Handed Down from Stone
"Stone in hand, a warrior clutches it to breast
Etched, their fading memories
In stone, their tempered skill
By stone attested, by soul revealed
Their tale can now be told." -War of Lions Prologue, edited.
Chapter 1: Etched in Emerald
Chapter 2: Etched in Ruby
Chapter 3: Etched in Citrine
Chapter 4: Etched in Onyx
Chapter 5: Etched in Amethyst
Chapter 6: Etched in Kunzite
Chapter 7: Etched in Pyrite
Chapter 8: Etched in Lapis
Chapter 9: Etched in Opal
Chapter 10: Etched in Azure
Chapter 11: Etched in Amber
Chapter 12: Etched in Obsidian
Chapter 13: Etched in Starlight
Chapter 14: Etched in Jet
Chapter 15: Etched in Peridot
Chapter 16: Etched in Aquamarine
Chapter 17: Etched in Gold
Chapter 18: Etched in Sapphire
Chapter 19: Etched in Garnet
Chapter 20: Etched in Howlite
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Hey so with Fanfest coming up in a couple weeks I figured I should post the ideas that I've been tossing around inside my head for a while before it gets shot down. The image is mostly quick sketches/proof of concepts that I've coloured a lil but they're not polished or super clean. But I'll also just talk a lil about the basics of their lore and mechanics, both flavour and how they'd actually play. All the weapons are the Padjali weapons bc this was meant to be quick and dirty, all info under the Readmore!
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Time Battlemage (TBM) - Represented here by a female Duskwight
Role: Tank
Weapons: Hammers, Clubs, and Maces
Limit Break: Temporal Equilibrium
Culture of Origin: Sharlyan
Lore: A recent Sharlyan discovery, Time Battlemages came about with the rediscovery of Time Magic, works by magi such as the famous Quan that were formerly lost to history. However, as raw time magic is so dangerous, the Sharlyan scholars and sages figured its best application in combat would be as a supplement rather than a primary focus, so they started training regiments of magic knights, using their time magic to boost their speed despite their heavier gear. To take full advantage of this, TBMs use the large, blunt, and heavy hammers and clubs, partially due to how similar they feel to some of the staves of conjurers and thaumaturges, but also because of how time magic can be used on them, speeding them up to keep their raw bludgeoning power without leaving many major openings during combat. Some TBM weapons even have timekeeping devices such as clocks, sundials, and hourglasses incorporated into their design, which helps a TBM focus and channel their magic through their weapon.
Mechanics: The weakest tank in terms of raw damage output, similar to a Warrior's level, however, it empowers itself with many buffs and can spread them throughout the party, and focuses on using debuffs on the enemy for damage mitigation. It builds up Haste stacks through attacking, which help lower the TBM's GCD and everyone in an area around the TBM autoattacks faster. The TBM can also consume these Haste stacks in order to fuel both OGCD offensive and defensive abilities. The TBN's Invincibility ability involves them taking all damage until they hit 0, but then all attacks after that point restoring health as they "reverse" all the incoming damage.
Extra fluff: The teeth on the metal armour is based on both the teeth of gears, incorporating a timekeeping theme into it, but also on the tops of castle turrets to bring in a bit of an Alexander reference. Their armour is lighter than other tanks, but the colour scheme and pointed hat is supposed to invoke the classic Time Mage aesthetic.
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Apothecary (APH) - Represented here by a male Dunesfolk
Role: Healer
Weapons: Censers and Lanterns
Limit Break: Requiem
Culture of Origin: Ishgard
Lore: Both during and after the end of the many wars that dot Eorzea's history, the most efficient healers on the battlefield tended to use aether, which left their numbers somewhat limited and many medics frustrated that they were left in the dust. Understanding, but still frustrated. A small group of chirurgeons with minimal ability for aetheric manipulation banded together, their combined knowledge of alchemy and medicine intertwining with each other created a new job, perfect for those with little requirement of personal aether, yet still requiring the skills and trained hands of a medical professional. Apothecaries use herbs and incense that are placed in a charged censer, which they swing around to spread the smoke and vapors to reinvigorate allies, and smoke bombs to launch their medicines even further. Their skills in alchemy have also allowed them to create toxic fumes and gasses to debilitate and disrupt foes, as well as hide allies within their thick fogs. Soon after its creation, some conjurers and other magical healers picked up the art, finding it just as efficient as their own prior job, and even helping create some new vapors such as one that can rapidly restore aether to an individual. However, the difference between an APH with shallow or deep aetheric reserves is inconsequential, both will last a battle with minimal difference in resources, and the job ended up being a great equaliser for field medics across Eorzea.
Mechanics: A pure healer with a greater focus on DoTs and HoTs than direct damage and healing. Most of their abilities affect a wide area, and for some of them, the distance to the centre of the ability zone determines the effectiveness of their damage or healing. They also have an ability that can provide damage reduction for allies "hiding" in the smoke, and another ability that rapidly restores personal MP. As they do constant ticks of damage or healing, they build up a resource, which they can spend on greater direct damage, big heals, small shields, or, for their big two minute ability, a combination of all three.
Extra fluff: Obviously based on Chemists from previous entries. I initially had the idea of them using a crossbow as a slingshot to launch their potions, but hearing articles about how MCH used to be a potion slinging healer and that not working out, plus how SGE apparently used to be closer to a chemist conceptually but they spent months iterating on it, I figured to steer away from a more offensive looking weapon for my take on the job.
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Tyrant (TYR) - Represented here by a female Xaela
Role: Melee DPS (Scouting)
Weapons: Whips, Chains, and Flails
Limit Break: Nine Tales
Culture of Origin: Unknown
Lore: Tyrants take on their names with pride, even if it was thrown at them in scorn. Primarily consisting of nomads and wanderers, the precursors to the Tyrants found themselves constantly under attack by bandits and poachers who wished to harm the lands they lived on. They discovered that through giving the land their blood, the land would often give back, granting great strength and power to channel the land's fury through them. As such, they self flagellate, sacrificing their own physical self to defend both themselves and the place they call home. This terrifying form of magic has given them the title of Tyrant, as they appear to dominate and subjugate all that cross their path, even if it comes from a desire to protect the planet. They use their whips and chains to continuously strike down their foes nomatter how fast they try to run, and they often have barbs and thorns to increase pain to themselves and their opponents. TYRs are masters of using their strange art and terrifying presence to try and make the world a better place, even if it is as pariahs.
Mechanics: Tyrants are a dexterous job, using their weapon to keep a greater distance away from their target than most other melees. This is helpful as their main mechanic is using 10% of their current HP to get strong buffs to their attacks, such as a raw damage increase, a GCD cooldown reduction, or even the ability to apply a DoT. Each boosted ability has an HP drain effect attached to it, meaning a Tyrant doesn't lose their HP for long, especially when combined with a Bloodbath. The more HP that is drained by activating their various power up, the longer the buff lasts. Tyrants also gain a resource by attacking while powered up, effectively draining an opponent's blood in order to build up to powerful team wide buffs and defensive abilities, such as increasing movement and autoattack speed or applying shields and a small heal. They also have great mobility, using their weapon to bring themselves closer to a target or to spin out of the way like a beyblade.
Extra fluff: One of the weaker job ideas I have. Originally they were meant to be far more leather dominatrix vibes in appearance, but I figured making them into a forest warden/ranger could be a more creative take on the idea, especially given to the evolution of the Hunter job mentioned below. They were originally supposed to purely rely on blood magic but I figured a darker path to a Conjurer might also be fascinating, focusing more on a Druidic nature aspect as opposed to the natural elements, which will mostly be filled by the Geomancer below.
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Geomancer (GEO) - Represented here by a male Rava
Role: Magic DPS
Weapons: Bells
Limit Break: Nature's Wrath
Culture of Origin: Othard
Lore: As Astrologians focus on the star above, Geomancers focus on the star below. An old Othardian art that focuses on divining the health of the land by using the terrestrial elements of earth, wind, and water. Unlike Astrologians, they have a much more aggressive approach to dealing with impurities and evil forces, by using the elements of nature to purge them from this plane. They used to be a celebrated part of Othardian culture, but as time went on, the art was forgotten and the name was perverted by charlatans trying to make a quick buck off of the name. Many true Geomancer lines have laid dormant since, but as greater knowledge of the art has been made more available, it seems the school may be making a comeback across the Far East.
Mechanics: It focuses on supporting the whole team, kind of like a DNC with its buffs. They summon "cleansing circles", kind of like a BLM's Leylines except they affect any party member standing in it with various buffs, the type of buff depending on the currently attuned element; Earth, Wind, or Water. GEOs can also bring the Cleansing Circle to them as they move around an area, as opposed to a BLM's Between The Lines ability, but if they wander too far away, the Circle disappears and the buffs dissipate, causing the GEO to have to start their cycle again. They also place a DoT on a target, one that does matching elemental damage and every few ticks, it pulses, causing allies near to the target to gain a shorter lasting buff of the relevant element. Once all three elements are shifted through, the GEO can purify their circle, causing all party members to gain enhanced versions of all three elemental buffs all at once, and dealing hefty damage to all nearby enemies upon the initial purification, as all the negative energy from the fight is purged into them. If a DoT is active on a foe when the circle is purified, it deals all the rest of its damage all at once, before mutating into a more powerful DoT, that lasts as long as the Purification does.
Extra fluff: Probably the idea I've had the longest. The design was mostly inspired by FF11's take on the Geomancer. However, I wanted to make a callback to some of the Geomancer designs of the past, which is why it takes the general blue colour scheme from FF3, the stripey pyjama legs from FF5, and the cropped top from Tactics. Since the Swallows Compass dungeon was also heavily based on Geomancy and the final boss of that was effectively Sun Wukong, I gave Geomancer the floating silk ribbon that you tend to associate with him but also Chinese gods of all sorts.
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Hunter (HNT) - Represented here by a female Hellsguard
Role: Ranged DPS
Weapons: Crossbows
Limit Break: Shatterheart
Culture of Origin: Gyr Abania
Lore: In the ancient deserts of Gyr Abania's past, it is tough to survive, let alone survive while opposing groups try to take your resources for your own. Sometimes, it takes subterfuge to get an advantage, but when you are always on the move and lacking the time to raise a generation of fighters while also just trying to cling to life, what alternatives are there? Archery requires incredible arm strength, and many other groups had decades of training under their belts. Thaumaturgy can be slow and loud with its chants and casts. For those that are weak of arm yet desire to stay stealthy, there is an option. The art of the Hunter. They quietly stalk their marks, using every trick in the book to hide their presence, and being able to sense everything that happens around them. Their use of the crossbow ensures a near soundless weapon that can take down targets from far distances without their target even being aware of the Hunter's existence. To add to their arsenal and awareness, Hunters have learned to create simple aetheric structures, traps that can be placed that when triggered, wound or bind their prey. And the Hunter's aetheric connection to the trap, ensures they know exactly where their mark lies. To further sow confusion and disruption, Hunters can create decoys of themselves, misdirecting targets and throwing them off their real location, giving the Hunter plenty of time to line up the shot.
Mechanics: Like the RPR, the Hunter focuses on using and maintaining a debuff on the opponent, causing more damage to be taken, manifesting as a target mark. The Hunter can then use more traps that open up various weaknesses in an opponent, such as applying a DoT, giving a short damage down debuff, or their two minute cooldown, a universal damage taken increase, like a NIN's Mug. Their traps also assist in world bosses, FATES, and dungeons by also applying Slow to those in a small radius around the triggered trap. The Hunter also can create temporary aetheric decoy constructs that can attack multiple targets (or one target for increased damage), create a personal shield, or to dash into stealth, lowering emnity like a Shirk would.
Extra fluff: Originally it was meant to be much closer to the Ranger from previous entries aesthetically and was supposed to be from the Black Shroud, but I wanted to have a different cultural influence. I thought of the Persian empire and the bright and unique clothes and culture that was not represented in game and figured it could be a good source of inspiration (note the outfit was cobbled together from several designs and is not representative of a true Persian design, if I had more time I would have done more solid research into getting a historically cohesive outfit together). As I still like the traditional Robin Hood style design, it was passed down onto the Tyrant instead.
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Anyways thank you for making it to the end of the post, hope this was an interesting read and give thoughts if you feel like it! This was fairly quick and dirty so there's probably quite a few holes in them but again, just wanted to get these out there and into the community to share!
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Humble Request...
Humble (and his baby Koala) are pondering DPS job options. His main class is Warrior, but I'm a bit nervous of tanking pug groups, let alone pug raids. So I was thinking of buying a Job Boost on the Mogstore for him, so he can get through those parts of the story (he is early Stormblood, so no NPC parties for him yet sadly) and have some flexibility.
I have done all jobs on Mimble (aside from Sage) to at least 80, so I'm not too worried on missing out on Story, much as I enjoy them. The trouble is I can't really decide on the right job.
It would definitely (almost definitely) be a melee job. Humble is all about blunt force and straightforward approaches. Warrior suits him very well as a result. But for DPS...
Ninja - too stealthy and elaborate for Humble I think? Plus little tiny knives are not really his style? But maybe I'm overlooking something. He is shy, so maybe stealth would be something he was drawn towards?
Dragoon - too jumpy and bouncy possibly? Although stabbing things with the pointy end is the kind of tactic Humble might be comfortable with. Not sure, maybe too pokey and not smashy enough?
Samurai - too...blossomy? I don't know. Samurai swords are a bit dinky for Humble, not smashy enough. But if it's good enough for Gosetsu... And he is in Stormblood. But the art of the Samurai still feels a bit...precise for Humble...
Reaper - not an option for boosting anyway. Although I could wait until I get there of course (although it wouldn't help with current issues). Unless I boost another class to 80 and then use that to unlock Reaper? Is that a thing? Would Reaper be a bit too edgy anyway?
Monk - too acrobatic maybe? But punching things would be quite straightforward and Humble-esque perhaps? Monk does have a lot of positionals though and I can't see Humble dancing about too much.
I am very open to anyone's thoughts on the matter. Do you have a job you could recommend for the modern solution-focussed Roegadyn who enjoys smashing evil-doers into a pulp?
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I want to talk about Klee and then I want to talk about Jean. I think Klee is a Machinist who pretends to be an Archanist, and then she becomes a Scholar.
So...Machinist? Klee? Mostly it's because she blows stuff up, but I think she does it by building bombs.
The mechanics of that and how it relates to her character revolve mostly around her being a hyperactive troublemaker. I think one of the only ways to get her to calm down would be by putting a machine in front of her and letting her disassemble it. She's really smart after all, but she's also just a kid.
She probably had a gun, but it got confiscated by Jean and the Knights of Favonius! It was definitely a shotgun though.
That just left her with bombs! The reason I added that she pretends to be a Summoner is that I think Alice would be a Summoner who has enough skill to put Egis into machines! They act sort of like Golems, as you can see at the Adventurer's Guild!
It also goes into Summoner being a Lost Art that relies on the harvesting of Primals, which would mean the Art would have been at its peak during the Archon War if we adapt it to Teyvat. Hypothetically, it would instead revolve around the harvesting of Karmic energies left behind rather than defeating Primals. After you accrued enough Karma, you'd align it to elements and create an Egi.
Anyway, an Archanist is like a junior Summoner who uses Carbuncles and, in general, is safer. Klee isn't even an Archanist though, she just pretends to Summon bombs in the shape of creatures, which is more dangerous.
Of course, Klee later becomes a Scholar! I know that doesn't sound much like her, but hear me out. An Arcanist evolves into either a Summoner (Damage Class) or a Scholar (Healing Class).
They use summoned Fairies to heal and create obstructive barriers (although they can also blow stuff up). I think it relates to being Alice's daughter well, but also being raised around the Knights of Favonius and Jean (who want her to be a good person). Although, I think she's be an apprentice Scholar, someone who isn't quite ready to step into the role fully but is on the path towards mastery.
I like this idea a lot, but I could be wrong.
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