[Dunal]

FFIX's early-game originally leaves the player with few options to customize their party and also limited abilities to use in-combat. With the new difficulty of FFIX Unleashed, allowing the player to both customize and be offered new strategies should be most suited.

FFIX's abilities are learned through equipment, therefore these options can be expanded if equipment received early on provides more options to the player.

These are my ideas so far;

http://dl.dropbox.co...valiability.txt

If anyone else has ideas as well, feel free to contribute. I'll update the list based on feedback or any discussion.

Note: It's likely LandonRay won't move on to this area of modding until the Scene Files (enemies) are completed or done a first pass. Either way, to what extent LandonRay will (or can) make these changes is up to them too. So there won't be any changes in this regard for a while; just post ideas for now.

Balance changes could be discussed in here too -- such as how abilities can be changed.

[Kyou]

Just to nitpick

Soul Blade won't work when using Knives, only Thief Swords. I'd swap Soul Blade with Add St. on Dagger. MP Attack is also too strong that early as its a 50% boost to bonus (I believe)

Hi Jump on the Javelin seems a little too early for me.

I like Autopotion for Forks

I like Shell for leather hat. Sleep might be too good that early for vivi. I think according to game mechanics if you put Bright Eyes on Leather Hat everyone who equips it and has the ability to learn it will have it show up, so you won't be able to make it exclusive to Zidane

See post above on Distract, although it actually works there as I'm fairly certain Zidane is the only Wrist user who can learn Distract anyway. So I like it.

[Archael]

Here is the contents of the save file in case anyone is too lazy to open it:

-----------------------------------
FFIX UNLEASHED - ABILITY IDEAS
-----------------------------------
+New or changed abilities to learn
-Remove abilities
-----------------------------------

------------
MAGE'S STAFF
------------
Fire
+Return Magic (Unique for Vivi without being overpowered considering he's squishy; useful since he uses lots of mana for his own spells. Defines and suits him as a Black Mage -- also something to use magic stones on early game)
+Chemist (Gives him a niche outside of expensive spell casting)
---
ROD
---
Cure
-Panacea (Moved to another item)
-Protect (Moved to another item)
+Healer (It just suits her and lets her heal a little without using a chunk of MP)
+Level Up (Because Garnet joins you a bit later being underleveled AND leaves you a bit later until Disc 2 -- also something to use magic stones on early game)
------
DAGGER
------
Flee
+Detect (Removed from Mage Masher -- And since dagger is best replaced ASAP, Detect isn't essensial and can be gotten later from Orichalcon)
-----------
MAGE MASHER
-----------
Flee
-Detect (Moved to another item)
+Soul Blade (A use for MP + utility)
+MP Attack (Optional ability and another use for MP)
-----------
BROAD SWORD
-----------
Beast Killer
+Power Break (Because de-buffing is optional strategy)
----------
IRON SWORD
----------
-Minus Strike (Too powerful early game)
+Magic Break (Because de-buffing is optional strategy)
+Counter (Just a useful ability that well defines Steiner's class or role)
-------
JAVELIN
-------
Dragon Killer
+Long Reach (Makes perfect sense + just useful)
+High Jump (This really depends on the damage increment... But Jump needs to do more damage anyway + it's just for options)
----
FORK
----
High Tide
+Auto Potion (Quina = Greedy)
+Absorb MP (Dunno about this one based on it's exact effects... Just an option)
-----------
LEATHER HAT
-----------
-Fire (Doesn't need to be on this AND Mage's Staff)
+Shell (So Garnet can learn this spell without Moonstone)
+Sleep (Another early spell for Vivi)
+Bright Eyes (Only for Zidane which is good for him considering he can only damage with his normal attack outside of Trance)
-----
WRIST
-----
Flee-Gil
+Distract (only for Zidane which just suits him as a Thief -- Traditional FF thieves have high evasion)
-------------
LEATHER SHIRT
-------------
-Protect Girls (Eh, not useful early game and can be gotten later via Butterfly Sword)
+Panacea (Removed from Rod)
+Protect (Removed from Rod)
+Blind (Another utility spell for Garnet)
------------
BRONZE ARMOR
------------
Bird Killer
+Gamble Defense (Just for options + it fits Steiner)
+Armor Break (Because de-buffing is optional strategy)
-------------
BRONZE GLOVES
-------------
Antibody
+Auto-Regen (Just a nice optional ability for Steiner if you want to sacrifice the Magic Stones)
+Mental Break (Because de-buffing is optional strategy)
---------
MOONSTONE
---------
-Beast Killer (Bronze Sword already has it)
-Shell (Leather Hat already has it)
+Luna (Something extra for Freya + Fits the name =D)
+Berserk (Relates to Luna + Another utility spell for Garnet)
+Accuracy Plus (More options are good I suppose? Cheap to equip too)
--------

[Dunal]

Kyou, on 11 January 2012 - 02:02 PM, said:

Soul Blade won't work when using Knives, only Thief Swords. I'd swap Soul Blade with Add St. on Dagger. MP Attack is also too strong that early as its a 50% boost to bonus (I believe)

If that's true then yeah Add St. would be better. Unless Mage Masher could be changed into a Thief Sword or something (having one those early wouldn't bad for variation anyway =P) if it's possible. Although the former solution may just be easier.

A 50% boost is fine IMO if it requires MP (apparently about 1/8 max per attack). And Zidane's MP pool isn't really being used. Solo bosses such as BW2 could have their HP increased a bit. In normal fights it'll be quite limited (MP gone in 2-3 fights).

Also, MS. With both MP attack and Distract being 5 each there will be choices made by the player. Especially with other useful abilities such as Add Status (if it's changed), Bright Eyes, Bandit etc...

Kyou, on 11 January 2012 - 02:02 PM, said:

Hi Jump on the Javelin seems a little too early for me.

Jump isn't really all that powerful at base and it has limited use, although occasionally good to avoid an AoE or something; but also counter productive since she's one of the more defensive characters who you'll want to be the target of attacks if possible. Boosting it's power shouldn't be a bad thing and it'll cost MS to do so like any other auto.

However, I'm still not entirely sure how much the damage increases from it but if it's something like 50%, then that's fine. Since it's only 4 MS I'm not assuming it's too much.

Kyou, on 11 January 2012 - 02:02 PM, said:

Sleep might be too good that early for vivi.

Sleep is going to be no more powerful early game than it would be later when you receive it. But that goes for a lot of abilities including MP attack. It's rather chance based anyway and Vivi could be using his MP for damage instead; which also scales with focus.

Kyou, on 11 January 2012 - 02:02 PM, said:

I think according to game mechanics if you put Bright Eyes on Leather Hat everyone who equips it and has the ability to learn it will have it show up, so you won't be able to make it exclusive to Zidane

Interesting enough, that's not actually true. Only Zidane could possibly learn it except for Amarant. And even then the Feather Hat is gotten early to give it to you anyway. All the four mages can't learn it and Steiner/Freya can't equip it.

[Kyou]

I thought everyone learned bright eyes, So your right, it'd be good for Zidane early then