[LocoColt04]

The upcoming April version update will boast a wealth of adjustments and additions to a selection of jobs. Today, it is our pleasure to outline the benefits that this will bestow upon white mages—the altruists of Vana'diel.

Job Abilities

Two complementary new job abilities are scheduled to be added, with ability delay set low for both so that white mages can optimize their usage for the ever-changing tactical needs of the battlefield.

- Afflatus Solace
(Lv40 Ability Delay: 1 min. Duration: 2 hrs.)
Inspires you to draw strength from the healing spells you cast.

- Afflatus Misery
(Lv40 Ability Delay: 1 min. Duration: 2 hrs.)
Inspires you to draw strength from the damage you take.

- Afflatus Solace
While Afflatus Solace is activated, the amount of HP you restore via Cure spells and the job abilities Benediction and Martyr will be recorded up to a limit determined by your character's level.
This accumulated amount will determine the bonus value granted to specific spells.

- Afflatus Misery
While Afflatus Misery is activated, the most recent damage you sustain will be recorded up to a limit determined by your character's level. This damage amount will determine the bonus value granted to specific spells. Unlike Afflatus Solace, it is non-accumulative and overwriting.

*Notes
The effects of both Afflatus Solace and Afflatus Misery are mutually exclusive. Activating one while the other is in effect will result in the nullification of the one originally in effect.
Using either Afflatus Solace or Afflatus Misery when the same ability is already activated will reset all recorded values up to that point.

Magic

The introduction of the above job abilities will see a number of changes made to existing spells, with new spells set to make an appearance in Vana'diel for the first time.

- Sacrifice (Lv65)
Transfers one enfeebling effect from target to yourself.
Casting Sacrifice while Afflatus Solace is activated grants a bonus to the number and variety of enfeebling effects transferred.

- Cure / Cure II / Cure III / Cure IV / Cure V
Casting the above Cure spells while Afflatus Solace is activated grants the target the effect of Stoneskin for a short duration.
The Stoneskin effect attained via this method is not stackable with and will not overwrite the white magic spell "Stoneskin" or Blood Pact: Ward ability "Earthen Ward."

- Elemental Resistance Spells
Casting Bar- type spells while Afflatus Solace is activated grants an additional defense bonus to the associated element.

- Holy
Casting Holy while Afflatus Solace is activated grants a potency bonus to the spell based on the amount of HP you restore. The record of accumulated HP is reset upon use.

- Cura (Lv40)
Restores HP for party members within area of effect.
Casting Cura while Afflatus Misery is activated grants a potency bonus to the spell based on the most recent damage you sustain.
The record of damage taken is reset upon use.

- Esuna (Lv61)
Removes one enfeebling effect from yourself and party members within area of effect.
Casting Esuna while Afflatus Misery is activated grants a bonus to the number and variety of enfeebling effects removed.

- Auspice (Lv55)
Reduces TP dealt when striking an enemy for party members within area of effect.
When cast upon a white mage for whom Afflatus Misery is activated, Auspice also adds light damage to initial attacks and bestows an accuracy bonus when target is missed.

- Banish / Banish II / Banish III / Banishga / Banishga II
Casting the above Banish spells while Afflatus Misery is activated grants a potency bonus to the spell based on the most recent damage you sustain.
The record of damage taken is reset upon use.

Other Changes

In addition to the abovementioned adjustments and additions, the following changes will also take place:

- White magic "Banish II": Slight increase to magic accuracy. Casting time shortened from 3.75 to 2.5 seconds.
- White magic "Banish III": Slight increase to magic accuracy. Casting time shortened from 5.5 to 3 seconds.
- White magic "Banishga II": Slight increase to magic accuracy.
- White magic "Raise II": MP consumption reduced from 200 to 150. Casting time shortened from 20 to 14 seconds.
- White magic "Raise III": MP consumption reduced from 250 to 150. Casting time shortened from 20 to 13 seconds.
- White magic "Reraise": Learning requirement reduced from Lv33 to Lv25 for WHM, and Lv40 to Lv35 for SCH.
- White magic "Reraise II": Learning requirement reduced from Lv60 to Lv56 for WHM, and Lv75 to Lv70 for SCH. MP consumption reduced from 175 to 150. Casting time shortened from 8 to 7.5 seconds.
- White magic "Reraise III": Learning requirement reduced from Lv75 to Lv70 for WHM. MP consumption reduced from 200 to 150. Casting time shortened from 8 to 7 seconds.
- Job ability "Martyr": Ability range increased to be equivalent to Cure spells.

That concludes the list of changes scheduled for the white mage job in the upcoming version update. Other jobs set to receive fine-tuning will be introduced in the very near future, so keep watching this space!

SOURCE: FINAL FANTASY XI Official Web Site


So, after I picked my jaw up off the floor, I changed my pants.

This is only one part of the changes Square-Enix is making in the April update. To see this level of focus going into White Mage... clearly they have heard our cries.

[Fluffy]

About time someone posted here again. =P

These changes are incredible. WHM will no longer be taking a back seat to RDM and SCH, I hope. Those status removing boosts are great. Cure adding a small stoneskin is a very nice boost. Elemental buffs being better is a welcome addition.

I hope that the boost to Holy and the Banish spells is good. Especially the boost to Holy. That spell is a joke as it is. It'd better do something like 500+ damage, at least, when fully charged at level 75. Close to 1000 would be even better, obviously, considering it costs more than Banish III and will now use up your charged up buff.

The Afflatus Misery buff, and its accompanying new spells, sound like exactly what I've wanted for WHM. Frontline spells. Light damage and accuracy boost, Esuna centered on the WHM it seems. And a boosted cure. All when you've taken damage. Definitely sounds like frontline stuff.

Sacrifice sounds... interesting. I can think of at least a few ways to use it well.

And hey, my WHM has access Reraise III now once this update comes! And I can get Reraise from /SCH. And /WHM just got even better for Reraise, too, learning it at 25. And Raise III will no longer cost tons of MP. This update is definitely awesome, and this is only the first job announced! *Hopes to see SMN adjustments. Please please please please.*