Final Fantasy XIV Live Letter 66 Summary; job and battle adjustments detailed

In the 66th Letter from the Producer Live broadcast, Final Fantasy XIV director/producer Naoki Yoshida and global community manager Toshio Murouchi (with translation by Aimi Tokutake) revealed adjustments to the game’s various jobs and the battle system at large.

We’ve summarized the major information below — check it out!

Endwalker Title Screen

Kicking things off, Square Enix showed a brief preview of the Endwalker title screen visual and music.

Three major topics for the broadcast include:

Endwalker job adjustments
Endwalker battle system updates
• Other updates

Job Adjustments

Before jumping into the job adjustments section, as a baseline, they are adjusting jobs from where they are in 5.0 (Shadowbringers). With the new level cap, there are new actions but no new overall systems. A small group of people desire the complexity of the 3.x (Heavensward) job actions, but they would like to continue with the current direction experienced in 5.x etc.

Recast of primary abilities will be adjusted to align with 60 or 120 second timers. Note that not all abilities have been adjusted to 60 or 120 seconds.

Job Action Trailer

Tank

Using defensive enhancements at optimal times will grant greater benefits, defensive buffs will be more rewarding to use in conjunction with other actions.

Adjustments will ensure combos are not broken by ranged attacks. For example: a warrior’s Tomahawk will work better with your rotation and cooldown. If you have to run out for a AoE, some players don’t want to break a combo when using a ranged attack before moving back in. This is designed to help tanks with their strategy. There will be parity between the physical and magical damage attributes of weapons at the same item level, and accompanying changes to action potencies.

Raiders know to discern between physical/magical attacks which have formulae for how damage is calculated. In A Realm Reborn, they made sure the programming would have space for future updates and space was left open to adjust those formulae. When they were deliberating adjustments, the magical damage formula is a bit more complicated with base values being a bit higher. With characters at level 80, this did not change, they had to adjust the physical base damage values to match the magical ones.

With these base, fundamental values changing – the potencies may be adjusted downward to compensate. When media and influencers get a crack at Endwalker next week and screenshots are shared, people might get the impression that potencies are nerfed. Ultimately, it’s in service to addressing this balance of the fundamental battle formulae.

This is not just for tanks, but anyone who is dealing physical attacks.

Paladin

Requiescat will now be equally effective regardless of remaining MP. A three-attack combo starting with Confiteor will be added. Intervene has been adjusted where you can rush in from an additional 5 yalms.

Dark Knight

Salted Earth will now affect the area immediately around you and make a new action available. Your simulacrum will also gain a new action when you acquire one of the new job abilities. The rotations are clean and straightforward. Delirium recast has been adjusted to 60 seconds, so the frequency may be more often, as highlighted in the overall adjustments. Plunge will be usable from 20 yalms away. A new action is a single target defense buff.

Warrior

Damage up effects can now be triggered and extended by AoE combos. Onslaught and Upheaval will no longer drain the Beast Gauge. A new action will be available upon execution of Inner Release. The recast timer will be adjusted to 60 seconds. The frequency is intended to be used more often. Onslaught will have a total charge of 3 and the new action that stems from it allows for more mobility. Nascent Flash also benefits from this as well.

Gunbreaker

Savage Claw and Wicked Talon will now swap for Gnashing Fang on the hotbar, reducing the number of inputs. Continuation will be able to be used following Burst Strike. A trait will raise the maximum number of cartridges to 3. Rough Divide has been adjusted to match the other tanks’ gap closer actions – usable from 20 yalms away.

Melee DPS

Feints effect will be changed to reduce physical damage dealt, and will also reduce magical damage dealt (physical damage reduction will be more potent). Adjustments will ensure combos will not be broken by ranged attacks. There will be parity between the physicals and magical damage attributes of weapons at the same item level, and accompanying changes to action potencies. As previous mentioned, the potencies may be revised down but this isn’t a nerf per se, just in line with system level changes.

Dragoon

AoE rotation will be expanded. A new action will be available upon successful execution of weaponskill combo rotation. Blood of the Dragon is now a trait, and the actions it uses will be adjusted. Spineshatter Drive will have an extra charge. Lance Charge recast will be changed to 60s.

Samurai

Effects granted by Jinpu and Shifu can now be applied by AoE combos. A new action in the vein of Iaijutsu and Tsubame-gaeshi will be available. They wanted to expand on pure melee DPS, so new actions have been the focus. Tsubame-gaeshi and Meikyo Shisui have been adjusted to 2 charges. There’s more wiggle room in your opener this way. When you are under the effect of Meikyo Shisui and in the third part of your rotation, you’ll be granted the effect of the second action in your rotation.

Monk

Chakras will now be unlocked at a lower level. Stacking of greased lightning will be done away with. When conditions are fulfilled, Perfect Balance will allow for the execution of a Masterful Blitz. The available Blitz changes depending on the weaponskills used when under the effects of Perfect Balance. The concept of quickly going through skills for Monk hasn’t changed, but with the implement of Masterful Blitz this will continue. True Strike/Twin Snakes will not longer have a directional requirement. There will be a yin and yang chakra, activating different skills.

Shoulder Tackle will be removed, but in its place a new gap closer will be added. It will not use your fists, but you’ll also be able to target your ally to rush over to them. It’s not dissimilar to what’s in Black Mage’s kit, but with this new action you can target a specific party member and move towards them.

Ninja

Actions linked to Raiton, Doton, and Huton will be added. An action making it easier to apply Huton will be added. Ninja’s quite busy with the mudra, so they tried not to make it busier. There are o plans for a fourth mudra. Shadow Fang has been removed so the DoT will be gone. Raijin and Bunshin will have a specific action attached to them as well.

Reaper

Use a scythe to attack in tandem with their avatar, and can serve as the avatar’s vessel to unleash more powerful attacks. Reaper is able to grant enhancements to the party. Unique and specialized actions give them an edge in specific combat situations. In the Job HUD, the top gauge is the ‘Soul Gauge.’ This charges up and can be used with actions. The bottom gauge corresponds to unleashing your avatar which will enhance the damage output of your attacks.

When possessed by your avatar, you take on this appearance. There’s a gap closer which allows you to move forward or backwards. It looks like opening a gate, which is present for a short amount of time – you can return to that position. You could drop the gate within melee distance, move out for a mechanic, and use it to zip back in quickly.

The tempo of these actions is quite fast and it’s not necessarily a single target focus. The play style is quite different than previous melee DPS classes. You’ll need to be mindful of your resources and managing your gauges accordingly. They expect the class to be popular so they didn’t want a high difficulty, but at the same time the team says it’s fun to master. The base combo has no positionals, but the avatar does.

Physical Ranged DPS

There will be parity between the physical and magical damage attributes of weapons at the same item level, and accompanying changes to potencies. Buffs that mitigate damage that this role uses have had their cooldowns adjusted to 90 seconds. Adjustments to damage are still underway for all the jobs in this role.

Bard

Each of the 3 songs will make available a new action that applies a party-wide enhancement. A new action will be available upon execution of Apex Arrow. Other adjustments include Wanderer’s Minuet and Battle Voice have been adjusted to 120 sec, per the system-wide adjustments.

Machinist

A new mechanically themed action called Chain Saw will be added. A new action will be added for the Automaton Queen. Reassemble is now 2 charges. The remaining adjustments include actions, but the overall design of Machinist has not been overhauled.

Dancer

eaponskill effects such as Flourishing Cascade will now be shared across single-target and AoE skills. New actions will be available upon the execution of Technical Finish, Improvisation and Devilment. Dancer’s has been kept largely the same, and the procs between single and AOE target combos will be made simpler. The buttons will be switched to single or AoE “mode” based on the Step you have selected to conserve hotbar space. For the Dancer themselves, Esprit is guaranteed to build.

Magical Ranged DPS

Addle’s effect will be changed to reduce magical damage dealt, and will also refuse physical damage dealt (magical damage reduction will be more potent.)

Black Mage

Enochian will become a trait that is automatically applied while under the effect of Astral Fire or Umbral Ice. Under certain conditions, swapping between Astral Fire and Umbral Ice will make new actions available including one flashy action that looks like a combination of fire and ice. Similar to Samurai, they wanted the image of this job to be that of a pure damage dealer. Regarding Enochian, it was hard to grasp for new players and adjusting to the Black Mage’s kit.

The proc for Fire IV and Thunder has been extended so that it helps with the Black Mage’s rotation, there are additional repeated steps in the rotation – so this was adjusted accordingly. Fire II and Blizzard II will have one more step so your AoE rotation will change. It’s difficult with the -ra -ga- nomenclature.” They debated this with the Final Fantasy brand committee.

Black Mage has another action with an additional charge. To clarify, Sharpcast has an additional charge. These adjustments are in line with adjusting the overall battle tempo.

Red Mage

A new action will be available upon the execution of Scorch. Verflare, Verholy and Scorch will be changed to AoEs, available as part of AoE rotations. A defensive party-wide enhancement will be added called Magic Barrier. There are a lot of small-scale changes, and new actions. Weaponskills have been adjusted as well. Black and white mana depletion amount has been reduced.

Manafication has been adjusted where the burst rotation at the start of a battle will be more potent. As is, the spellblade proc becomes too often, so they adjusted the black/white mana accretion accordingly. Displacement and Engagement’s potencies will now be the same. Embolden recast is now 120 seconds, and Manafication is 110 seconds.

Summoner

Significant changes to job mechanics. All actions applying damage over time will be removed. Able to summon Ifrit, Garuda and Titan – not just egis. “Ifrit Ruby” “Garuda Emerald” and “Titan Topaz” that are summoned through jewels. Augment abilities with elemental properties.

In terms of the the rotation, you will still summon Demi-Bahamut, then you will have an elemental property bestowed, then summon Ifrit/Garuda/Titan with those elemental properties. When depleted, you finish with Phoenix.

Ifrit/Garuda/Titan do not require a specific summoning order. A lot of actions will be condensed according to the summon. There was a lot of debate about keeping Resurrection, and it looks like it’s still in along with Physick.

Healer

New actions that apply single-target buffs will be added to each healer. Cast time for offensive spells will be reduced. The limit break area of effect will be expanded to 50m. In general, offensive actions will have a 1.5sec global cooldown. Casting tended to eat into the GCD, they’re hoping to reduce the cast time for offensive spells that would relieve the frustration and stress.

White Mage

A functionally and visually distinct restorative field action will be added. Functionally, it is a very basic evolution. White Mage is considered a “pure healer” with high healing output.

A higher tier of Holy will be added, which contributes to the accretion of lilies. Fluid Aura has been removed. Divine Benison will become a charged action. It will be a straightforward and smooth transition to Endwalker.

Astrologian

Will be skewed more towards a pure healer. Diurnal Sect and Nocturnal Sect will be removed and basic healing actions will be adjusted to have the same effects as they would have while under Diurnal Sect. Neutral Sect will still have some barrier properties.

The effect of Divination will be changed, and the seals used for new enhancements applied to self. It was adjusted away from a “luck of the draw” feeling. You can use it any time, but depending on the seals it allows for enhancements to be applied to yourself. Redraw will no longer be a charged action, but every time you Draw you can use it once. Minor Arcana will be adjusted. An AoE spell added that has both healing and offensive properties.

Scholar

Scholar is adjusted more towards a barrier healer. A unique job action which can enhance the party’s movement speed even during combat will be added. The buff is not continuous/perpetual. It’s similar to sprint where your movement speed is faster for a certain amount of time – it will not overlap with sprint. It’s a fringe benefit.

There will be a powerful enhancement that will be targeted to a single party member.

Sage

Possesses all the actions essential for a barrier healer. Able to attack enemies and heal designated party member simultaneously. Draw upon unique resources for healing/enhancements and attack magic. As you attack you can designated party member to receive healing simultaneously. When you hit an enemy there is a chance to inflict a DoT. The ‘Adder’s Gall’ can built to execute instant barriers. ‘Icarus’ is a gap closer for mobility.

Battle Adjustments

  • Adjustments to Raid Finder matching for Savage duties.
  • Parties will include one pure healer and one barrier healer.
  • Party Finder updates: Healer category will be split between pure and barrier healer. New option for players who have yet to receive weekly completion rewards will be added. Search results will no longer include parties you cannot join due to the One Player per Job requirement.
  • Duty reward adjustments: Trials and the fourth turn of high-end raids released up through 3.x with weapon drops will now drop a weapon coffer in addition to the original weapon reward.
  • High-end raids released up through 4.x will now drop gear and accessories in the form of coffers, as in Eden (Savage). Applies to Coil, Coil (Savage minus accessories), Alexander (Savage), and Omega (Savage.)
  • Conditional enhancements can now be separated as a new category in the HUD layout. Conditional enhancements refer to proc-type buffs. This new category is in addition to the present enhancements, enfeeblements, and other categories for status effects.
  • Improved ground targeting functionality.
  • New settings added to Character Configuration menu.
  • Press action button again to place target circle.
  • Prevent cursor from moving beyond ground targeting range.
  • Display party member’s target when casting. Easier to discern which target your allies are attacking, reviving, etc.
  • Health bars will be displayed even when incapacitated. This was previously available through the Always display setting, but will now be the case when using the default When HP is below 100% setting as well.
  • Unreal trials will temporarily be removed due to balance adjustments. Scheduled to be reintroduced in Patch 6.1.
  • Belts will no longer be equippable or obtainable via duties or item exchanges.
  • Belts equipped by player characters and retainers, as well as those in Armoury Chest will be given to the Calamity salvager and can be retrieved individually.
  • All other belts will remain in your inventory as-in.
  • A ring serving as a substitute for the Speed Belt obtained in Eureka will be implemented. Speed Belts can be exchanged after the release of Patch 6.0.
  • Downscaling values: The difference in gear attributes from levels 50 to 80 will be reduced.
  • Overall HP and damage values will be reduced.
  • Potency of meals, medicine and materia will also be reduced accordingly.
  • Adjustments to maintain balance with consideration for downscaling of various systems.
  • When using the Undersized Party option, the Enhanced Echo effect will be applied to bring the difficulty balance in live with previous patches (enhanced strength will vary by duty level).
  • EXP gains will be downscaled. Additionally, EXP previously earned from standard dungeon enemies will now be earned from dungeon bosses.

HQ Item Removal

  • Certain items will no longer be obtainable as HQ
  • Prevents the unintended procurement of HQ items via gathering and other activities, reducing overall inventory bloat.
  • Actions and attributes that affected HQ yields when gathering will be adjusted (primarily changed to affect item yield).
  • Quests, challenge log entries and achievements requiring HQ items will be adjusted.
  • More details will be shared in the next Live Letter.

Teleportation and Aethernet Updates

  • Adjustments to teleportation fees.
  • Teleportation fees will be recalculated for 6.0.
  • Updates will be made to the Aethernet UI.

Miscellaneous Updates

  • Progress toward Fisher’s Intuition will remain even after logging out.
  • Due to the urgent need to address server congestion, the Data Center Travel system is scheduled for implementation after Patch 6.0x.

Announcements


About the Author

Erren Van Duine As a self-professed Final Fantasy fan, Erren created Nova Crystallis in 2009 as a place to collect the latest information on her favorite series. As owner and Editor-in-Chief, she also spends her time as a freelance illustrator.

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