Tweet
It's harder to complete a party at several level ranges due to lack of players. I speak mostly of 40 to 70. Things like adding more exp quests and base exp rewards to things like Eco-Warrior, Garrison, and EFs would be good solutions, but I have another idea:
The enhancing of the NPC Fellow so that it could pull it's weight in a party.
Fellows take up a party slot and give a 30% exp penalty to the user. They are very awkward and generally couldn't be filled to fill a role outside helping with solo tasks.
The ideal result form adjustments to the Fellow system would be that people can substitute hard to find jobs with their NPC. Of course, Fellows would never become so potent that they would replace the player controlled character(though... I don't know, I had a run with a static of a Great Sword PLD and DRK/WHM recently...).
First off, remove that base exp penalty and make it "party based". Having a fellow out is the same as having a party member. This would have a positive and negative effect: With Signet you'll lower exp lose while duoing, but without it, it would increase. I see this as a trade off for the buffing of these NPCs.
When called with Signet/Sanction, Fellows should gain the effect of Signet or Sanction(including additional effects bought with it). (Regarding Sanction/ToAU, see what I say below).
Fellows would be effected by AoE buffing spells, including Protectra/Shellra and songs. Fellows would be allowed to be targeted by spells such as Regen, Refresh, and so on. No spell or party member effecting job ability wouldn't work with Fellows.
Make Fellow's in-battle chat visible to all party members.
Get rid of limiting the maximum bond a player can have based on quests.
Increase the base maximum of kills/time to 20/60min and maximum to 40/120 min. For players to get access to higher "bond"(therefor increase their maximum kills/time), add plenty of side quests that are available very early.
Remove some restrictions on where a fellow can be called: allow in Pso'Xja uncapped zones, Sky, Sea, and some Beastmen zones. I am not going to touch on the subject of ToAU, it seems SE has something in mind for that one.
Now, you've given Fellows a boost as they can be treated like party members, but there is still more: AI.
First off, this is a very important AI issue that a job like PUP could be helped by: NPCs curing/buffing party members.
Another AI thing, something BST could benefit from, Fellows won't use AoE WSes if other monsters are near.
At the Rendezvous Point, include the option to change how a Fellow will engage the enemy: (can select several)
1) When you attack the monster. (now including spells and range attacks)
2) When you engage the monster.
3) When you draw enmity from the monster. (Including aggro)
4) When told to do so. (this becomes the default)
NPCs no longer require players to be engaged and will not engage while "resting" even if the player does.
NPCs no longer rest when the player does.
First off, if #4 above is selected, a new option named "Assault" is an option when selecting the NPC. You go into sub-target and whatever you picked(assuming it isn't claimed) will be attacked by the NPC. While engaged "Disengage becomes an option, which turns it off".
Another option: Rest is available through the same method. It makes the player /heal. The option "Get up" can cancel it.
Finally, the command /fellow "Assault" <t>, /fellow "Rest" "fellow's name", and so on will work as commands and in macros.
Another idea to play around with is giving Fellows job abilities based on weapons. How often(or potent/common) they use the ability would be based on how high "tier" the weapon is.
Example: Give a Tank-type Fellow a Sword, maybe he'll begin using Sentinel. Give a Attack-type Fellow a Sword, maybe he'll begin using Holy Circle. Healers would gain no benefit from using a Sword(as a Attack-type might not gain any benefits from using a Staff or Club).
You could cover many types of weapons this way. Imagine Katana allowing tank-types to cast Utsusemi, Dual Wield on Attacker, and debuff on Healer.
Polearms giving Jump... Great Katanas giving Meditate... you get the idea.
Shield's effects would probably dominate over weapons... a tank using Shield Bash for example.
SE could even expand the weapon list to Ranged Weapons and instruments(oh snap, BRD). (To balance this, Shields shouldn't be allowed to equip while a ranged weapon and Ranged effects would dominate over weapon's effect).
I would suggest healers and tanks getting their weapon skill nerfed to B and A-. Maybe if instruments were added(each tank/healer/and attacker casting different songs) drop the Skill an additional two "levels" (A+ to B+, A- to B-, B to C+).
Hmmm, just a thought.
The enhancing of the NPC Fellow so that it could pull it's weight in a party.
Fellows take up a party slot and give a 30% exp penalty to the user. They are very awkward and generally couldn't be filled to fill a role outside helping with solo tasks.
The ideal result form adjustments to the Fellow system would be that people can substitute hard to find jobs with their NPC. Of course, Fellows would never become so potent that they would replace the player controlled character(though... I don't know, I had a run with a static of a Great Sword PLD and DRK/WHM recently...).
First off, remove that base exp penalty and make it "party based". Having a fellow out is the same as having a party member. This would have a positive and negative effect: With Signet you'll lower exp lose while duoing, but without it, it would increase. I see this as a trade off for the buffing of these NPCs.
When called with Signet/Sanction, Fellows should gain the effect of Signet or Sanction(including additional effects bought with it). (Regarding Sanction/ToAU, see what I say below).
Fellows would be effected by AoE buffing spells, including Protectra/Shellra and songs. Fellows would be allowed to be targeted by spells such as Regen, Refresh, and so on. No spell or party member effecting job ability wouldn't work with Fellows.
Make Fellow's in-battle chat visible to all party members.
Get rid of limiting the maximum bond a player can have based on quests.
Increase the base maximum of kills/time to 20/60min and maximum to 40/120 min. For players to get access to higher "bond"(therefor increase their maximum kills/time), add plenty of side quests that are available very early.
Remove some restrictions on where a fellow can be called: allow in Pso'Xja uncapped zones, Sky, Sea, and some Beastmen zones. I am not going to touch on the subject of ToAU, it seems SE has something in mind for that one.
Now, you've given Fellows a boost as they can be treated like party members, but there is still more: AI.
First off, this is a very important AI issue that a job like PUP could be helped by: NPCs curing/buffing party members.
Another AI thing, something BST could benefit from, Fellows won't use AoE WSes if other monsters are near.
At the Rendezvous Point, include the option to change how a Fellow will engage the enemy: (can select several)
1) When you attack the monster. (now including spells and range attacks)
2) When you engage the monster.
3) When you draw enmity from the monster. (Including aggro)
4) When told to do so. (this becomes the default)
NPCs no longer require players to be engaged and will not engage while "resting" even if the player does.
NPCs no longer rest when the player does.
First off, if #4 above is selected, a new option named "Assault" is an option when selecting the NPC. You go into sub-target and whatever you picked(assuming it isn't claimed) will be attacked by the NPC. While engaged "Disengage becomes an option, which turns it off".
Another option: Rest is available through the same method. It makes the player /heal. The option "Get up" can cancel it.
Finally, the command /fellow "Assault" <t>, /fellow "Rest" "fellow's name", and so on will work as commands and in macros.
Another idea to play around with is giving Fellows job abilities based on weapons. How often(or potent/common) they use the ability would be based on how high "tier" the weapon is.
Example: Give a Tank-type Fellow a Sword, maybe he'll begin using Sentinel. Give a Attack-type Fellow a Sword, maybe he'll begin using Holy Circle. Healers would gain no benefit from using a Sword(as a Attack-type might not gain any benefits from using a Staff or Club).
You could cover many types of weapons this way. Imagine Katana allowing tank-types to cast Utsusemi, Dual Wield on Attacker, and debuff on Healer.
Polearms giving Jump... Great Katanas giving Meditate... you get the idea.
Shield's effects would probably dominate over weapons... a tank using Shield Bash for example.
SE could even expand the weapon list to Ranged Weapons and instruments(oh snap, BRD). (To balance this, Shields shouldn't be allowed to equip while a ranged weapon and Ranged effects would dominate over weapon's effect).
I would suggest healers and tanks getting their weapon skill nerfed to B and A-. Maybe if instruments were added(each tank/healer/and attacker casting different songs) drop the Skill an additional two "levels" (A+ to B+, A- to B-, B to C+).
Hmmm, just a thought.
Comment