7.0 dropped, and SAM mains, myself included, were very confused and frustrated by the sudden added restriction to one of our core mechanics, Tsubame-gaeshi.
For those unfamiliar:
SAM's gameplay loop is doing three separate combos to build up three 'Sen' or what we usually call them stickers. We can then spend our stickers to do various Iajutsus depending on the amount we had. 1 is a DoT, 2 is an AoE, and 3 is a massive single target attack. At level 74 we get Tsubame-gaeshi which lets you copy the Iajutsu you just used. A very satisfying move.
In EW, Tsubame-gaeshi had a 60 sec CD, and could hold two charges. So you used them on the two minute burst almost all the time.
With the release of DT and 7.0 SE changed how our Tsubame worked. Instead of having charges and a CD, now the button was locked behind a buff granted by our shortcut button Meikyo Shisui, which lets you jump straight to the last hit of each combo to get your stickers faster. This buff stated that after the next Iajutsu, you could use Tsubame, but the buff was consumed immediately, so if you didn't follow up with your Tsubame you just lose it. That's it.
Now, ideally, you're only using Tsubame during burst anyways, and you use Meikyo during burst to get your big moves out under buffs. However, with how Tsubame was locked behind a different button it felt really clunky, and losing your Tsubame felt terrible. In EW if you missed it, you'd feel bad it wasn't under buffs, but could still use it the next time, and you wouldn't be losing an activation.
Overall, the change felt really constrictive, and for no discernible reason other than to make the job more rigid which goes against one of the best things about SAM being it's flexibility.
In 7.05 it seems the devs listened to feedback on the changes made (in addition to some fixes they did in 7.01), and walked back the linking of Meikyo and Tsubame. However, they proceeded to go even further in that direction.
We no longer have charges, and we still get a buff for "Tsubame Ready" after Iajutsu. But now we get to use Tsubame-gaeshi
EVERY TIME
What is arguably the most fun button on our job is now being used 3-5 times a minute instead of the 2 it was. MORE if you're doing AOE. Some were wondering if using the button so much would make it lose the fun associated. After playing with it, I can safely say the job has become much more fun that it was since I've started playing.
We've talked about gameplay, but now let's look at power fantasy.
Power fantasy can be successfully shown in a few ways. Doing new attacks, doing bigger attacks, doing faster attacks, having utility that fits the theme. Lots of different ways.
XIV typically gives us power fantasy with bigger attacks. Summoner for instance starts with summoning Egis. Small version of Primals. As it levels it gains access to a trance of Bahamut, then being able to summon Bahamut itself, then summoning Phoenix, then the three primals of the egis, and now a new unseen version of Bahamut. One way that XIV could add to Summoner's power fantasy is by adding new attacks or rather adding more regular summons that aren't just shades of Bahamut.
SAM however, is the pinnacle of Power Fantasy.
We start out by being able to do a few combos and spending Sen to do a big attack. At 50 you gain the ability to skip the combos and go to your big attack. At 52 you have gained more understanding of your own personal Aether, and can use your "Kenki" to weave smaller attacks into your combos. 54/56 you learn how to quickly jump away from your opponent, and to follow up by quickly dashing back in. 70/72 we learn a powerful attack using our Kenki that can only be used every two minutes. 74 we've gained inner strength, and can follow up our Iajutsus with another. 80 we use the zen achieved from executing multiple Iajutsus to unleash a new attack between our regular attacks. At 90 we gain the ability to use our BIGGEST ATTACK yet immediately followed by it's own version of Tsubame. At 94 our big attack from 40 levels ago no longer tolls us as much, and can be used EVERY minute instead of every other. At 96 we discover a more focused use of our Kenki in a way almost as strong our level 90 attack. And at 100, our focus upon using Meikyo Shisui allows our next Iajutsu to be super charged, and stronger even than our Ogi Namikiri. And now in 7.05 we can follow up EVERY Iajutsu with a Tsubame-gaeshi.
Now, the last addition isn't going to be noticed by people who level SAM from here on (to whenever SE changes it again), are still going to get a fantastic Power Fantasy through the growth of their job as they level. But the people who did play SAM previously have undergone their own training arc with 7.0-7.05. We weathered the storm of linking Meikyo to Tsubame, and now we have unlocked our true potential, and can use our most fun ability EVERY TIME.
submitted by /u/Zenku390
[link] [comments]
Continue reading...
For those unfamiliar:
SAM's gameplay loop is doing three separate combos to build up three 'Sen' or what we usually call them stickers. We can then spend our stickers to do various Iajutsus depending on the amount we had. 1 is a DoT, 2 is an AoE, and 3 is a massive single target attack. At level 74 we get Tsubame-gaeshi which lets you copy the Iajutsu you just used. A very satisfying move.
In EW, Tsubame-gaeshi had a 60 sec CD, and could hold two charges. So you used them on the two minute burst almost all the time.
With the release of DT and 7.0 SE changed how our Tsubame worked. Instead of having charges and a CD, now the button was locked behind a buff granted by our shortcut button Meikyo Shisui, which lets you jump straight to the last hit of each combo to get your stickers faster. This buff stated that after the next Iajutsu, you could use Tsubame, but the buff was consumed immediately, so if you didn't follow up with your Tsubame you just lose it. That's it.
Now, ideally, you're only using Tsubame during burst anyways, and you use Meikyo during burst to get your big moves out under buffs. However, with how Tsubame was locked behind a different button it felt really clunky, and losing your Tsubame felt terrible. In EW if you missed it, you'd feel bad it wasn't under buffs, but could still use it the next time, and you wouldn't be losing an activation.
Overall, the change felt really constrictive, and for no discernible reason other than to make the job more rigid which goes against one of the best things about SAM being it's flexibility.
In 7.05 it seems the devs listened to feedback on the changes made (in addition to some fixes they did in 7.01), and walked back the linking of Meikyo and Tsubame. However, they proceeded to go even further in that direction.
We no longer have charges, and we still get a buff for "Tsubame Ready" after Iajutsu. But now we get to use Tsubame-gaeshi
EVERY TIME
What is arguably the most fun button on our job is now being used 3-5 times a minute instead of the 2 it was. MORE if you're doing AOE. Some were wondering if using the button so much would make it lose the fun associated. After playing with it, I can safely say the job has become much more fun that it was since I've started playing.
We've talked about gameplay, but now let's look at power fantasy.
Power fantasy can be successfully shown in a few ways. Doing new attacks, doing bigger attacks, doing faster attacks, having utility that fits the theme. Lots of different ways.
XIV typically gives us power fantasy with bigger attacks. Summoner for instance starts with summoning Egis. Small version of Primals. As it levels it gains access to a trance of Bahamut, then being able to summon Bahamut itself, then summoning Phoenix, then the three primals of the egis, and now a new unseen version of Bahamut. One way that XIV could add to Summoner's power fantasy is by adding new attacks or rather adding more regular summons that aren't just shades of Bahamut.
SAM however, is the pinnacle of Power Fantasy.
We start out by being able to do a few combos and spending Sen to do a big attack. At 50 you gain the ability to skip the combos and go to your big attack. At 52 you have gained more understanding of your own personal Aether, and can use your "Kenki" to weave smaller attacks into your combos. 54/56 you learn how to quickly jump away from your opponent, and to follow up by quickly dashing back in. 70/72 we learn a powerful attack using our Kenki that can only be used every two minutes. 74 we've gained inner strength, and can follow up our Iajutsus with another. 80 we use the zen achieved from executing multiple Iajutsus to unleash a new attack between our regular attacks. At 90 we gain the ability to use our BIGGEST ATTACK yet immediately followed by it's own version of Tsubame. At 94 our big attack from 40 levels ago no longer tolls us as much, and can be used EVERY minute instead of every other. At 96 we discover a more focused use of our Kenki in a way almost as strong our level 90 attack. And at 100, our focus upon using Meikyo Shisui allows our next Iajutsu to be super charged, and stronger even than our Ogi Namikiri. And now in 7.05 we can follow up EVERY Iajutsu with a Tsubame-gaeshi.
Now, the last addition isn't going to be noticed by people who level SAM from here on (to whenever SE changes it again), are still going to get a fantastic Power Fantasy through the growth of their job as they level. But the people who did play SAM previously have undergone their own training arc with 7.0-7.05. We weathered the storm of linking Meikyo to Tsubame, and now we have unlocked our true potential, and can use our most fun ability EVERY TIME.
submitted by /u/Zenku390
[link] [comments]
Continue reading...