Odin.Sindarius said:
Being a paladin main for years I had to use /nin for most major encounters because the damage dealt by mobs has never really scaled with player hit points.
If they changed how defence is worked, making it more like Shell (straight PDT- instead of some mash up of failure), then the damage dealt would be completely different. This is how defence should've always worked imo, but eh..
Fixing PLD at this point would take an awful lot, outside Abyssea it's not all that self-sufficient.
One possible way to make PLD "includable" again would be to change all the defence calculations (including what Defender does), so that PLD has the highest DEF in-game bya sizable margin.
Then, rework DEF so it's more like a PDT- effect instead of what it is now. Additionally, add NM's whose attacks go through shadows and deal large amounts of damage (something akin to Geush Urvan). Combined with other jobs low defence rating and PLD's ability to negate larger portions of the damage would make it a more viable option than a DD/NIN sitting beating it.
To top it off, so that DD's aren't forced to hold back unbelievable amounts: (like others have said) give PLD a trait or some such to increase their Enmity cap.
This would mean that DD's being hit for ~1-1.5k/time would suck up a lot of resources, PLD getting a natural PDT- nature would be able to take a lot more punishment without needing as much in terms of MP conservation (because the mages wouldn't be burning it all dropping C5/C6's every hit). The Enmity cap increase would let PLD's stay on top of the game for longer periods without losing it every hit or two to a DD.
Now, PLD's main damage output originally came from Atonement. I see no reason the damage for it isn't simply doubled. Make it a trait too, why not! "Holy damage is increased" and change the description for Atonement to something like "Deals Light elemental damage based on Enmity".
