The current state of the game is abysmal. Everyone either makes multiple alts and farms items and instances, or farm zeny and farm/buy bloody branches in hopes of getting a good mvp card. The main reason for this is the very high exp rate, which gets you to 4th job without the need to play 3rd job for more than 30 minutes.
One would think this is a good thing, but what ends up happening is the 'rpg' aspect is lost here and begins the 'rng' phase, which never ends. 4th jobs bring a new challenge in terms of gear and enchants, not gated by your effort put in, but mere chance.
Grading equipments, rolling enchants on constellation gear, rolling varmundt accessories, rolling time dimension hat enchants, everything becomes a matter of chance.
You are no longer in the game, making decisions, but you are still needed to press the button of chance, you need to have the illusion of control afterall.
Another problem is the mental need to always 'one-hit' mobs. Somewhere along the line players lost the idea that the journey matters and not the destination, and everyone just teleports around and spams a skill. There is no more partying, unless teleport is disabled or the drop rates are so abysmal that you must bear the presence of other players to get a boost. The non guyak untouchables are not welcome.
I do not remember the last time I felt like I was in any danger of failing an instance, or a mvp would kill me. The player character has evolved to become a god, while the monsters around them are no more than glorified porings, with defender and stone skin and anti magic on. There are no more thrills left to seek out, with every new content drop only seen as another way to further obtain another meaningless numerical increase on the dummies in the basement.
The gear variety is also something that is lacking at the 4th job phase, where everyone looks like a stormtrooper with their respective time dimension crowns and weapons ft. varmundt manteau and constellation accesory. This is where my suggestion comes in.
The last time GM Raylane touched his OCP gear post on the forums was July 24,2023. It has been a very long time since then, and the state of the game has only been going down.
My case for OCP gears stands on two irrefutable facts. One, they are not overpowered, compared to what 4th job skills do currently. Two, they are needed for the progression and variety improvement that is needed. These gears also do not need to be graded, and a refine level of +12 or higher is also not a necessity. I am of course talking about level 1 and 4 OCP gears.
Players have abandoned 3rd job skills for the hard hitting, high skill damage% skills of the 4th job. And I don't blame them. Big numbers feel good to look at. But the lack of challenge immediately becomes evident, when confronted by the question of 'but where do i use this much amount of damage'. OCP gears tread a line between the improvement of existing 3rd job skills and making them viable in the current environment, while not outclassing existing 4th job skills in any possible way.
I made this post partly for the players who do not find enjoyment in the game anymore, and partly for people who tend to be attracted to unconventional playstyles. Make no mistake, I am biased towards such playstyles but I am not suggesting this merely because of that. I really would like to see the 'rpg' aspect come back to life, and let players find fun builds to tweak and mess around with. I have several such builds and I will post some of those gifs here below.
It could also serve as a self imposed challenge to the players who feel the game is too easy. Something like 'I cleared the X instance using only Y and Z skills'.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Just using self buffs(no food or consumes) and 1 mvp(randel) here.
Self buffs plus lux(no food/consumes), 1 mvp(Ingrid) and 1 sealed kiel.
Self buffs(deluge/no consumes) and sealed kiel.
Cant go to the field/dungeons because gear isn't completed. Deluge and consumes, no mvps.
Gravity messed up this skill with the 185/60 update. Gear in progress but it still will suck in the end. Consumes + sealed kiel.
