With Re:build, some things changed while others stayed the same.
On e fine detail that changed is the weapon option for Clerics, who are now bound to Maces and Rods, leaving them no longer the option to access one-handed swords.
With Ignas equipment, there is finally equipment that promotes building a hybrid physical&magic character as a Cleric, who has a basic stat spread towards all of the 5 main stats STR,INT,DEX,CON and SPR, providing the 560 build options announced per Class tree.
However, there are several downsides of building hybrid characters:
1. stat spread
As Clerics rely on both CON and SPR for survival, going for Classes with a different damage focus will reduce one of those two stats.
On top of that, the basic attack stats (STR/INT for physical- and magic attack) and secondary attack stats (DEX/SPR for critical- and magic critical attack) have their gains reduced to 0% on Classes with a different attack type focus, reducing the overall stat gain.
This results in a hybrid Cleric always having less average CON/SPR/INT/STR/DEX in comparison to other Class trees who only have a focus shift between 3 stats.
Thus, a hybrid Cleric has less attack than a pure-magic or pure-physical Cleric.
2. extra stat gain via item awakening and gems
Just as the first option, there is the general problem that you only have one stat boost option per item awakening and gem socket, be it either physical- or magic attack.
This means that whatever the user chooses will make him lose damage on the other spectrum.
While this problem can be partially avoided by providing two sets of weapons/sub-weapons,
it comes with a huge increase in investment and the requirement to switch weapons every time when using a different attack type skill.
3. Weapon restriction
While a magic Cleric can use a rod to boost his damage, both physical and hybrid builds are forced to use maces because of two facts:
- Rods have no physical attack value, so physical attacks with them will deal no damage
- higher leveled Swords are Swordsman/Scout only,leaving Clerics with no option to go beyond mace value
After looking at the changes that have comes with Re:build (stat spread, sword restriction),
I propose that the new level 420 equipment has the following compatibility changes:
Mace & Two-handed Mace: Cleric only
Sword : Swordsman & Scout only
Rod & Staff : Wizard only
As Clerics are left with only the choice of Rod or Mace currently (Episode 10),
it will be easier to just make Mace the exclusive weapon category for Cleric and Rod the exclusive weapon category for Wizard so the attack values of Mace and Rod can be more balanced.
Currently, Rod and Staff are too close for Wizard comfort, and Mace lags too far behind Sword and Rod, which puts both Cleric and Wizard in a bad position.
With the upcoming changes towards more balance for magic damage to make cloth armor a bigger factor, this change would allow for better balance so Maces, Rods and Staffs can provide enough magic attack for their users and close the power gab to the other weapon categories (e.g. two-handed spear, pistol, musket).
It also allows a better magic skill balancing on Cleric if you don’t have to factor in the difference between Rod and Mace.
The reason why I propose this change is because the free weapon choice system has long failed.
Wizards will never use a mace because their matk values are too bad,
Swordsmen have skill restrictions that only work for a few weapon types (e.g. Rapier,Spear) and Clerics can’t use swords anymore.
Archers are bound to Crossbow,Cannon,Musket,Bow to use the majority of damage skills per specialized Class, and Scouts diverge into Dagger and Pistol.
A fixed weapon type per Class tree provides less choices, but it makes it easier to balance and take into account the pros and cons of the weapon types and categories as well as build options.