Helloooo! I'm writing this to you, Yuna and server, as the sole active 4th job Dawn Warrior.
For the few who are not familiar with the plight of the sword bishop by now, let me explain exactly why only I stubbornly hold on to this forsaken class.
Before I go on to complain RELENTLESSLY, I'd first like to say thank you, Yuna, for the super speedy, responsive updates and fixes! Your work does not go unnoticed!
This server is the best I've played on, and I hope it can make it long into the future.
NOW ON TO THE TALES OF TORTURE I EXPERIENCE ON A DAILY BASIS.
Benefits of Dawn Warrior:
(Simplified) Downsides of Dawn Warrior:
(Detailed) Suggestions for Dawn Warrior:
I can tell that the goal with Dawn was to distinguish it from the other classes, so as to not feel like a clone or be grossly overpowered. Unfortunately, the result is that we feel like a very confused mage who picked up a sword instead of learning magicians basics.
I cannot do a boss fight without 1+ people mentioning how much happier they would be with my presence if I had crash.
Past the point of grinding up guildies at Petris like a mage with restless legs syndrome, and doing low level questing, Moon Shadow loses its magic.
The primary locations to grind are at LHC, the Future, and Stronghold - all involving huge HP sandbag targets. Moon Shadow's 500% x 1 is... lacking. Of course add orbs to get the true damage, but when we compare this to say, Dark Knights, with 190% x 4, along with a very similar buff to orbs, I hope you will see the disparity.
"but your attack hits 6 targets and DK's only hits 4!" I hear you cry out.
We simply cannot reliably hit 6 targets the same way a warrior with rush can hit 3-4.
Absolutely unfeasible.
With all of that in mind, the actual worst trait of Moon Shadow is it's need for jumping - and it's CAST DELAY after you jump attack!
Not only is it worse on paper, it requires jumping in nearly every map in order to utilize it's ability to hit 6 mobs, and this jumping HALVES the attack speed.
This skill is a glorified monster magnet. I cannot come up with any use for it outside of it's hitbox being mildly larger than Moon Shadow, and therefore using it to encourage monsters towards me.
In the time I cast this skill, I could have used 2 x Moon Shadows, making it exactly on par with my mobbing skill - but on a 10 second cooldown.
I'm happy to see it go away in place of another skill, but if it is to stay it seriously needs some love. Impaling Rays = SO bad.
No Achilles or damage reduction.
No Guardian for Block, or equivalent for dodge.
Not even proper stance.
Aran: 100% Stance
Warriors: 95% Stance + 25% chance to avoid all damage with Guardian.
Dawn Warrior: 90% Stance and a free kick to the knee.
Skill points are useless by lvl. 160
A large downside to our mobbing ability is the single line of damage on Moon Shadow. The damage of this skill varies GREATLY as it is now. Advanced Mastery would balance out the numbers we see, and hopefully provide an easy-to-tweak variable to keep us viable and fair.
TL;DR
We're like mages, but our FMA has 10 sec. Cooldown.
We're like warriors, but with way worse survivability and 0 benefit to a party.
We're like night lords, but our flash jump has a DELAY TO IT.
To fix this awkward state, I suggest adding to Dawn Warriors:
Thank you for hearing me out
For the few who are not familiar with the plight of the sword bishop by now, let me explain exactly why only I stubbornly hold on to this forsaken class.
Before I go on to complain RELENTLESSLY, I'd first like to say thank you, Yuna, for the super speedy, responsive updates and fixes! Your work does not go unnoticed!
This server is the best I've played on, and I hope it can make it long into the future.
NOW ON TO THE TALES OF TORTURE I EXPERIENCE ON A DAILY BASIS.
Benefits of Dawn Warrior:
- We can jump pretty well
- We level up to 150 quickly
- Rage is kinda cool sometimes
- Intrepid slash looks nice
(Simplified) Downsides of Dawn Warrior:
- No party utility
- No Crash
- No Rush
- No defence skills
- No Power Guard
- No Achilles
- No Guardian
- No Magic Guard(?)
- Discount rack 90% stance
- Lack of skills and extra SP
- Orbs dispelled every 5 seconds
(Detailed) Suggestions for Dawn Warrior:
I can tell that the goal with Dawn was to distinguish it from the other classes, so as to not feel like a clone or be grossly overpowered. Unfortunately, the result is that we feel like a very confused mage who picked up a sword instead of learning magicians basics.
Crash
The #1 complaint I get for playing this class is that I do not have Crash, when every player has come to expect it from me as a warrior.I cannot do a boss fight without 1+ people mentioning how much happier they would be with my presence if I had crash.
Mobbing Part 1 - Moon Shadow
This is an area that Dawn feels like it was meant to dominate as a warrior, but frankly, I'm disappointed!Past the point of grinding up guildies at Petris like a mage with restless legs syndrome, and doing low level questing, Moon Shadow loses its magic.
The primary locations to grind are at LHC, the Future, and Stronghold - all involving huge HP sandbag targets. Moon Shadow's 500% x 1 is... lacking. Of course add orbs to get the true damage, but when we compare this to say, Dark Knights, with 190% x 4, along with a very similar buff to orbs, I hope you will see the disparity.
"but your attack hits 6 targets and DK's only hits 4!" I hear you cry out.
We simply cannot reliably hit 6 targets the same way a warrior with rush can hit 3-4.
Absolutely unfeasible.
With all of that in mind, the actual worst trait of Moon Shadow is it's need for jumping - and it's CAST DELAY after you jump attack!
Not only is it worse on paper, it requires jumping in nearly every map in order to utilize it's ability to hit 6 mobs, and this jumping HALVES the attack speed.
Mobbing Part 2 - Impale Me Now
IMPALING RAYS. OK. LETS TALK ABOUT THIS.This skill is a glorified monster magnet. I cannot come up with any use for it outside of it's hitbox being mildly larger than Moon Shadow, and therefore using it to encourage monsters towards me.
In the time I cast this skill, I could have used 2 x Moon Shadows, making it exactly on par with my mobbing skill - but on a 10 second cooldown.
I'm happy to see it go away in place of another skill, but if it is to stay it seriously needs some love. Impaling Rays = SO bad.
Staying Alive
No Power Guard.No Achilles or damage reduction.
No Guardian for Block, or equivalent for dodge.
Not even proper stance.
Aran: 100% Stance
Warriors: 95% Stance + 25% chance to avoid all damage with Guardian.
Dawn Warrior: 90% Stance and a free kick to the knee.
Explorer's Blessing
We just don't get it. None of the Cygnus do. Skill points are useless by lvl. 160
Mastery
In keeping with the presumed goal of creating a unique class, I propose something not seen on warriors or mages - Advanced Mastery.A large downside to our mobbing ability is the single line of damage on Moon Shadow. The damage of this skill varies GREATLY as it is now. Advanced Mastery would balance out the numbers we see, and hopefully provide an easy-to-tweak variable to keep us viable and fair.
Skill Point Availability
As of writing, I'm currently at lvl. 194 with 50 extra SP I'll never use. To max the skills we (literally only I) use, it takes just lvl. 157.TL;DR
We're like mages, but our FMA has 10 sec. Cooldown.
We're like warriors, but with way worse survivability and 0 benefit to a party.
We're like night lords, but our flash jump has a DELAY TO IT.
To fix this awkward state, I suggest adding to Dawn Warriors:
- + Crash
- + Advanced Mastery
- 95 - 100% Stance
- Moon Shadow delay reduction after jumping
- Impaling Rays buff / replacement
Thank you for hearing me out