The Ultimate Blue Mage

[Vivisteiner]

I think that the best blue mage design should be one which has to eat its opponnents like Quina. But, they should be able to learn seperate blue magicks. Eg, in FFIX the blue magic learnt could be used as a normal command. But in FFVIII and X they were used as limit breaks/overdrives. I got frustrated with both types and whished that they could be combined. In other words...

I think the character should learn Limit break blue magicks as well as normal blue magicks.

Eg, Goblin Punch can be learnt which is used as a normal attack.

Mighty Guard can also be learnt, but it can only be used as a limit break.

What do you think?
What system of blue magic would you have?

[ReloadPsi]

I'd have a "cast anytime" Blue Magic system. If it were Limit Break only, then that would drop me in the category of "a game where all the characters learn the same basic set of abilities", which can get a bit dull... Don't get me wrong, I love FF7, 8 and (admittedly) 10, but having a whole bunch of characters who use the same basic abilities and are only set apart by their Limit Breaks gets kinda dull; I know 5 had the class system which anyone could use, but you were still limited to the few abilities you equipped. "Mighty Guard" isn't much use when you're running out of HP to protect.

[Heath]

I'd have a "cast anytime" Blue Magic system. If it were Limit Break only, then that would drop me in the category of "a game where all the characters learn the same basic set of abilities", which can get a bit dull... Don't get me wrong, I love FF7, 8 and (admittedly) 10, but having a whole bunch of characters who use the same basic abilities and are only set apart by their Limit Breaks gets kinda dull; I know 5 had the class system which anyone could use, but you were still limited to the few abilities you equipped. "Mighty Guard" isn't much use when you're running out of HP to protect.

I'd agree with that too. I never really enjoyed Quistis' blue magic because it was a case of 'once every so often.' This was even more evident in the case of Kimahri. Blue magic has always balanced great skills with some that are easily outstriped by others and so I think that takes some of the fun out of getting them, if you can only use them every so often. While FFVII allowed absolutely anyone to use blue magic, it was still fun in that at least they could use it whenever you wanted it.

[Ashley Schovitz]

Yeah from now one they should have blue Magic be uysed anytime like Quina, but it was a little irksome having to eat the enemy first to get it, it would've been much simpler if they've gone the Quistis route or seeing the ability being cast.

[Vivisteiner]

But dont you think it would be better if you had a 'Cast anytime' blue magic and a 'limit break' blue magic combined?

So its like.

Cast Anytime
Goblin Punch
Laser Eye
Aqua Breath

(Weaker blue magic)

Limit Break
Bad breath
Super Mighty Guard
Black hole

(Strong blue magic)

[Marshall Banana]

Quina's method of learning Blue Magic is fun and cute, but a true Blue Mage wears a superhero costume; I prefer the Blue Magic system in FFV. I also like learning Blue Magic in FFX-2; Gun Mages are cute!

Keeping Quistis's HP at critical will allow you to use her Blue Magic skills often. Otherwise, I don't like for Blue Magic to be used as Limit Breaks or Overdrives at all.

[Bolivar]

Vivisteiner, I love the idea of having a few big blue magic spells as limit breaks, mighty guard always seems so out of place with its high MP cost compared to the others, I think that'd make a great game. And yes, I hated it too having blue magic only accessible as limits.

Although I gotta say pls stop putting VII in that category of "clone characters" b/c weapons and stats differentiate them, plus the game just gives you the option of not playing with strict job classes, although if you choose to do so, it's actually the most efficient way to utilize your characters if you can figure out what kind of jobs they represent...

But I think key to having an "ultimate blue mage" is to have that sidequest towards the end of the game where if you complete it you get access to the best blue magic spell which puts your blue mage at the top of your mage list (strago ftw!).

[rubah]

You see, the thing about 'cast anytime' blue magic is that it costs mp. Which makes using it for a limit wonderful for ff8 because there's no MP anyways, and limits crop up about just as often, but for x it was just sad.

[Karellen]

I don't really see the point. Limit breaks are a stupid concept anyway that don't add anything to gameplay beyond being able to show off flashy graphics. Most of the time they just end up breaking the battle system and make things ridiculously easy.

[Masamunemaster]

pull a trance move, and when you trance(limit break) it just becomes stronger like OMG

[Heath]

Keeping Quistis's HP at critical will allow you to use her Blue Magic skills often. Otherwise, I don't like for Blue Magic to be used as Limit Breaks or Overdrives at all.

Aye, but obviously the risk there is that Quistis will need reviving due to her HP being kept at a constantly low level in order to use her Blue Magic. You can get around it, but it's not always practical to do so.

[blackmage_nuke]

I liked it when they were a type of magic instead of a limit. And i prefered that you have to get hit by the magic and survive it first, unlike kihmari who has to lancet or quistis who uses items. It was abit harder to get hit by the magic but it felt a little more fulfilling

I found the Blue Magic in V and VII more fun than in VIII and X, however the keeping quistis at low hp thing was pretty much common for every character at almost every boss battle anyway for me.

Probably the only reason i didnt enjoy blue magic in VI was because by the time you get the blue mage you've already got a good party and already have alot of good characters and he's over shadowed

[Vivisteiner]

Blue magic in FFVII?


I cant remember it.

[blackmage_nuke]

Blue magic in FFVII?


I cant remember it.

It was the enemy skill materia, equiping it lets you use enemy skill but really it's just another name for blue magic, like lore

[Gilthanes]

Limit break - only Blue Magic is stupid, although it worked in FFVIII due to lack of MP, and the fact that there were a few game breaking spells that really had to be limited (cough cough degenerator), there was no reason to limit it that way in FFX aside from how cheap the Petrifying breath could be

I'm with whoever proposed it earlier, a mix of both. Have your Blue mage and his list of regular magic that he can use at will (LvX Spells, Aqua/Fire/Whatever Breaths, Magic Hammer, Goblin Punch, etc) , then have his Limit Break unlock a set of "Super Blue Magic" which would include the cheap stuff like Degenerator, Mighty Guard, Shadow Flare, Stone Breath, etc

[Crossblades]

They should just it keep the way they did in FF VI, by having Strago observe the Blue Magic spell and use it anytime. Like in FF V as well, but the Blue Mage in your party has to get hit by the spell. But in any case, these methods should be kept for future FF games.(FF IX's method of learning Blue Magic is nice too.)