Warrior changes Outlined for Patch 2.1

[Andromeda]

Yoshida has gone to the official forums for FFXIV and provided some direct answers to some of the burning questions players have about the upcoming patch 2.1 work. Some of this is likely to be brought up during the Letter to the Producer later this week, but this is very targeted answers for some of the hot topics concerning players.

Warrior and Marauder will be seeing large changes coming to 2.1. There has been voiced concern over the strength of the Warrior as a tank, especially end game content like the Binding Coil. There are many advantages that the Paladin holds over the Warrior that the Warrior doesn't make up for in other areas. So they are getting re-balanced to be a better tank.

Marauder Changes

• Brutal Swing
  - Recast time will be reduced from 30 to 20 seconds, increasing the frequency with which players can stun foes.
• Overpower
  - Enmity generated by this skill has been increased.
• Storm's Eye
  - TP cost will be reduced from 70 to 60.
• Storm's Path
  - TP cost will be reduced from 90 to 60.
  - This skill will also reduce damage dealt by enemies for a period of time.
• Holmgang
  - Range will be increased from 3 yalms to 6, to make the skill more effective.
  - This skill will now pull enemies toward your character.
  - When using this skill, a player's HP cannot be reduced lower than 1.
  - The animation for this skill will be revised. (See screenshot above)
• Vengeance
  - This skill will also reduce damage taken by 30%.
• Mercy Stroke
  - Recast time will be reduced from 60 to 40 seconds, improving ease of use.
• Thrill of Battle
  - Effect duration will be extended from 10 to 20 seconds.

Warrior Changes

• Defiance
  - Enmity generated by this skill will be increased.
  - This skill will also increase HP recovery via curing magic by 20%.
• Wrath
  - The improved healing effect granted by Wrath will be removed. Instead, the improved healing effect will be granted by Defiance.
• Inner Beast
  - Due to overall balance changes, HP absorbed by damage dealt will be reduced from 300% to 100%
  - Damage taken will be reduced by 20% for 6 seconds.
• Steel Cyclone
  - This skill will generate increased enmity.
• Unchained
  - Recast time will be reduced from 180 to 120 seconds, improving ease of use.

The main focus of these changes—as the seasoned warriors among you have already observed— was Inner Beast and its HP absorption effect. With these changes, warriors will no longer be dependent on a single skill to recover HP, and have overall improved defense.

To put it simply, we want to ensure the role of warriors as durable tanks. This is why we've also adjusted the effects of Wrath and Defiance. As currently implemented, warriors are forced to lose their healing bonus when using certain skills. However, these changes will allow players to use their warrior skills without sacrificing improved healing, and also maintain the critical hit bonus of Wrath.

Although warrior will no longer recover immense amounts of HP in a single use of Inner Beast, these changes should improve the overall defensive capability of warriors and the ability to heal them using a support class or job.

Patch 2.1 may seem a long way off, but please understand that we have to test these balance changes not only in encounters to be introduced in the upcoming patch, but all existing encounters as well.
(Please refer to a previous post for details on why we cannot break up patch 2.1)
While I regret having to keep you waiting, I am confident these changes, along with the numerous additions we have planned for patch 2.1, will be well worth your patience.

Warrior "buff" in 2.1: not what we are expecting? - Page 14