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Arelian · **12-25-2014, 07:40 PM**

Just on the topic of Dark Knights, I wouldn't automagically assume that they're related to Ishgard simply because it's coming with Heavensward. This game has been pretty good at dropping hints of what's to come (looking at you, Thancred bein' a badass). 2.5 is very likely to include a pretty decent amount of lore on the Void/Darkness given that we're going to the World of Darkness.

Seeing as how 2.5 is supposed to lead us directly into Heavensward, I think it's not too strange to think that Dark Knight is going to originate from something that happens in the MSQ (the end of 2.4 MSQ talks about the Isle of Val disappearing into the Void)/World of Darkness rather than being some Ancient Art That Nobody Has Talked About Yet. They like to include a lot of foreshadowing for things as opposed to suddenly dropping a ton of info at once.

As for Astrologian, there's a big part of me that thinks it's actually Dravanian magic as opposed to Ishgardian. It seems suspiciously good at tracking the movements of Dravanian forces. Perhaps Ishgard stole the secrets of it from the Dravanians long ago. After all, a War started over something.Â

On top of everything else, the dropping of classes from the new jobs makes me think that the jobs themselves are a lot less "special snowflake" compared to things like Monk and White Mage. More along the lines of Ninja where yeah, you're a total badass for completing this training, but a Ninja isn't some mythical job.

It'd be really interesting if, for instance, opening the World of Darkness allows access to a wider array of Void-oriented spells and we see the beginnings of Dark Knight becoming a combat style with the end of 2.5/2.5 part 2.

Flashhelix · **12-25-2014, 10:09 PM**

Machinists will single-handedly ruin combat RP.

Seriphyn · **12-26-2014, 07:47 AM**

(12-25-2014, 10:09 PM)Flashhelix Wrote: Machinists will single-handedly ruin combat RP.

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Yeah I'm trying to think how anyone can face off against guns and drones if you're a melee combatant. Can't always be "aether" esp for characters such as mine who are all physical. Mages could counter machinists probably.

Oli! · **12-26-2014, 07:54 AM**

(12-26-2014, 07:47 AM)Seriphyn Wrote:
(12-25-2014, 10:09 PM)Flashhelix Wrote: Machinists will single-handedly ruin combat RP.
Â
Yeah I'm trying to think how anyone can face off against guns and drones if you're a melee combatant. Can't always be "aether" esp for characters such as mine who are all physical. Mages could counter machinists probably.

Has the Matrix taught you nothing?

Aduu Avagnar · **12-26-2014, 07:59 AM**

Be like Yda. Punch the bullets away.

Berrod Armstrong · **12-26-2014, 09:13 AM**

(12-26-2014, 07:47 AM)Seriphyn Wrote:
(12-25-2014, 10:09 PM)Flashhelix Wrote: Machinists will single-handedly ruin combat RP.
Â
Yeah I'm trying to think how anyone can face off against guns and drones if you're a melee combatant. Can't always be "aether" esp for characters such as mine who are all physical. Mages could counter machinists probably.

Good storytellers can easily write a combat scene together that works, because 'machinists will shoot melee 2 death and win' just...well it's a bit silly to leave it at that if you want to write a fight scene and have a could time.

The machinist can miss. The gladiator's shield can catch a bullet. The pugilist can hoof it to some cover and get lucky while trying to approach -- and these are just things off the top of my head. Depending on the specific encounter/fight/combat scene, there may be a bunch of other variables that can result in one outcome or the other. OR MORE.

Use your imaginations! Get clever with your writing, scene direction and storytelling! Make it work with your partners!

Kismet · **12-26-2014, 10:59 AM**

How a fight involving a Machinist would occur depends on the specific rules of that instance, too. If this isn't for self-defense (a simple sparring match, for example), weapons and magic may just not be allowed. So you wouldn't even have to worry about it. As for aÂ life or death situation, or if weapons are being used for sparring (perhaps with paintballs or just aether?)...

Purely going off of in-game animations, Machinist doesn't seem like it's some Western rapid fire, bullet hell-esque type of shooter. Its gun is more akin to a hand cannon if anything -- that is to say it fires shots kind of slow. It's not a gatling gun. (You could blame this solely on the GCD, perhaps. But story NPCs are typically careful with their shots as well.) This provides enough room for error, enough time to dodge, or to have something external ruin their focus.

In short, as others said, get creative. If people could have decent combat RP in other MMOs with guns & magic, it should be fine here, too... Provided the people involved collaborate well.

Arelian · **12-26-2014, 01:56 PM**

The Armorer quests have you making cobalt armor with the intention of stopping bullets. So unless the bullet-tech is significantly different than what currently exists, it'll be fine.

Plus I'm not entirely sure what makes a bullet inherently more dangerous than spells in this case.

Steel Wolf · **12-26-2014, 02:16 PM**

Consider, too, that in the opening cinematic of this very game, a Warrior has his helmet blasted off and is under immense duress until Ninja Bard casts a shield over him (and has arrows that kill more instantly than bullets somehow).

He also still has fabulous hair despite the helmet.

Just by that simple example, it's pretty obvious that ballistics has next to no relevance here. It can be written around with a minimal amount of imaginative effort. <3

Kellach Woods · **12-26-2014, 02:26 PM**

It's not even just that.

We're talking about a blast from a Garlemald firearm that is of superior tech to anything that can be manufactured in Eorzea.

Likely we're going to see firearms that were 1600-1700 era from the Machinist. Not exactly the most precise, nor the most functional, pieces of equipment in the history of ever.

Zyrusticae · **12-26-2014, 04:13 PM**

There's no point trying to draw a parallel between Eorzean technology and real-world technology. Their guns are not breach-loaded nor do they ever seem to actually physically reload them in any way (could just be an animation issue, but still). In this cutscene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvXSHLPB1aM Merlwyb fires several shots in quick succession with no visible magazine. That alone puts them on a different level from real-world firearms.

They're guns because guns are cool. That's basically all there is to it.

Cailean Lockwood · **12-26-2014, 04:20 PM**

Have you guys seen FF7: Advent Children?
Alot of guns are being used, but the rules are different in the world of Final Fantasy. If you are badass enough, dodging bullets, parrying them, cutting them in halves etc. are all part of your skillset.

A bullet still kills, but there are ways to avoid getting killed by one, just like there are ways to avoid getting killed by a blade.