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Ah yes, new content, and so I must share my opinions on how it could be better.
Pankration is going through a big problem atm with the size of the crowds gathering on all servers. This may or may not be a temporary problem, but I won't be adjusting it directly... only streamlining the system so that it's helpful/not wasteful small or large.
Another problem is monster balance, especially in the categories of FP vs HP extremes. For example, a Corse with 17 FP max is pretty ridiculous and so is a chigoe who gets two-three shotted so very quickly.
The whole ranking system(Diablo) cage is done pretty poor, it's also very un-tournament-ish.
Going back to the first point: I do not wish to see more cages added or for Pankration to be instanced. The former would require much more effort than necessary, despite being a good idea. Perhaps in WotG a secondary area could be added, but I'm speaking of right now. The latter would also be a lot of work and would prevent people viewing. Out of the two, more cages would be the better(even if it has to be from making a duplicate zone).
It should also be noted, the .dats tell us some pretty crazy things are coming in the future, assuming they are true. Stuff like: 75 or higher cap, spells like Thundaga IV or Meteor, spells and WSes being learned independently, and so on. Uh, I'll try not to get into that right now... since who knows what may happen, if it ever does.
Now to the fixes.
Balance
1. Base FP/HP/Stats are adjusted to be fairly balanced.
Monsters with natural low FP would have something similar to 30 compared to 17 and monsters in the 70~ range won't suffer too greatly from their naturally weaker stats. Nerfing might be in order for monster types that don't seem to suffer at all for their high FP amounts(sometimes due to having access to very potent innates)... Apkallu and Clusters would be good examples. If Nerfing is done, it will be very light(and mostly be lowering base FP instead of stats).
2. Jobs and Traits are combined for a cheaper overall cost and their FP cost differs.
The cost for a mage job without good traits(example: BLM) would be cheaper overall, like 13-15 FP(shaving off 5-7 FP to be used on scroll plate). A job like MNK which benefits greatly from traits would fine their cost be at least 20, perhaps even higher(which would be a nerf).
3. Innate traits can be added to a monster at a later time.
This would put less emphasis on capturing the perfect monster before leveling it up. However, it would be important to keep some importance to the aspect I just mentioned. Details explained below.
Match Making / Match Duration
1. Matches begin and end as soon as possible to continue the flow for the next match.
The moment a match ends, the next combatants will be paged. 30 seconds from then, their match will begin. (Combatants will be warned beforehand, as shown below)
This means most matches will start 1/2 faster(assuming it's an even match which lasts just under or over a minute).
2. Combatants will be able to warp directly to their corners using the Tarutaru Warping NPCs while it is their turn.
3. Big change to the system: The entire system is changed to create several matches at once instead of make them as they fill. Level is considered when making matches together.
After every 10 or so matches(20 people) at a cage, a new set of matches can be scheduled. When 20 new players register, their levels are matched up to the best possible combination(100% balance is likely impossible). After the combatants are assigned to each other, they are randomly ordered and are paged estimate time range of their next match(40 seconds x matches(minimum) to 3 minutes x matches(maximum) before theirs).
Should a player withdraw from their match, a vacancy is made that can filled by someone else should they speak with a NPC. Players standing near the cage in a similar level range and are not in a match will be paged this chance.
Withdraws when you are 1 or 2 matches away from going are not possible.
4. Every other match players will be paged on their place in line and how soon their fight might be.
Changes to Cages / Registering
1. Annihilation has a level 20-25 level cap(might be raised as the level cap is raised). Combatants over the level 25 will be unable to sign up for matches there.
2. Bloodlust is unchanged.
3. Betting is available at Carnage, but it is otherwise unchanged.
4. Betting is available at Diablo, other changes mentioned below.
5. Every cage has a reentry timer on it(two actually). A player can not register a monster in the same cage until 10 minutes since his last match at that cage. He can not register a monster anywhere until the group of matches(20 player / 10 matches) his match was apart of ends.
6. Diablo works differently: It does not have the same global timer that other cages have. You may only register in Diablo once every 3 real-life hours.
Betting
Betting is available at cages "Carnage" and "Diablo".
Combatants will be unable to bet on their own matches.
Betting on a match costs 2 Jetton. After paying this fee, you will bet 300 gil. When a bet is won, the won money is split between the winning side and the winning side is awarded 3 Jetton.
You will be able to bet the the match after next. (Meaning not the current match, but the one that will be coming up after). The betters will be able to view information of the combatants(name, species, level, feral skills, temperament).
Diablo Cage (Tournament)
1. Only the challenger gains experience points from matches in Diablo.
2. The entire system is changed: Rather a single champion, there is a ranking system, not unlike Ballista. Simply it works as follows:
Ten slots of Rank 40
Ten slots of Rank 30
Five slots of Rank 20
Then 15-1.
3. When a ranked character registers at Diablo, he will face the opponent ranked above him. At ranks 40, 30, and 20 this can be a random pick out of a group of 5 or 10.
4. When an unranked character registers at Diablo, he will randomly face one of the Rank 40 combatants.
5. The stats of a ranked monster will be adjusted based on when the player trades his Official Reflector(either to fight or to upgrade stats). A player will be required to do this once a real-life week or their monster will be removed from the rankings.
6. After 150 wins, a champion is forcefully retired.
7. Players ranked 1 to 5 get special benefits, such as being able to make HNM-type monsters/skins(Behemoth, Wyrm, Suzaku, Hippogryph, etc).
Innate Traits
(*EDITED*)
A NPC is added near the Bloodlust cage that handles his service.
Basically, after level 15, a player can remove or add a single innate feral skill can be removed or added. The cost is somewhat great. At level 25, the second innate feral skill
*1. To gain a innate ability: Trade in the official reflector(monster to gain the ability), a soulplate containing a monster of the same species with the same innate skill, and pay 100 x FP cost Jettons(2000 for a 20 FP feral skill, 5000 for a 50 FP ie).
2. To remove an innate ability: Simply pay 10 x FP cost.
Pankration is going through a big problem atm with the size of the crowds gathering on all servers. This may or may not be a temporary problem, but I won't be adjusting it directly... only streamlining the system so that it's helpful/not wasteful small or large.
Another problem is monster balance, especially in the categories of FP vs HP extremes. For example, a Corse with 17 FP max is pretty ridiculous and so is a chigoe who gets two-three shotted so very quickly.
The whole ranking system(Diablo) cage is done pretty poor, it's also very un-tournament-ish.
Going back to the first point: I do not wish to see more cages added or for Pankration to be instanced. The former would require much more effort than necessary, despite being a good idea. Perhaps in WotG a secondary area could be added, but I'm speaking of right now. The latter would also be a lot of work and would prevent people viewing. Out of the two, more cages would be the better(even if it has to be from making a duplicate zone).
It should also be noted, the .dats tell us some pretty crazy things are coming in the future, assuming they are true. Stuff like: 75 or higher cap, spells like Thundaga IV or Meteor, spells and WSes being learned independently, and so on. Uh, I'll try not to get into that right now... since who knows what may happen, if it ever does.
Now to the fixes.
Balance
1. Base FP/HP/Stats are adjusted to be fairly balanced.
Monsters with natural low FP would have something similar to 30 compared to 17 and monsters in the 70~ range won't suffer too greatly from their naturally weaker stats. Nerfing might be in order for monster types that don't seem to suffer at all for their high FP amounts(sometimes due to having access to very potent innates)... Apkallu and Clusters would be good examples. If Nerfing is done, it will be very light(and mostly be lowering base FP instead of stats).
2. Jobs and Traits are combined for a cheaper overall cost and their FP cost differs.
The cost for a mage job without good traits(example: BLM) would be cheaper overall, like 13-15 FP(shaving off 5-7 FP to be used on scroll plate). A job like MNK which benefits greatly from traits would fine their cost be at least 20, perhaps even higher(which would be a nerf).
3. Innate traits can be added to a monster at a later time.
This would put less emphasis on capturing the perfect monster before leveling it up. However, it would be important to keep some importance to the aspect I just mentioned. Details explained below.
Match Making / Match Duration
1. Matches begin and end as soon as possible to continue the flow for the next match.
The moment a match ends, the next combatants will be paged. 30 seconds from then, their match will begin. (Combatants will be warned beforehand, as shown below)
This means most matches will start 1/2 faster(assuming it's an even match which lasts just under or over a minute).
2. Combatants will be able to warp directly to their corners using the Tarutaru Warping NPCs while it is their turn.
3. Big change to the system: The entire system is changed to create several matches at once instead of make them as they fill. Level is considered when making matches together.
After every 10 or so matches(20 people) at a cage, a new set of matches can be scheduled. When 20 new players register, their levels are matched up to the best possible combination(100% balance is likely impossible). After the combatants are assigned to each other, they are randomly ordered and are paged estimate time range of their next match(40 seconds x matches(minimum) to 3 minutes x matches(maximum) before theirs).
Should a player withdraw from their match, a vacancy is made that can filled by someone else should they speak with a NPC. Players standing near the cage in a similar level range and are not in a match will be paged this chance.
Withdraws when you are 1 or 2 matches away from going are not possible.
4. Every other match players will be paged on their place in line and how soon their fight might be.
Changes to Cages / Registering
1. Annihilation has a level 20-25 level cap(might be raised as the level cap is raised). Combatants over the level 25 will be unable to sign up for matches there.
2. Bloodlust is unchanged.
3. Betting is available at Carnage, but it is otherwise unchanged.
4. Betting is available at Diablo, other changes mentioned below.
5. Every cage has a reentry timer on it(two actually). A player can not register a monster in the same cage until 10 minutes since his last match at that cage. He can not register a monster anywhere until the group of matches(20 player / 10 matches) his match was apart of ends.
6. Diablo works differently: It does not have the same global timer that other cages have. You may only register in Diablo once every 3 real-life hours.
Betting
Betting is available at cages "Carnage" and "Diablo".
Combatants will be unable to bet on their own matches.
Betting on a match costs 2 Jetton. After paying this fee, you will bet 300 gil. When a bet is won, the won money is split between the winning side and the winning side is awarded 3 Jetton.
You will be able to bet the the match after next. (Meaning not the current match, but the one that will be coming up after). The betters will be able to view information of the combatants(name, species, level, feral skills, temperament).
Diablo Cage (Tournament)
1. Only the challenger gains experience points from matches in Diablo.
2. The entire system is changed: Rather a single champion, there is a ranking system, not unlike Ballista. Simply it works as follows:
Ten slots of Rank 40
Ten slots of Rank 30
Five slots of Rank 20
Then 15-1.
3. When a ranked character registers at Diablo, he will face the opponent ranked above him. At ranks 40, 30, and 20 this can be a random pick out of a group of 5 or 10.
4. When an unranked character registers at Diablo, he will randomly face one of the Rank 40 combatants.
5. The stats of a ranked monster will be adjusted based on when the player trades his Official Reflector(either to fight or to upgrade stats). A player will be required to do this once a real-life week or their monster will be removed from the rankings.
6. After 150 wins, a champion is forcefully retired.
7. Players ranked 1 to 5 get special benefits, such as being able to make HNM-type monsters/skins(Behemoth, Wyrm, Suzaku, Hippogryph, etc).
Innate Traits
(*EDITED*)
A NPC is added near the Bloodlust cage that handles his service.
Basically, after level 15, a player can remove or add a single innate feral skill can be removed or added. The cost is somewhat great. At level 25, the second innate feral skill
*1. To gain a innate ability: Trade in the official reflector(monster to gain the ability), a soulplate containing a monster of the same species with the same innate skill, and pay 100 x FP cost Jettons(2000 for a 20 FP feral skill, 5000 for a 50 FP ie).
2. To remove an innate ability: Simply pay 10 x FP cost.
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