What is it that made "X" job go from meh to useful and vice versa

[Antithesis]

For some reason lately I have been wondering about certain jobs and at what point exactly did they go from becoming a meh job to a job pretty much everyone accepted and stuff.

I only started playing back in 2006 so alot of things happend before hand. I remember reading stuff up about WHM's out damaging BLMs spells with Holy during the Beta testing days.

Jobs that im currently thinking that went from meh to good are

SAM

MNK

RDM

BLM (Not a big deal but still lol @ Holy >ing BLM spells)

PLD

NIN

DRK

BST

RNG

And the vice versa and what lead to there downfall:

DRG

SMN

THF

BST

RNG

If I forgot any classes let me know.

[The_OG_Nelta]

inb4shitstorm

[Antithesis]

inb4shitstorm

I honestly feel like kicking you in the balls for such a retarded comment.

[Antithesis]

<3

But seriously I didnt know were else to post this. Its just something ive been wondering about lately and I wanted to see if anyone remembered.

[Tormentormike]

DRG/SAM got raped due to to multi-hit WS TP gain right around when NA PC version launched! (I wanted to do it :[)

PLD - Shield skill actually became useful, Auto Refresh job trait, Using /NIN as a subjob.

BLM - I think this somewhat went downhill due to ToAU.

[Yugl]

BLMs didn't really degrade, the XP they get from manaburn just isn't as impressive anymore.

DRG and MNK fell after TP return changed for multihit WS, but MNK wasn't affected as much because of Chi Blast and Hundred Fists

RNG nerf I remember happening during the summer because an LS member kept getting pissed at me (He spammed loldrg and bashed players that lvled DRG at the time) for bringing up the topic of RNG/NIN Nerf. Basically a bunch of DMG adjustments for RNG.

NIN degraded after AoE > Shadows and Enmity nerf

SMN and THF didn't really degrade (Actually both upgraded), they just aren't good for zerg situations which most LSs use

[Wolfknight]

Ones I remeber you don't have on there:
Sam - the Hasso/Seigan Update Made job go from ok to dam good in my book, was late 2006 I think.

Thf - Getting Assassin as job trait and the dagger damage update

Drg - two hour change, 3 minute Super Jump and Angon made job recover from penta nerf

and you forgot sch going from lulz to wtf good in the update last march lol.

[Bregor]

THF - Flickering Lantern

[Sanjiyan]

MNK:

I didn't play the game during beta or the first 6 months so what transpired (especially the relic knuckle full TP return -> non-stop asuran fists fiasco) early on I don't know very well.

However, MNK started off unpopular because of a few reasons; 1) big numbers (what's DoT?); 2) unable to close distortion (back when MB Freeze was all the rage); 3) exp trends (crabs anyone?)

At high levels, MNK popularity picks up with bones party, the exclusive *fast* exp/merit grinding camp. Once the secret got out, people either tried to join the KRT bones club, or shouted for a nerf.

At endgame it was lack of spike damage (true today), though MNK still had it's niche with chi blast. For a while it was good, and people chi blasted. That however took a hit with the infamous magic damage nerf update, which included spiritual damage too (reduced chi numbers from overnuking BLMs).

Then there's the TP floor nerf, which affect MNK slightly.

While other classes continue to get updates, MNK was left stagnant for years and years until recent Footwork ability which fell flat on it's face anyway. Endgame wise nothing changed for MNKs aside TP burning of Kirins and other similar HNMs, which MNKs pretty much started the trend of but eventually other DD classes are also able to participate. Less and less people chi blasted. Footwork was suppose to be a gap filler today, but the power of 2-handed weapon these days makes MNK/THFs few and far in between.


Overall, MNK class has it's ups and downs, but overall it was a downward trend. I'd say MNK hit it's peak around 3-4 years ago, and now is pretty middle of the DD pack. Not terrible, but definitely not as high up as before.

[Sanjiyan]

Here's my quick MS paint interpretation of things, granted it's pretty biased.

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/7643/lolffxizx8.jpg

[Drex]

RNG line made me lol

[jimbobsonofgod]

that graph is 100% accurate.

[Kaeko]

BLM has probably been the least adjusted job in the past 2-3 years. NIN would probably be the only job I'd say comes close as far as lack of updating.

The only new spells, abilities, or traits it has received in this time have been AM2 and Retrace. The former does not really change anything about the job, and in the vast majority of cases will not even improve efficiency. The latter doesn't affect play.

I think the biggest reason for this is the fact that there aren't many jobs that can do strong magic damage, so there is no competition. The only reason you would need to adjust a BLM spell or how the formulas work is to balance the game. Compare this to melees, where you have to balance the game and balance the strength of the DD relative to about ~6 other jobs.

[jimbobsonofgod]

They need to make it so spells that do damage return TP to mage. And make meteor a physical damage black mage spell with AMII MPcost/Recast cost.

That would unscrew blm a bit.

[Kaeko]

I'd like to see the element you use matter more. Right now, there are only 3 reasons you would ever see someone use Stone IV at 75 -

1) You're fighting Ramuh
2) You're fighting Medusa
3) You accidently hit the wrong spell on Menu

A non-elemental type magic would be cool, too, like you mentioned Meteor. Comet would be cool as well.

[Lordwafik]

I'd like to see the element you use matter more. Right now, there are only 3 reasons you would ever see someone use Stone IV at 75 -

1) You're fighting Ramuh
2) You're fighting Medusa
3) You accidently hit the wrong spell on Menu

A non-elemental type magic would be cool, too, like you mentioned Meteor. Comet would be cool as well.

My wish is all spells get changed to become the same MP cost, and all have the same base dmg as the current thunder teir of spells. Then the element of the mob determines if you do an extra +10% dmg, or -10% dmg, before counting gear / bonuses. There's no reason why I am doing much more dmg on a lightning elemental with blizzard than with stone, it's very silly. Same as going to fight a fire dragon, and using thunder on it because it's doing more than water.

[lol]

Here's my quick MS paint interpretation of things, granted it's pretty biased.

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/7643/lolffxizx8.jpg

The "screw it solo4tw" made me laugh pretty fucking hard IRL.

[Kohan]

Here's my quick MS paint interpretation of things, granted it's pretty biased.

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/7643/lolffxizx8.jpg

This is fucking amazing.

Especially because it's true.

[rithridan]

Didn't the ranged nerf happen before the TP floor nerf and hasso/seigan buff? I remember I stopped leveling RNG (my 2nd job) around lv60 back when ToAU didn't exist (still exped in Cape Terigan). 5 jobs later and I'm still not at 75 on RNG

[The Stig]

Ahhh I can't see the pic, someone upload it to the forums, I want to see!!! I don't get off work for another 10 hours =(