As there have been a lot of concerns and comments cropping up about thief lately, here is some additional feedback from the development team.

Regarding the Efficacy of Aura Steal
When compared to Voracious Trunk, Osmosis, and Absorb-Attri, Aura Steal’s superiority really shines due to the fact that it is possible to elicit a dispel effect regardless of an enemy’s inherent resistances. Also, depending on how many merit points you’ve used to upgrade it, when you consider that you can reach a 100% rate of absorption, despite the recast timer being slightly long, the effects of Aura Steal are by no means weak.

While this is only one example, it might be possible to make Aura Steal its own ability and keep its recast timer shared with Steal. However, there is a high possibility that we will need to balance this by reducing the absorption rate as a trade-off, and I don’t think this would be very desirable.

We will be carefully looking into things for the revamps to the merit point effects, so we would like to take a good amount of time and hear all of your feedback.

Regarding Trick Attack and Decoy Shot
Decoy Shot, which is scheduled to be implemented in the upcoming version update, has been balanced more around the idea of controlling your own enmity. (We understand that the effects of Yoichinoyumi/Annihilator/Armageddon are similar, but since this is comparing an ability to a relic weapon, we think that’s an entirely separate discussion.)

Let’s take a look at the below comparison:

• Decoy Shot
Recast: 5 minutes
A set amount of enmity can be diverted to another player and any excess enmity will remain on the ranger.

• Trick Attack
Recast: 1 minute
All of the enmity generated at that time can be diverted to another player.

In regards to determining the stacking of the Treasure Hunter effect via TA WS, SA WS, and SATA WS
The reason why you cannot tell if the effect is increasing is due to the fact that it is difficult to make the log display the Treasure Hunter enhancement effect during a weapon skill.

If we try to make the increase display in the log during a weapon skill, the amount of work would be on par with multiple job adjustments, so we do not have any plans of making this particular adjustment. However, the fact that it is difficult to tell when the Treasure Hunter effect increases, means that we will be looking into other adjustments.

Morning! Sorry to make you all wait at the edges of your seats for what has been posted about Bully. Hope you all had a good labor day weekend.

Last week we added an effect to Bully that would make it easier to increase the effect of Treasure Hunter.

Based on feedback we received about this, we decided to go a different route and add an effect we felt would make you all a bit happier.

The changes to the effects are described below:

•Bully (THF lvl.93 Recast time: 3 minutes Effect Duration: 30 seconds)
Intimidates target
While under its effect: Possible to use Sneak Attack when not behind an enemy.

No mistrz SAWS w trakcie tankowania + 30 sec trwa, ciekawe jaka szansa na zaskoczenie Intimidate.

[dev1027] Stack Size Adjustments

The upcoming version update will see the stack size adjusted for certain items.

Changed from 1 to 12

Fire Cluster
Ice Cluster
Wind Cluster
Earth Cluster
Lightning Cluster
Water Cluster
Light Cluster
Dark Cluster

Changed from 12 to 99

Coin of Birth
Coin of Advancement
Coin of Glory
Coin of Decay
Coin of Ruin
Slice of Bluetail
Peeled Crayfish
Slice of Carp
Sardine Ball
Crayfish Ball
Insect Ball
Trout Ball
Meatball
Lufaise Fly
Sliced Sardine
Sliced Cod
Peeled Lobster
Lugworm
Little Worm
Drill Calamary
Dwarf Pugil
Pebble

We have decided to increase the rate in which the Clear Demilune Abyssite changes into a Colored Demilune Abyssite. This will be reflected on the test server a little after the version update takes place.

n conjunction with the version update scheduled for Sep. 19, 2011, the stackable numbers for the following items have been increased from 12 to 99.

During the maintenance operation to implement this change, the listing of these items in auction houses will be restricted between Sep. 16, 2011 1:00 (PDT) and Sep. 19, 2011 12:00 (PDT). These restrictions will not affect the bidding process or interfere with the removal of items that have already been listed. The ability to check a listed item’s “Sales Status” will also still be possible.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your understanding.

[Affected Items]
- Pebble
- Slice of Bluetail
- Peeled Crayfish
- Slice of Carp
- Sardine Ball
- Crayfish Ball
- Insect Ball
- Trout Ball
- Meatball
- Super Scoop
- Lufaise Fly
- Sliced Sardine
- Sliced Cod
- Peeled Lobster
- Lugworm
- Little Worm

* Auctions will continue normally at auction houses where the aforementioned items are not listed.

* For more information on the maintenance scheduled for Sep. 19, 2011, please refer to the maintenance information that will be announced at a later date.

It might be a little early to mention this since the September version update hasn’t even taken place yet, but the development team has already begun preparing for level 99.

To get a glimpse of the direction we are headed with automaton adjustments, the below are the main concepts:

1. Revamp all attachment effects
2. Revamp automaton AI
3. Addition of job abilities that will cure automaton status ailments

We will be bringing you all the detailed info some time after the September version update on the forum and test server.

For all the aspiring wyrm slayers out there in Vana’diel, you will be happy to know that the development team actually has plans to implement these “missing” wyrms. They are currently in the process of working on various things ranging from the next level cap increase, new content additions, and adjustments to old content, so the timing when they can show you specifically what they have in mind is still a ways off in the future.

Jakie?