Suggestion: Make family summoning a Bard/Summoner skill only

I had an idea I'd like the community's opinion on (excuse me if this has already been discussed and I missed it):

Ditch the family summoning and make it a Bard/Summoner skill.

Even though there are obvious benefits to family summoning, it's pretty clear people are worried about the abuse it will bring with it. I don't see a possibility where you can get rid of summoning completely, but I do feel that making it a class specific skill will create an extra gameplay role and makes you revise your group/family set up.
I'd personally envision it as a spell like:

Summon Family
Summon your entire family to your current location
Cooldown 4 hours

My idea behind changing the amount of people from 1 to up to 7 and increasing the cooldown to 4 hours instead of 30 min - is it will be a more impactful skill. It will keep it's function but has less likelihood of being abused. This will mean that you need to think ahead when using it and will give the Bard or Summoner an extra role to add to a party.
Why Bard and or Summoner? Mostly because the Bard is already seen as an support class and Summoner…well….it’s in the name.

Let me know what you think of this

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

CaptnChuck

Redacted

Crowley

CaptnChuck wrote: »

What if the 8 people that you summon are summoners? Then they get to summon other families as well. So basically, you get to summon your entire guild to one location for a measly 4hr cd..

If that can be the case, then I've misinterpreted the family system. I was of the impression you could only be in 1 family of 8 people.

EDIT:
According to the WIki:
Families are a means to relate up to eight characters.[1][2][3]

A character may only belong to one family at a time.
Leaving one family and joining another family will have a cooldown period in the order of days.
Family sizes are limited to eight characters.

So you're right they could summon 8 Summoners, that all change their families after the summon, so they can then summon the guild. But the cooldown will be several days according to the info above.

CaptnChuck

@Crowley

Wait my bad, you can only be in one family. I removed my comment to avoid confusion. I thought you could summon guild members, but apparently not.

Now to actually respond to your post, I still don't like it. If none of my 7 friends want to play a bard or summoner, then we won't be able to summon each other. So I prefer it to be available for all classes.

I'd much rather take a 15 min dual cd instead.

vhbenin

I agree with giving it do bard summoner classes.

Keep in mind @CaptnChuck that we can make this hability be usable by classes that have these classes as secondary.

But i agree it gives purpose to the class! It fits. It's a gameplay and social element.

Fantmx

I could get behind this. I like the idea of classes having specific functions beyond just combat scenarios.

CaptnChuck

vhbenin wrote: »

I agree with giving it do bard summoner classes.

Keep in mind @CaptnChuck that we can make this hability be usable by classes that have these classes as secondary.

But i agree it gives purpose to the class! It fits. It's a gameplay and social element.

But there are 64 classes in the game. Only 28 of them would be able to summon families. This means that if 8 of my friends choose to play any of the remaining 36 classes, then we won't be able to summon each other. So no, I disagree with this.

Crowley

@CaptnChuck
I get this can maybe "force" someone in a family to choose the Bard or Summoner archetype. But in the end it remains the choice of the person/family. Same way you'll choose to add a support to your party or not.

I can't see what it adds that a Rogue or Fighter can summon their allies to a location. To me it feel too much as a thing of convenience instead of something that adds to the game/world.

Lfmr

I am very against this idea, what if the summoner/bard in your family is offline? What if YOU are the summoner / bard in your family, now you can't be summoned. What if none of your friend group wants to be a summoner / bard? Why even start a family with your buddies if it gives you no advantages? It just sort of breaks the entire family system for no reason.

Crowley

Lfmr wrote: »

I am very against this idea, what if the summoner/bard in your family is offline? What if YOU are the summoner / bard in your family, now you can't be summoned.

That's what adds to the character identity imo. I don't feel being able to "teleport around the world because you're family" as something...normal I suppose.
If you are doing a dungeon and you stumble upon a locked treasure chest, but your rogue happens to be offline, I don't see why you would see opening that lock as a skill a non-rogue should also possess.

Lfmr wrote: »

What if none of your friend group wants to be a summoner / bard? Why even start a family with your buddies if it gives you no advantages?

Because you're buddies. I'd like to be family with my friends regardless of having an extra skill or not.

Lfmr wrote: »

It just sort of breaks the entire family system for no reason.

Well hopefully the reason is it prevents the abuse of the family summon.

Crowley

bump

Yuyukoyay

It is a pretty good incentive to have multiple bards in groups. It is right thinking into how to make every archetype wanted in a group. They would need to make them required to remain in the party or they get teleported back though. The problem with bards in other games is they buff a group and then get kicked so the real classes can play. So everything bards do should be party required unless they choose to buff someone on their own.

Depending on how bards are even going to play.

Songcaller

CaptnChuck wrote: »

But there are 64 classes in the game. Only 28 of them would be able to summon families. This means that if 8 of my friends choose to play any of the remaining 36 classes, then we won't be able to summon each other. So no, I disagree with this.

I didnt expect you to agree, you want to remove Bard and Summoner from the game.

In truth I also reject the suggestion. I would approve of summoners being able to summon but I dont see why Bards should also be included. Summoners have summon in the title.

Ulquiorra

Crowley wrote: »

Why Bard and or Summoner? Mostly because the Bard is already seen as an support class and Summoner…well….it’s in the name.

Your reasoning makes no sense. Teleportation is a spatial ability, mages are more suitable for it.

Anyway, family summoning is a bad idea.

Crowley

Ulquiorra wrote: »

Your reasoning makes no sense. Teleportation is a spatial ability, mages are more suitable for it.

I'm all open for other classes having the ability compared to the once I suggested. I do feel atleast 2 classes will need the skill so it isn't a too niche of a trait.

CaptnChuck

Neurath wrote: »

CaptnChuck wrote: »

But there are 64 classes in the game. Only 28 of them would be able to summon families. This means that if 8 of my friends choose to play any of the remaining 36 classes, then we won't be able to summon each other. So no, I disagree with this.

I didnt expect you to agree, you want to remove Bard and Summoner from the game.

In truth I also reject the suggestion. I would approve of summoners being able to summon but I dont see why Bards should also be included. Summoners have summon in the title.

I don't WANT them to be removed from the game. I just want the game to be balanced. If they can do it with 8 classes, then kudos to them.

Aardvark

How about like old wow yes I said it. You need a warlock and 2 other people to click the portal

Crowley

Aardvark wrote: »

How about like old wow yes I said it. You need a warlock and 2 other people to click the portal

It's proven it'll work, but probably not used as much as in Wow, due to the size of the world. I like the idea of certain archetype having the "summon" utility, being it mages, summoners or bards tho.

Indure

I think family summons should be kept a separate issue from summoning in general. family summons is design to get you instantly playing with friends, not really for moving around the map although it can be slightly abused to do so.

I like the idea that summons are tied around certain classes, but I would much rather have them consumable based, then cooldown based.

Beekeeper

Indure wrote: »

family summons is design to get you instantly playing with friends, not really for moving around the map although it can be slightly abused to do so.

Those are my thoughts too. Family summon is not a tactical tool, and if it turns into one, should just be removed.

Yuyukoyay

It does have a lot of limitations. However a lot here just don't like family summons period because it's either not tied to a class or it undermines the theme of the entire game.

A lot just want to make people run for a few hours to play with certain people or make them run to you.

Child Item