[drags out soapbox] As always with this journal, this specific post will be heavily opinion laden and quite possibly make people WTF? at me. Well, that's nothing new, but at least I'm warning you up front for once?
SE has announced some job adjustments to RNG that can be viewed here: http://www.playonline.com/pcd/topics/ff11us/detail/4952/detail.html
There's a variety of good stuff in it, but the gist of it seems to be enmity lowering on ranged attacks and how they're reported in the log (at least that's the most significant change in the batch IMO):
- Camouflage
Rangers with this ability in effect will incur less enmity for ranged attacks. There will be a chance that the ability remains in effect even after a ranged attack, depending on your position relative to your target.
Ranged Attack Adjustments
- Ranged attack enmity
Less enmity will be incurred the further away you are from the target of your ranged attacks.
- Detailed damage messages for ranged attacks
Damage messages displayed after a successful ranged attack will indicate the effectiveness of the attack, allowing for players to better gauge their positioning. Critical hit and missed attack messages will remain unchanged.
So, the question was posed to me "Do you think that these changes will make Bow > Gun since Bow users tend to stand further back and thus will generate less ENM with these changes?" I have two answers to this question. The first is that I think we'll see a lot of interesting numbers with regards to damage and ENM, especially with easier to parse (once a parser is written for it) damage / distance out of the log.
My more honest answer is "It doesn't matter." I've never much cared for the Bow vs. Gun vs Crossbow argument. In my opinion it's like asking you whether you prefer a Phillips or a Flathead screwdriver. They're both tools for getting a job done. You choose whichever is the best tool for that specific job. To go with only one to the complete exclusion of the others is to cut yourself short of what you *could* be doing with RNG. Let me give some examples with the understanding that this upcoming adjustment will probably alter these situations to some degree, but I don't think they'll be completely eliminated or negated.
Crossbow saved my bacon when doing the final Kupo fight with it's Bloody Bolts. I'd refer you to that post if you want a story on where Crossbow shines. Crossbow has the greatest variety of *useful* bolts and that's really what you choose it for. It can do nice damage with a pure Darksteel Bolt loadout, but if you're looking for a pure damage loadout (and nothing else) you're probably not looking at Crossbow. This weapon is for debuffing, sleeping, draining, and some average to better than average damage bolts. If you're fighting, say, Diabolos, then Holy Bolts rock. If you're not, your mileage may vary. Using Othinus' bow as the standard (and it is if you're a RNG), then it's also the fastest weapon, so you'll have the most ammo throughput unless you're using, say, a Loxley Bow or a Repeating Crossbow.
Advantages: A great variety of debuff bolts (blind, venom, acid, sleep, drain). Best ammo throughput. Less expensive than the alternatives.
Disadvantage: Doesn't have the high end damage per shot vs. Gun or Bow.
Guns have some fantastic per shot damage but slow throughput. While your average Bow will clock in at around 540 delay, Guns lumber along at 600. So why use a Gun? There are two situations that are quite opposite that I think Guns shine (and that I can see this update affecting.) The first situation is a zerg. If you need to pump out a lot of damage and can just feed through the TP, Gun will get the job done. The other situation is when you're in an endurance fight and you're trying to control your hate. The longer delay helps meter out your overall DoT hate while still giving you quite a punch to make up for it. If I'm afraid of hate wiggle, I use a Gun. I'm not sure I'd count this as an advantage or disadvantage, but Gun's bullets are rather devoid of variety. You've got shot-em-dead bullets or Stun bullets and that's that. Of course, if you're fighting a mob (such as Wamoura) where giving status effects is a disadvantage, Guns are also made of win.
Advantage: Slower damage for hate control and a big punch when you WS. Cost (for RNG) is moderate (compared to COR >.>; ). Is also a good zerg weapon.
Disadvantage: Lack of status bullets.
For the Bow... The Bow offers a whole range of tools within this one weapon. You've got your Loxley Bow which is made of all sorts of claiming action with it's 120 delay. It's faster than Voke, folks. Another standard weapon in the arsenal is Selene's Bow. On the outside it looks pretty basic, but the moon phase adjustments can made it downright amazing. Depending on moon it goes from a full on r.accuracy Bow to an full on r.attack Bow. In short, if the moon is right and you're looking for a fight~ kekeke. Finally there's the E.Bow and it's equivalent Vali Bow. I've never laid my paws on one, but I've heard amazing things, like not having a STR damage cap >.>; This is the Bow that can stand toe-to-toe with a Gun. As brushed upon in the initial question, Bow's sweet spot is a bit further out than Crossbow or Gun's. So I can see the adjustment working in it's favor. On the other hand, I've always been a fan of standing outside of AoEs, so I tend to let mob-meanness be a factor in my RNG positioning.
The final point about Bow is that it fills just about every gap that Crossbow doesn't in terms of debuffs and elemental attacks. Bow's high end ammo has Added Effect Silence, Attack Down (vs. Defense Down of Acid Bolts), Sleep, Paralyze arrows (good luck finding any), and just about every element except Dark to offset Holy Bolts (Fire, Wind, Ice, Earth, Lightning). In my opinion, about the only thing Bow is missing in terms of ammo is a draining arrow and a high level, no added effect, damage arrow. There's also the point that unlike bolts and bullets, *a lot* of arrows cannot be quivered. I have no idea why SE keeps avoiding this, but I think if all arrows were quiverable then Bow RNG would *really* take off.
Advantages: Fills the ammo gaps left by Crossbow. Greater range. Can go toe-to-toe with Gun's damage for a very well equipped RNG.
Disadvantage: A lot of arrows aren't quiverable and what's available is expensive. Yes, Bow can make Guns look cheap :x
For example: Silver Bullet Pouch x12 (100k) vs. Kabura Arrow Quiver x12 (160k). Most Bow RNG go for Demon Arrows x12 (70k) for the TP building arrow and then WS / Barrage with the Kabura unless using the CP Arrow. While it's common for a Crossbow RNG to use Holy Bolts x12 (30k) to TP build and then WS / Barrage with Darksteel Bolts x12 (75k) if they're not using a CP Bolt with Unlimited Shot. Of course, if they play RNG like I do, the TP building is happening with a variety of Acid + Holy + Bloody with Darksteel to seal the deal.
So, having said all that, what am I getting at? Well, that I look forward to less ENM when playing RNG, but I don't think (except potentially in the case of the Gun) it's really going to change *how* I use my tools. I have a special place in my heart for Crossbow, Gun, and Bow and will continue to choose the one I feel is best for the task at hand. And I think it's silly to say one is better than the other without some serious circumstance defining. With these weapons one is "better" than the other heavily depending upon the situation.
[steps off of soapbox]
As a final point, I look forward to being less of a hate stealing whore for all you tanks out there. I <3 you guys! I hope to stop dislodging your mob so my fellow melee don't lose their TP when it comes running after me. I don't believe this adjustment will remove the consequences of being a fool and using TP at a bad time (like before hate is solidified at all...), but I see it as potentially giving RNG just a bit more rope to hang ourselves with... >.>;
Nimbex > That was quite informative. I still haven't taken ranger past 1, so my ranged attacking has always been based on the optimal choice for a given job. (THF - xbow, SAM - bow, for example, and COR - gun some day). I guess I should level RNG before I start COR, though, so I can go COR/RNG. Anyway, thank you for the insight! I personally don't like the idea of the lack of clear feedback for range. I don't want FFXI to *encourage* me to use a distance plugin. I don't have an objection to the idea of range mattering. I think it's a good idea. But it's really annoyed me when I'm not sure if I'm missing due to bad luck or to being at the wrong range. And even when I *do* know the rules, I might not be able to tell at a given point. (09/10/15 09:12)
Beanie > There was some degree of feedback, but it wasn't really clear. I mean, a ranged attack (if you're at cap STR/ratt) will hit for consistant damage every single time. Once you have a feeling for what that amount is then you can move in and out and see how distance is changing your damage. It's obtuse to learn distances that way. You could also pick up a hint from the mob radar in the corner using the rings a reference point. I think the new way it'll be displayed in the log will be infinitely better (as long as it's not too wordy...) (09/10/15 15:44)
Pisces > I was always annoyed how easy it was for people with the plugin to figure out where the optimal distance is easily on range attack versus a person like myself who just uses SE's windower. I'm glad that SE is going to address this (finally). Your commentary on the differences between gun/bow/crossbow is really helpful! I love crossbow for the speed and the status bolts, but I haven't used any of the status arrows for bow yet. I haven't even touched gun yet, but if bow is as expensive as you say, may I should. My ranger is only 40, so I remember reading somewhere that you don't have to use guns yet since bow and crossbows give you enough variety for that level. Anyway, thank you for the information. :D (09/10/16 11:56)
Beanie > Guns are a bit niche (as they stand today) as damage only and lack flexibilty. It's good to own a solid gun for zerg missions and such (like, oh, Snoll Tsar), but Crossbows and Bows are where it's at if you want variety. I really wish SE would make Bow's ammo more accessible though. I really only griped about the quivering, but the problems are deeper than that. Anything "exotic" that isn't a bone-line ammo is next to impossible to get because of the lumber involved / fletching / difficulties with the arrowheads. They can't just make it a reasonable combination. One point of it has to prohibitive and bring the entire thing down. (For a lot of the ammos introduced during TAU like Wind, Lightning, and Paralyze it's the lumber or fletching). If SE simplified the supply even a little bit it'd take off more. Crossbows get off a bit easier because the only bolt SE has made prohibitive are Black and those are essencially a Darksteel alternative more than anything else. If they didn't make logging points in areas with true-sight or VT aggro mobs /sigh... The only reason Kabura Arrows are made are because they're a "cheap" high level woodworking synth. Though if they didn't fill that niche no one would make them since every synth requires an additional Ram Horn. (And as it stands, most people NPC the arrows rather than sell them on the AH 'cause of the high price NPCs pay vs. players balking at the cost.) (09/10/16 14:51)
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