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Thanks  - I just want to make clear that the game’s overall balance and QOL feel has improved greatly since 3.0. But yeah, with so many exciting changes as some things fall more snuggly into place (toning down Runes, Gems, and Character Leveling) others need to come down to match (enemies, skilltree sets, character abilities, shamans, and economic progression).

 

May be a bit of repetition with my feedback, but my main themes in a lot of combat feedback has been related to a need to: scale back the exponentials in ability/stat growth, allow greater options for strategic play. The rush towards obtaining ex-turns and barrage attack combat focus, for example, quickly replaces strategic diversity with DPS and RNG. Ironically, even though my characters are getting faster and more ‘hits’ in, the pace of combat for regular mobs tends to drag on in particular areas (Joker’s Lair). 

 

[Progress up to SimaFort]

So as I suspectd, after Joker’s Lair -  life gets pretty easy again.

Capitan: Terapin wasn’t threatening, easier than 3.2 - but certainly more difficult and interesting than 3.0. Rand’s Bless increased DPS on Well cretins significantly, Rand also learned Revive at some stage, which brought back Aspara and Lin without the hassle of backtracking (both killed via a barrage attack). Having a revive option earlier in game is essential for QOL and combat balance. Nice to see the BOFII cretin sprites used alongside the village rescue section for modern encounters.

 Rangers’ House: BOFI monster sprite (Pog: Hydra-Ostrich) is quite a bit different than what we see in the abandoned Rangers’ House. Cosmetic suggestion: Would taking BOFII Ranger and Town Guard sprites and making them ethereal (like your did with Turbo?) work nice here? Since you have Knight Armors and these weird pink ghosts as mobs – one could speculate that they are the spirits of deceased Rangers? It works with the ‘haunted’ vibe more so.

Also, compared to 3.2, Knight Armors seem much easier... I’m guessing my now liberal use of Bless +200% ATK is culprit. I would change Rand’s ability to just a +25% ATK boost to whole party, or +50% ATK boost to one target – and only useable in battle. Realistically, all BUFF spells ought to be usable only in battle to help ensure support character get time in play. Balance this with a reduction in MP cost and increased character level-up stat progression.

I noticed that the Monster Island has a ZONE for encounters – GREAT! Even had success using CHOPCHOP against a Fly. A couple more of these throughout the world map would be appreciated: still missing my Bullas/DevilKids, and Deathpedes/Lizard Archers from the OG worldmap.

 

Rand (again):

So this guy’s Bless = +200% to ATK and MAG power for whole battle. As mentioned above, this BUFF (applied in and out of battle) is problematic because:

A) it quickly became essential – and

B) it shows that my team’s natural growth is underpowered, relative to mob progression.

 In the original BOFII, MIGHT was a late game skill (Spar lvl. 36 & Medusa Shield), and deservedly so. If Bless were to stay at this intensity, I would suggest the BUFF effect was just for party members’ next action. And again, it should compliment the player design, not become the player design.

 

Aspara:

Lots of fun collecting her Lores with the extra encounters (Bog area), and Boss abilities (Quake from Terapin) were now learned. Just a much smoother experience compared to 3.2. Does Observe have a %chance to learn used Lores? It would seem that when Aspara is hit – no problem, but there have been the odd ability that was used on another party member, which Observe did not pick up. I’ve changed her equipment load out this time to increase case of being targeted, and kept her RESISTANCE down. These help to ensure she is A) targeted, and B) doesn’t evade (thus not learning LORE). A new player would not likely think to make sure of this strategy, however, so a confirmation on OBSERVE working 100% would be nice.

Nixie:

 Just picked her and Jean up, and I can see that her HEX ability also adds a couple discrete weaknesses? Any plans for her to learn spells? What if she had some necro-elemental abilities? I think she’d be wonderful with an attack similar to Ryu vs DeathEvan where it knocks off %50 of mobs’ current HP (becoming less effective the weaker the enemy is). At any rate, a witch needs a spell book to take advantage of HEX. She has the potenitla to be a good ‘opener’ to combat with gravity/status disruption abilities.

Yua:

Quickly sold crests to get gil to rescue her (just to see). I don’t think the Frogs actually took the money following the condition check (I had 55K a few battles later). She looks great, nice to see boomerangs as she weapon of choice! You’ve used her battle sprite as her menu sprite and... it works! I hope to see her gain more abilities in time with some siphon/Dragoon esq. thematic play as well. 

For continuity, would you consider the same battle-sprite as menu sprite for Mixie and Mina? I think that would be more aesthetically pleasing. At least maybe for Mina - who doesn't look much like the BOFVI icon.  

 

PROGRESSION/GROWTH STRUCTURE = exponential vs linear/natural.

Its very easy to grow Ryu’s HP from 100 @ Lvl 1 to 1,000 @ Lvl 10. Most radical gains are facilitated by Runes/Gems, skillpoints, and wider game rewards. Level up gains are comparatively marginal. What would Ryu’s naked stat growth look like? Due to the emphasis on external factors to character growth – how/when they become available is key, and this seems harder to manage than gains by level growth.  Presently, its a bit of lolly-scramble/pinata burst in terms of how stat increases present themselves, and stack. What the means is that, if I havn’t figured out how to use the latest things that’s available to me across skills-runes-gems, I’m behind. If I have used them all à I’m seriously overpowered. For example, the game seems to expect a significant increase in my party’s strengh between Argus and the first mob fight of the Joker Den – but that can only be bridged initially via statUP items, skill selection and gear. Ultimately, it was learning and using Rand’s BLESS which turned the tide.

My current playstyle is trying to exercise restraint by skipping certain overpowered skills, avoiding zero-sum trade-offs, and finding a use for different characters and situations.

Are there a stat caps in this game? Could I get this team to 1000,000 HP? Shouldn’t (in the interest of game balance) something stop me? 

 For me: I think progression feels more natural, as a player, when the rewards are incremental and hard won, as opposed to more radical super saiyan style boosts. The Gem system is toned down, which is good. As previously suggested, I still think the idea of ‘adding sockets’ to weapons and armor overtime, will help to support incremental growth as well.  

As a ‘just to see’, I spent my LightDragon points on the highest tier ability, (giving extra battle actions) and.... my whole party runs laps around the enemy. Major rebalance here required.

 

Skill Trees:

To confirm, the accumulation of Light Dragon Points is far too rapid, compared to available skills to spend on. By SimaFort, I have nearly maxed out the Light Dragon Tree.

 Presently, there’s no indication of how/when they are gained, and a Dark Dragon Skill point keep reappearing, but cannot be used.

Certain skills seem way too  dramatic, and I think a reduction of skill trees (reworking and swapping Brood and Wrym Guard Trees as part of the Light/Dark Dragons), and a reduction of skill points – will help to stagger the growth.

Basically, I know the game is currently balanced towards skills and BUFF’s offering a flat +100% bonus to abilities, but it also makes it easier to be suddenly over/underpowered. I think the progression of Fire/Lightning/Ice Whelps (4 points at 25% increments) is a better example of incremental growth to +100% that only relates to a single ability field, compared to a skills that award whole party +200% Experience or +2 levels is too much.

 

Carpenter Houses: Rewards are far too uneven, and character growth/BUFF stats should feel more organic/progressive, rather than sudden/exponential.

·      Rural Cabins = increase crops for gathering? Havn’t tested it yet.

·      Arabic/Stone = Increase in stats

o   I selected this for 4.0 and noticed a party wide +500HP and +100 MP increase – now this means that the whole party goes from approx 20-30MP, to 120-130. I think these kinds of bonuses are way too jarring before endgame. For Nina/Lin – that’s like a +50% boost in HP, and a +500% increase of MP for the whole party.

·      Brick/Township = +200% Experience?

So the rewards of across these three villages need moderating. Do they need bonuses? The tenants and different aesthetics is an amazing touch on its own.

 What if in place of direct stat increases, they offer instead something like:

-       Rural had a farmers market? Buy/sell cooking ingredients?

-       Brick had a hospital – buy temp. elemental/status resistant inoculations akin to BOFIII?

-       Stone had a random LOOT generator pay X zenny to open one of three chests for a random RUNE/GEM spoil? (similar to the TOLEN game). Maybe the Bosch Hunting game makes a return with 'target practice'? Or we go 'fishing for treasure'?

These, while not perfect, offer some differentiated 'flavour' that do not contribute much towards combat balance.  

Equipping Shamans: A new approach to BOFIII/IV’s master system.

·      At 4.0, Fire Shaman offers +150% ATK, with fire elemental.  

What if Shaman’s functioned like BOFIII masters where they facilitate stat growth on Level up? Example:

o   Fire Shaman

§  On equip: Party member gains Fire elemental attack

§  Equipped on Level up: Party member gains +2 Strength, +1 SPD, -1 DEF,

§  After 5 Levels, Shaman masters rewards Tomb of ____ strike, where party players can be taught an MP based elemental strike ability.

o   Multiple party members can apprentice to the same Shaman. This way you can guide your character’s permanent stat growth, and give a greater meaning to level gains. This would work really well if we were able to see a prompt of player stat gains on level up (as per trailer video). 

Fusing with Shamans: a moderate boost, akin to BOFII

o   On fusing, Fire Shaman gives +25% to ATK, instead of 150% (which is in line with the boosts from the original game). Sten having Fire compatibility, Fuses for +37.5% ATK

o   Fusing/Apprenticing would be separate and not be limited to either/or.