe make it so that items appear as green panels and traps as yellow panels?)

Some ideas from other FF games:
*Cover - Randomly take damage for adjacent critical allies.
*Final Attack - If HP is reduced to 0, unit gets a chance to automatically perform a final basic attack on the attacking unit.
*Sneak Attack - Increased damage when attacking from behind.
*Elementalist - Increase effectiveness of elemental attack items (balls). Maybe balls could be added to the normal Items list as a side hack?

Quote* Move+1 ---> +1 move, +2 jump.
* Move+2 ---> +2 move, +3 jump.
* Move+3 ---> +3 move, +4 jump.

This will make the Move+X ability too powerful.

Quote* Move-Get Exp ---\ Gain +2 EXP/+3 JP per panel instead of +1/+2.
* Move-Get Jp -----/ The effect should be canceled by charm, instead of blood suck.

This is just me, but I think those abilities should be replaced with other function.
Move-Get Exp become obsolete when you're in level 99.
Move-Get JP become obsolete when you master every Job.
There's no real advantage to use it in serious battle, like Deep Dungeon / story battle / zodiac boss.
You can get more EXP / JP by hitting your enemies anyway.

Quote* Any Weather ---> Remove it's ability to null weather effects on magic & consider adding more weather related penalties for specific terrain.
* Any Ground ---> New name to reflect what it actually does. "Move in Water"
* Move in Water [420 JP, Ninja]---> No need to change it at all. New name to reflect what it actually does. "Walk on Water"
* Walk on Water [300 JP, Samurai]---> +1 move while in water to even it out with the ninja's water ability. New name to reflect what it actually does. "Swim"
* Move on Lava --->Consider adding additional terrain penalties for it to nullify. If so, new name to reflect what it actually does. "Any Ground"

Still, there's no incentive to use those abilities above rather than Move+1.
Yes, they need a change. Without a specific bonus, I won't use Move in Water even in Finath River.
Just avoid water terrain and use Move+3.
No need to enter into water and just wait until your enemies come, and receive movement penalty when they're in water.

I still prefer Any Ground to give +bonus when you stand in certain terrain.
That way there's a reason to use Any Ground rather than Move+1.

Quote* Move underwater ---> Make it similar to samurai's water ability, but have it treat all deep water as if it were 3h deep. Also, if unit is in water that is 3h deep it gets transparent status.

Water with 3h deep is very rare. I still prefer you get instant bonus at the time you move into water.

Quote* Move-Find Item ---> Remove it's ability to disarm traps.

Not possible. It's either you got the item or you got the trap.

QuoteFly ---> Remove ignore height feature. Give it an MP cost per move, unless the unit has it innate. This way monsters with wings can be free of an MP cost. Can you check for the skill being innate instead of equipped?

Due to the change in other movement abilities, I think Fly can stay as is. Fly is now a Teleport within your movement range and without MP cost.

Quote* Silent Walk ---> "Always transparent" + "Ignore Traps" + "Move through enemies".

Always transparent isn't a good idea. It's like a pseudo support.
Basically, Transparent gives free Concentrate. Without doing anything, you got 100% accuracy bonus.
It violates movement ability spirit.

QuoteIdea for ignore height: Damage bonus depending on the height of the terrain you are attacking from.

A good idea, this will make Ignore Height used more often.
Maybe something like this :
Increased A% damage per B height.
Starting bonus damage = C%
Bonus start at height D and max bonus damage is capped at E%.

It's necessary to make player can choose between Jump+X for 20% / 25% / 30% bonus damage or Ignore Height for another damage mechanism.
It's a bit complicated, let me know if anyone has a good idea for mechanism of Ignore Height bonus.

Quoteincrease move/decrease move temporary

Possible, the concept should be the same as Any Ground.

QuoteAlso, I know you have a lot on your plate (no it's nothing to do with the books this time...) But I was wondering if you could enable skill usage in Frog status? This would work great for my Mini status, I have planned.

I successfully enabled frogged unit's skillset, but there's a different function for AI, that I haven't found.

QuoteMovement skill: 50 CT bonus towards next turn when stopping in water

This skill should be merged with Move in Water / Walk in Water / Move Underwater.
One of them, not all of them.
Still, +50 seems a bit high. You can make an Archer equip Move in Water, go into Water, act and shoot, then wait.
It will give you +20 CT. with +50 CT bonus, you'll get +70 CT. Combine that with Haste, and you get a double turn.
+30 CT bonus is enough.

QuoteMovement Skill: When the unit's move causes a Jump to trigger (the actual jump animation is required to move to destination), unit gains 50 CT.

+50 CT is a bit too high. See the reason I give above.

QuoteRandom hack idea: Items broken in battle are restored afterwards
Breaking items in battle should be a strategic choice contained in the battle itself, not something that continues to fuck you afterwards. In that sense Maintenance is still useful

Agree. Maintenance should be an option, not a support ability that always be equippped when you encounter Divine Knight / Knight.
Usually, a broken Chaos Blade / Maximillian in battle will result at instant reset, but not anymore.

QuoteMovement Skill: Attempts to knock back every unit standing on the adjacent panels of your destination.

I don't know if it's possible or not. Probably not, since Knockback mechanic isn't fully understood.

QuoteSupport Skill: Your target's elemental resistances are lowered by one degree (FFTA.) If target Absorbs, it now Halves, if target Halves, it no longer Halves, if target isn't resistant, it is now Weak. If target is Weak, it is now Very Weak.

It's too powerful and better than Magic Attack Up.
'Weak' element will increase magic damage by 100%. Magic Attack Up will increase magic damage by 33%

QuoteMovement Skill: You absorb the elemental property of the terrain you are standing on and / or Your weapon attacks become the elemental property of the terrain you are standing on.

The advantage when your weapon has elemental attribute is when the target is monster that weak against element X (100% bonus damage).
Or, you equip Accessory with Strengthen X which will increase attack power by 25%.
You can also attack your allies that absorb element X and heal them at the same time.
Seems pretty nice.

QuoteThat would make a pretty good support skill. Should something like this also have weaknesses added to give it some risk too? Like if the unit is standing on Snow and absorbs the ice element to attack they also become weak against fire in the process?

Nope, giving the unit that equip that movement ability weakness X Element if they stand in terrain X would be a pretty big nerf.
They will get destroyed with Wizard's elemental magic.
If you see the above explanation, the only non-random bonus with Element would be only if you equip item like 108 Gems, that will give your attack 25% damage bonus.
While the movement skill is quite good, it's rare that you meet a unit with the weakness X and you stand at the correct terrain which give Element X.

QuoteI like adding movement penalties/bonuses to terrain, but what surfaces would actually merit a movement boost? There are plenty that I can see giving a penalty. My only other concern is that the terrain only give bonuses/penalties while moving through the same type of terrain, otherwise it becomes kind of silly. Brick shouldn't give a bonus for moving through sand, right?

Here's the list of terrains that have a corresponding Elemental skill from the BMG:

That movement bonus only applied if Ramza uses Any Ground.
If Ramza doesn't use Any Ground, he won't get any movement bonus +1 from brick or -1 from sand area.
The movement bonus range from 0..3 or -1 .. 4. Numbers can be discussed.
+1 from Brick and -1 from sand are just an example.
We need to do some statistic analysis to check which terrain give +X bonus.

QuoteBrick shouldn't give a bonus for moving through sand, right?

It would be too complex to check which path the units will take.
The current Any Ground only check which terrain you're in, and give +x bonus.

Examples :
Ramza has 3 base move with Any Ground equipped.
Ramza start in terrain brick, so he get +1 movement bonus, and he can move at 4 range.
If he move to terrain with brick, he get +1 movement bonus, and he can move at 4 range.
If he move to sand, he get -1 movement bonus penalty. He can only move at 2 range.

Ramza has 3 base move with Move-Find Item equipped.
Ramza start in terrain brick, so he get +0 movement bonus, and he can move at 3 range.
If he move to terrain with brick, he get +0 movement bonus, and he can move at 3 range.
If he move to sand, he get -0 movement bonus penalty. He can move at 3 range.




Anyway, this is my point :

* Move+2 and Move+3 are still better than most buffed movement abilities.
It's actually support ability in the place of movement ability.
Without specific condition, you got +2 or +3 move bonus, so it should be for enemies only or reworked.

* Move-Get Exp / Move-Get JP should be reworked. See the reason above.

* With the other movement ability buff, Teleport that cost X MP and 20% penalty seems to be losing its charm.
Most class can't use Teleport with the MP cost. It's basically Fly with Move+1 and MP cost for Magician class.
It needs to be reworked as other movement ability.

QuoteWell vanya that weakness makes sense... most maps have more than one or two terrain types...

no it doesn't

it's already a weak movement skill as it is (in it's current form)

movement skill just for absorbing 1 type of element / gaining element to your weapon isn't that great

useful but not nearly good enough to warrant a penalty

position - dependent bonuses are extremely limited, you cannot treat them like they were somehow under the player's control or called up at will (the battle won't always go in the way of the player where the unit will perfectly be positioned in a panel to even trigger the correct element shift to become dangerous to X enemies being faced)


no need to add weaknesses to it

Quote+50 CT is a bit too high. See the reason I give above.

50 CT is just a number thrown out in an example

lower it if you want, the idea is what matters, the numbers can be changed

QuoteBasically, Transparent gives free Concentrate. Without doing anything, you got 100% accuracy bonus.
It violates movement ability spirit.

I was assuming (I know I shouldn't) the implementation of the hacks you already made to nerf Transparent. But, even with that I should have thought to have dropped it to start-Transparent at least.

QuoteIt would be too complex to check which path the units will take.
The current Any Ground only check which terrain you're in, and give +x bonus.

Flowing water already affects movement in this sort of way, doesn't it. Couldn't it simply be modified to also check for other specific terrain types?

Quotemovement skill just for absorbing 1 type of element / gaining element to your weapon isn't that great

useful but not nearly good enough to warrant a penalty

I hadn't thought of that. And giving it an elemental boost might make too powerful even with the weakness added. That is unless someone would WANT to go through the trouble of weakening every elemental damage skill in the game. Yeah, probably not.

Quote*Sneak Attack - Increased damage when attacking from behind.

There's already offensive movement abilities that increases % damage (Jump+X, Ignore Height), but it's for ranged weapons mostly.
I like the idea of getting specific bonus when you attack from behind.
Maybe this should be merged with Silent Walk ?

QuoteFlowing water already affects movement in this sort of way, doesn't it. Couldn't it simply be modified to also check for other specific terrain types?

If we use the flowing water idea, that would be a big buff to Any Ground.

Water penalty : Normally each square of flowing water you walk through costs you two movement points instead of one.

If we change Any Ground bonus to be similar with flowing water penalty,
by making 1 movement point worth 2 square of Grassland, that would make a unit with 4 Move becomes 8 Move

QuoteThere's already offensive movement abilities that increases % damage (Jump+X, Ignore Height), but it's for ranged weapons mostly.
I like the idea of getting specific bonus when you attack from behind.
Maybe this should be merged with Silent Walk ?

Sure. I think that's perfectly reasonable.

QuoteIf we change Any Ground bonus to be similar with flowing water penalty,
by making 1 movement point worth 2 square of Grassland, that would make a unit with 4 Move becomes 8 Move

Can you possibly post the code for the flowing water routine? If it uses a loop to find the squares to apply the penalty to, it may be possible to have a one time branch with which to add a the bonus for specific terrains. But I have to see the code first.

Excellent, it sounds like this whole move business has been sorted out. I was gonna say just remove teleport and ignore height completely, and reduce Fly to an innate, but your solutions sound pretty nice.

Anyways, could you enable the 1.5 bonus for all weapons when you use Jump?

Random Idea for a movement ability

Rush/Charge: Increase physical attack damage by +X% for each panel moved this turn (I.E, if you move 4 panels and then attack, you'll do +4X% damage.)

...I'm sick for a week and I come back to see that the thread has been engulfed by my initial Teleport suggestion to the point where Godwin's Law was invoked a couple pages ago.

Thanks for giving me more reason to hate myself, guys.  


Anyway, since I've yet to even think beyond Teleport and I see no point in asking for something that I might not even use, all I want to know right now a couple of things with regards to Berserk status:

• Can you make it so that Berserk either becomes that PA% thing that was mentioned (without it making take up as much space as it would to give Berserk a finite duration) or make it so that it at least allows for (some) Reactions and Movements to be active?
• Since I vaguely remember it being mentioned yet haven't encountered it myself, I was wondering if you possibly knew what sometimes causes Berserk AI with ranged weapons to get stuck behind certain aspects of terrain like trees? If you know why this is, then the follow-up question would be how to change it if so possible.

Also, speaking of status-change, it's been awake, so forgive me if I already asked this, but is there a way to have the computer not completely ignore someone who has Death Sentence or Confusion afflicted on them?

Thanks.

More random ideas:
Fly: Movement range increases with altitude
Flee: Movement and Jump increases when you are critical

Quote from: "Asmo X"Flee: Movement and Jump increases when you are critical

I like this, but there should be a counter to it or something. Perhaps if you've used an action while critical it doesn't function? IE, Action, then move, it wont function. Or Move, then Action would?

Nah it's a really shit idea. No one is going to pick a movement skill that only works when they're critical.

It'd make a decent reaction skill maybe?

how would that work though?