[Announcement] PVP Utility Balance Changes Update Preview

Until now, there have been issues where the duration, cooldown, activation requirement, and hitbox between different characters caused significant disparities in perceived performance between characters. Utility skills refer to skills with Evasion, Invincibility, Counters, MP/HP Recovery, MP Removal, Hyper Armor, Super Armor, and Installation Skills, which have a major impact on combat flow, survivability, and resource management. In this update, we are planning to review the standards that have been applied differently across characters in PVP and make adjustments so that similar abilities follow more consistent rules across characters.

These changes will only apply to PVP and will be separate from dungeon balancing and specifications.

We will continue monitoring and improving PVP so that it can provide a fairer and more enjoyable gameplay experience going forward. We look forward to your interest and feedback.

Shared Rules

◇ Evasion/Invincibility Evasion skills with a cooldown will apply an invincibility effect. Evasion skills without a cooldown will apply a Hyper Armor effect. Skills that deal damage and evade at the same time will be adjusted separately from regular evasion skills under separate standards. Hyper Armor and Super Armor effects applied to attack or movement skills that are not evasion skills will be adjusted to better fit their intended functions.

◇ Buff-type Hyper Armor/Super Armor Buff-type skills refer to effects where Hyper Armor or Super Armor is applied to the character for a certain duration after use. The cooldown for buff-type Hyper Armor/Super Armor Skills will be standardized. ※ However, certain skills may be changed depending on the skill effects.

◇ MP Recovery/HP Recovery/MP Removal MP/HP Recovery effects will be changed to be 1/2 of the dungeon effects. Effects that target the entire team will be changed to be 1/3 of the dungeon effects. The value of MP Removal for MP Removal effects will be changed. ※ Effects with separate restrictions such as equip effects, gauge requirements, skill slot requirements will be adjusted separately from standard effects.

◇ Counter Skills The cooldown for Counter Skills will be standardized. A cooldown for Auto Counter Skills will be added.

◇ Starting MP Value Starting MP Value will be removed or have changed values.

◇ Installation Skills Installation Skills refer to skills that summon a deployable unit to a target location. All Installation Skills will be changed to be able to be attacked with Command Attacks.

◇ Cooldown All Command and Buff Skills with a cooldown will be changed to have the cooldowns begin during their effect duration. The values will be adjusted so that the remaining cooldown after the effect ends matches the cooldown previously shown in the skill tooltip before the changes. ※ However, the cooldowns of certain skills that significantly affect PVP balance may be adjusted separately.

1) Elesis

■ Common [Special Command] Hyper Armor Changed so that the cooldown begins during the effect duration instead of starting after the effect ends. Increased the cooldown to 50 seconds. The remaining cooldown after the effect ends will match the cooldown previously shown in the skill tooltip before the changes.

■ Knight (1st Job) ◇ Command [Command] Thrust The Invincibility effect will be changed to a Super Armor effect.

[Command] Evasive Slice The Invincibility effect will be changed to a Hyper Armor effect. Removed the prevent MP Recovery upon use effect.

◇ Sword Master (3rd Job) [Up Attack During Combo] (ZZ + ↑) Removed the Invincibility effect.

◇ Savior (4th Job) [Evade during Dash] ← during Dash The Invincibility effect will be changed to a Hyper Armor effect.

2) Lire

■ Common ◇