Actual, serious speculation about grips

[Pteryx]

OK. So Square Enix announces that they're introducing a new kind of equipment, one with only small benefits, but that takes up an unused slot. It shows us one example for DDers, which is made out to be "gimp" by a community who ignored them also saying that they're rethinking two-handed delay calculations. They say that there are going to be grips suitable for staff-wielding mages, and all we get on that front is joking.

Let's try this again.

Seriously, what sorts of grips do you anticipate will show up, and what sorts do you hope will, keeping in mind that they're meant to be small-time items, likely slightly weaker than jewelry?

My own thoughts:
* A Fast Cast grip for DRKs.
* A minor MAB grip, perhaps +2, for just about anyone who casts spells.
* A Conserve MP grip, also for anyone who can cast.
* A WHM-exclusive Cure Potency or Regen potency/duration grip.
* A grip that boosts Parrying by a lot for PLDs, making the alternatives to sword-and-shield not so laughable.
* A single grip that improves the potency and accuracy benefits of any elemental staff wielded by, say, roughly half the difference between an NQ and an HQ, for any mage.
* A grip with a small amount of Store TP, maybe +3 or so, for any DDer capable of wielding a 2H weapon seriously.
* A grip that improves avatar accuracy for SMNs. (So they can, you know, do what SE first intended.)
* Alternately, a grip that reduces avatar perp cost by 1, but only while the avatar is meleeing and not in any part of the process of using a Blood Pact.

What else would make a worthwhile but not overwheming grip? -- Pteryx

[Aeni]

Re: Actual, serious speculation about grips

[DakAttack]

Re: Actual, serious speculation about grips

Dragoon Grip: Years of poor reputation -1

Oh wait, they can't do that!

[Lunaryn]

Re: Actual, serious speculation about grips

I'm going to have to call off-topic here, since this thread was created in part due to jokes and cynicism being the predominant response to the announcement of the grips in the first place. It really undercuts the point of the thread to have a joke and a gripe immediately following the OP's call for serious speculation.

I suspect the way in which grips for 2-handed DD would likely be most effective would be to incorporate a number of the same kinds of stat boosts that tend to make a weapon jump out as good for off-hand -- even when you'd never mainhand it for the same job. There is a certain placebo effect with dual-wield -- two hits always feels better than one, and the additional delay is somewhat obscured simply by the time it takes to animate the swings. However, those who use DW for serious, substantive reasons are usually off-handing a weapon to get a particular effect of set of stat boosts particular to that weapon. Boosts to accuracy and/or attack are probably a fairly standard bet, with the main concern balance-wise being the fact that an off-handed weapon often brings your DoT down somewhat (at least before boosts and averaging hits and misses are concerned).

Edit: With regard to the one grip we've seen, 3% haste at that level does seem a bit small given what you get simply from subbed DW1, but that may well be impacted by the upcoming changes to the combat formulas affecting 2-handed weapons.

(Incidentally, I have a feeling that a grip which cut your damage in half but allowed you to swing twice without additional delay, if not described in a way that makes it obvious that it essentially does nothing, would be inordinately popular among those who don't use parsers. But that's as much silliness as I'll indulge in for this post.)

[Armando]

Re: Actual, serious speculation about grips

For endgame melees, any speed-boosting grip would have to be 5% or more to compete with Dual Wield. Store TP grips would have to be at least Store TP +5 to compete with speed boost grips. A +crit grip would be good too.

As a PLD I'd rather see DD grips than defensive grips. Sword and Shield should remain our main form of defense; on the other hand, we can't make any use of Great Sword because we literally DD better with a single-wielded Joyeuse. And God knows what our Polearm skill is there for. Staff already brings its own form of damage mitigation (Spirit Taker), so DD grips also help there.

On the other hand, defensive grips for WAR and DRK would be excellent. WAR's main complaint isn't so much that they can't do enough damage with Great Axe, but the fact that Seigan + Third Eye isn't a substitute for Utsusemi Ichi + Ni.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Actual, serious speculation about grips

I'm curious to see if RNG and COR will get any benefits from this update. COR doesn't go the stave route as much in EXP/Merit as RNG does, but they do make use of staves in some endgame areas.

A grip with Snap Shot effects on it would be nice considering Guns and Bows can also be rather high in delay and unlike DRK, WAR, DRG and SAM, RNG and COR can't gain any Haste bonus to ranged attacks except for the Snap Shot merit trait. COR can't gain any Haste befits to Ranged, though Joyeuse does make up for it, but that's far more obtainable for a COR than a Ridill or Kraken Club is for a RNG.

[Malacite]

Re: Actual, serious speculation about grips

A seigan grip would be just wonderful to be honest, preferably in the form of guaranteed additional anticipations (any more than 2 would be too strong)

As for Store TP, +10 would be ideal, but that's really asking for a lot. I agree that MAB would be really sweet for DRK, though the job should honestly just be given a few MAB traits of it's own first and foremost.

Some job-specific grips would be greatly appreciated too (Rare/EX and quested I guess, or NM drops?)

Like something that enhances pets (Wyvern's and/or avatars in particular)

[Aeni]

Re: Actual, serious speculation about grips

A grip of +TP gain and +MP Regen for DRKs would be nice. Maybe a 2x-3x attack (Like on a kraken club, but as a chance and not a guaranteed thing)

If it's just something stupid like +1% haste or +1% increase in damage, then refer to the post above about what I think about all of this...

[Rain_Blade]

Re: Actual, serious speculation about grips

I'd love to have those grips. I'd also love for SE to stop teasing us with updates that are coming this month. You'd think we'd get the update the next day. Then, you'll probably think the NEXT day...and so on, but we're still getting this teasters on what's to come for this month. /sigh Patience is evil.

[Lleo]

Re: Actual, serious speculation about grips

* A WHM-exclusive Cure Potency or Regen potency/duration grip.

This would be great, but I think it's more likely that we will get MP+ and MND+ grips. A cheap +30MP grip would be good for my light staff.

[Kailea]

Re: Actual, serious speculation about grips

I would just like a grip for my DRG, that would lower delay (seen the one in the SS) or raise ACC