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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cynlas" data-source="post: 4438074" data-attributes="member: 34699">hmm.First, in the interest of full disclosure, I feel compelled to point out that I don't appear to have ever gotten the Blue Mage concept in Final Fantasy; I understand its mechanics and concept, but never understood its appeal.  Now, as a point of fact, this class makes me want to play one (as a moderate powergamer). However, lets look at that fact in context. There is no other class that has the sheer potential and ability than this one does. This is not necessarily a good thing for a game that seeks stict mechanical balance between all classes. I'm not saying that, as a GM, I couldn't keep the Player Blue Mages in line; but 4E has made a distinct effort to remove this particular onus from D&D. This is a matter to be decided by each DM and playing group, but it is a tangible thing to be considered.  Its not "broken", but it does take concious effort to keep it 'balanced' with the rest of the game. Anyway, one thing to consider, and my first really 'critical' point is, the class lacks the basic flavor of the final fantasy Blue Mage. This is not only present in the lack of 'fluff text' information (which as a final fantasy fan, I don't particularly need), but in the class features and especially powers themselves.  The full spread of internal powers does not fit a Blue Mage concept; their powers are all learned from other creatures. As such, I like the power grabbing powers of the Blue Mage, but those should pretty much be the only powers granted automatically to the class. All other powers known by the Blue Mage should come exclusively from other creatures. In each case that I can recall, the blue mage characters only had other abilities due to 'subclassing' or through the materia-class system, or other system which, in essence, multi-classed. Since the 4E doesn't really duplicate old versions of multiclassing of D&D or FF, there isn't really any room to add it to a 4E BLue Mage. Any possible additional internal class powers should have the specific focus of making it easier for the blue mage to get more monster abilities, or modify the ones possess. Other capabilities, such as combat spells, should be limited to learned monster abilities. Now, one interesting, though potentially unbalancing option could be to allow those Blue Mages who take a multi class feat to use their power grabbing abilities to learn powers from that specific class. Of course, this leads me to related general definition issues; can a Blue Mage learn a cleric prayer used by a Minotaur Preist? What happens when the Blue Mage fights an Eladrin Wizard, can he learn anything other than Fey Step from them? What, exactly, constitutes a learnable monster power/ability? Which are excluded? Is there a method of identifying them without making a master list of 'available' powers?  Now, one of the reasons I've never liked the Blue Mage in FF is that they are usually, level for level, weaker than other classes in their abilities. As such, the idea that you (appear to) have to use the monster's base bonus when using their powers (as opposed to using the BLM's stats and level) actually does a good job of duplicating this particular trait. Based on the fact that the powers can't scale with level, and the mechanical fact that the BLue Mage will necessarily know more powers of lower level than themselves, I think you have actually (perhaps accidentally) recreated this reality of the Blue Mage. Having 12 unscaleable "at Will" powers isn't, in the long run, more powerful than another class' scaleable 2 or 3 At Wills at 11th or 21st levels. The excessive versitility is countered by the innate inability to sucessfully use any of the powers. Only possible utility powers are exempt from this limitation, such as Change Shape of a doppleganger or Werewolf. Also, the temporary nature of this captured "knowledge" doesn't make sense, nor, again, fit the Blue Mage concept. I guess I could be talked into the "Spell Book" idea for possible limiting of available powers during a single day; but I think it should be "once learned, always learned" type of thing overall. I suppose as an effort to minimize the logistical burden of knowing scores of powers, most of which will never be used again, you could justify a level cap for number of powers that can be learned (say, twice that of the usual powers by level), and make the Retraining rules relevant and necessary for the BLUE MAge.  But, as a whole, I can't see the rationale for limiting what is the unique distinguishing characteristic of "blue magic" to minor encounter by encounter temporary abilities that will necessarily take a far second seat to the class' internal powers as given. The only real boon, as it is currently written, to stealing the mobs' powers is the AC/Def bonus you get against it. What is the point of stealing a White Dragon's breath weapon, when you are likely only going to get to use it against the very same dragon you stole it from? Why risk your life (through expending HEaling Surges) to learn an ability which will likely be overshadowed by powers you already possess, and be fairly ineffective against the creatures you stole it from, just to 'forget' it when the next fight is done? If I made a character of this class, I'd be doing it for the non-Blue Mage attributes it possesses, not its more characteristic monster learning abilities, which are supposed to define the class. But, that is just my take; As E.T. mentioned, you have clearly worked on this awhile, and I appaud your efforts in making a new class. I guess my final answer to it, though, is its not really a FF-style Blue Mage, though clearly inspired by it. It needs an overhaul in its implementation to bring it closer to the concept intended, imho.</blockquote>

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