[pUsHy]

...will be single player, come the release of the expansion.
(According to http://ffxi.killvoid.com/forums.php?m=posts&q=16363 - I haven't been able to check FFXI top page yet to verify... >.<)



Anyway, what's your opinion on this? Do you think this will make the Etudes more useful? Or do you still believe that there's really not a song worth sacrificing over these?

[motoh]

It will make /BRD sub more interesting... Etuding yourself and the other mage with the appropriate +stats would become a boon.

[pUsHy]

Interesting, indeed. There's even Etudes for +VIT, +AGI, +STR, +DEX, etc.

Though, would it really be worth it, considering the amount of time it takes to play a song? I would find it would take away from the main job quite substantially... Perhaps it would be good for a SMN's sub (providing their role in the party isn't healing, but instead support), since they do have that 1 minute downtime between bloodpacts anyway...

[gwendowen]

pUsHy :
...will be single player, come the release of the expansion.
(According to http://ffxi.killvoid.com/forums.php?m=posts&q=16363 - I haven't been able to check FFXI top page yet to verify... >.<)

The second tier of Etudes is ST only and I have found that to be much simpler for me. As they are ST I can use the Rose Harp +1 and not worry about what random melee I'm hitting with the Int Song.

I still don't find myself using Etudes all that often, at least not for anything I'm doing as a level 69 Bard in mostly XP parties and a few BCNM, Zilart, and Rank fights. When I have time I'll throw out the Int Song on the BLM but that is also completely dependent on his MP.

I don't see that changing the first tier of Etudes to ST only will impact Bard that much. The only Etude I have ever even heard of anyone using is the Int Song in mage camp (pre 55), the melee stats granted by the melee stat songs just aren't as good as Madrigal and Minuet. PLD would probably like the VIT song but really, they won't take any less damage if their gear is good, a NIN would probably like AGI but March would speed up the recast on Utsusemi so they wouldn't be getting hit at all, and Mambo would help out evasion more than the + Agi from an Etude.

A bard could use the ST charisma song for insuring a landed debuff, and having the first Chr Song as ST only would make someone able to sing it and not affect the rest of the party before the second Chr Song is available (lvl 66).

These are just some thoughts. ^^

[motoh]

Snap in a Learned Etude for those precious points in a magic burst, a DEX Etude for the theif just before a SAnTA, a VIT for the PLD... Could be interesting.

[Discordian]

I'm a fan of Logical Etude as it increases my MND stat well.

[TytanHero]

Damn, I was busy enough without having to etude every PT member before specific actions! I can't imagine what it'd be like with this....yeesh.

[tiberion02]

+Vit Etude for Pld. I'm sure theyd prefer that over ballad 1, specially if you have a rdm in pt.

[Laehn]

tiberion02 :
+Vit Etude for Pld. I'm sure theyd prefer that over ballad 1, specially if you have a rdm in pt.

Most plds have more than enough vit. Even with rose harp, vital etude doesnt make a real big difference on most plds. It does help significantly on wannabe tanks or when someone is forced to tank. I used it on a drg that was tanking storm wyverns with my earth staff.

It wont change brd as a main job much the way i see it, but it could make brd as a subjob more useful. Most brds will still use madrigal minuet and ballad stacked.

Im curious about that new armor though!!! Looks tight!

[Kel]

This really negates the current upper level ST only etudes usefulness, unless you care to stack them, which will almost never happen.

Ah well. At least the lower level Bards will see some usefulness from it.

[Upata]

i dont understand how this is gonna work, im lvl 64 and i have 2 etudes recently which are already single person only. what will hapen to them..... will SE make these etudes stronger or will they just get rid of them?

[gwendowen]

Upata :
i dont understand how this is gonna work, im lvl 64 and i have 2 etudes recently which are already single person only. what will hapen to them..... will SE make these etudes stronger or will they just get rid of them?

I'm pretty sure the second line are stronger. Without instrument, I remember the first line capping out at +5 to a stat (+7 with Rose Harp +1). However, +5 to a stat is what the second line start as, and it probably increases as wind or harp skill increases (not sure at what level or how often this happens, maybe it doesn't happen at all?).

I think that I would still like to see an adjustment on the second tier if the first tier is going to be ST only. If they are not made stronger, there is no reason to have them.

Also, the casting time on them will still be the same which is a fill 6-8 seconds. I imagine that giving everyone their special etude just will not happen. Outside of XP you're looking at Mind Etude on the Monk, Int Etude on the Black Mage, and maybe Dex Etude on the Thief (however, for thf you have to look at what Minuet is giving them, +55 to attack is very powerful and I would say that +7 dex is just not as good).

In XP the only two that are worth the time are Chr Etude on the BRD and Int Etude on the BLM. Honestly, I've never used it, I can get enough Chr from gear that my time is just too valuable to sing that song on myself and not other members of my party.

And what Laehn said about the Vit Etude, I believe you are right on. There is a general cap on effectiveness on Defense for PLD and while Vit isn't exactly just defense, it is not going to help them take that much less damage. Ballad I would still be better, IMO, it gives the PLD something to work with in regards to keeping hate.

More thoughts. ^^

EDIT: I just found information on another BRD forum where Etudes start giving +6 with enough skill (happened for one particular bard at lvl 70 with insane + string skill gear, so probably lvl 71 without the gear): http://vnboards.ign.com/The_Bard/b22532/74535003/?9 So second tier etudes will still be better end-game. ^^

[Delekii]

i cant wait to see stacked dex etudes before a SATA, i think it will help more than we think

[Siepher]

Has anyone actually tested the second tier etudes yet? I haven't had a chance to try it out and see if there’s a stat boost difference. when i heard about this happening I was actually a little perturbed. Kind of throws a bit of the balance outta wack. Its cool that low level bards have a bit more power now, but like mentioned above, it defeats the purpose of the higher level etudes. I remember finally getting to 62 and blowing my load when I realized I was able to start getting the ST etudes.... but now its like... well, kind of pointless. My first tier etudes gave a 6+ bonus, whilst the second tier ones gave a +5, which was a decent trade off seeing as they were ST songs.

[Cavill]

+CHR etude for myself, +INT etude for the BLM, +MND etude for the WHM, +VIT etude for the tank, +DEX etude for other melee's.

Very cool! =D

[PeiPei]

I tried the second tier etudes... nothing different.
+7 CHR for bewitching etude
+7 CHR for enchanting..
both

=/
at least Square could give the upper tier a boost

[SpoonyKweh]

That gives +14chr, is that not alot then?

[EvenstartheRanger]

Well I dont have the 2nd tier yet im only lvl 62 now, but I was heloing my LS with simurgh yesterday. Usually ill go into a mage team.

Yesterday i stayed in the tanks team. Was soo much fun hiting the melle with acc hitting PLD with vit etude hitting drk/thf with dex etude. then through a ballad 1 &2 on the rdm blm and whm then an int Etude on the blm. (inbwetween elegy, reqeuim, and a threnody)

Made it alot of fun and easier. I dont know if it will effect my xp pt tooo much maybe a little (might have to work so hard hitting the blm only with int)

But the reduced casting time is very nice ^^.

[Panferpaw]

Delekii :
i cant wait to see stacked dex etudes before a SATA, i think it will help more than we think

I just dont think there will be a lot of time during a fight to customize all the etudes for different jobs. My by the time I've done ballad I+II the mob is usually just about dead anyway. Although I think +STR on the DRK would be interesting, considering all his inherent attack bonuses.