PvP Patch v5.4 Beta Update – Final

Version 5.4 is the last beta build of the PvP Patch Version 5 series. This update follows up on the feedback to remove the “Communicating…” pop-up from Melee mode, improved unit highlighting during Melee mode to improve the spectator experience, an important change to Haste and Slow, additional balance adjustments, and various cleanups to ensure version 5 is ready for the final send-off.

If you are already on version 5, you DO NOT need to update your save data.
Make sure to always patch using an unmodified, USA-region backup of your FFT WotL ISO, and do not override an already patched copy!

To download this update, please visit Download.

Quality of Life Updates

Systems/Communication

  • Removed the “Communicating…” overlay from Melee mode
    This was based on feedback, specifically from past match replays and live competition, about removing the persistent pop-up that dictates that both clients are transmitting data to each other. Since WotL is sensitive on connections, I feel that getting rid of it is best overall, and the timer and disconnect/exiting melee notification tells the network state.

Systems/Unit Highlighting

  • The active unit will now highlight white during their turn at all times for multiplayer modes
  • Pressing/holding the Square button in single player will highlight the active unit in addition to normal camera panning and team/enemy highlighting
    The goal for this change is to make it visually easier to see whose turn it is in Melee to better discern between the Blue/Red teams. This should also help from the spectator/commentator standpoint when the AT icon could be hard to see, depending on the map/camera angle. 

Status Effects

  • Haste and Slow – Decreased how much these affect “effective” Speed from 50 to 25% (these still round up in values)
    • Haste example at 14 Speed:
      • v5.3 or earlier – Effective Speed of 21 (Haste added 7 Speed)
      • v5.4 – Effective Speed of 18 (Haste added 3.5 Speed, rounded up to 4)
    • Slow example at 14 Speed:
      • v5.3 or earlier – Effective Speed of 7 (Slow divided 14 in half)
      • v5.4 – Effective Speed of 10 (25% of 14 is 3.5, rounded up to 4, with the difference of 14 – 4 = 10 Speed)

        A common theme that has been echoed throughout live multiplayer is how Haste specifically affects games, especially when a player casts/upkeeps while the other does not. This nerf to these statuses is to rein in their power from vanilla, where they still have a place, but aren’t as potent in either direction. For optimal performance, you’ll still cast Haste, but there is less of an impact against slower Speed units without.

EXP/JP Awarding (Display Earned EXP/JP option)

  • General improvements
  • Modified the pop-up that alerts the player that they gained a “job level.” Instead, it will now state “unlocked a new job!” once a new job has become unlocked based on its prerequisites
    This change was made to better communicate that the unit gained a new job, rather than just posting messages that you leveled up in the job, which is a less fulfilling dialogue. Credit to Tzepish for this communication enhancement.

AI Behavior

  • Improved decision making with Take Aim

Spell Quotes and Text Updates

  • Additional improvements to select quotes 
  • Changed Bulwark’s quote 
  • General text updates and enhancements
  • Athleticks – Clarified this ability checks tiles moved, rounded up. For example, this means that completing a move of 9 will net +2 Power/Magick since the value is rounded up from 4.5 to 5.
  • Updated Broadsword’s description

Jobs

  • Archer
    • Increased HPM from 100 to 105% (approx. +14 HP)
    • Increased PAM from 110% to 115% (+1 PA to both genders)
    • Added Innate: Increase Critical Strike Chance by 5% in addition to Ignore Elevation
    • Updated the Help menus for job descriptions and requirements
      Though Archer was in an okay spot, there are some rough comparisons to Bow Samurai and Bow Onion Knight, so I wanted to look at giving them some subtle buffs to improve their viability. 

Action Abilities

  • Newly Flagged Silenceable Abilities – The following can no longer be cast while Silenced:
    • Encourage, Parley (Ramza’s Mettle)
    • Shout (Ramza’s Mettle and Luso’s Huntcraft)
    • Dragon’s Charm (Reis’s Dragon)
    • Plunder Heart (Balthier’s Piracy)
    • Taunt (Fundaments)
    • War Cry (Arts of War)
      These silence changes are to strengthen the status and to hit abilities where it makes sense that there are clear “speeches” being made, where Silence can add counterplay.
  • Mettle (Ramza)
    • Encourage, Reprisal, Parley – These abilities are now flagged for vertical tolerance
    • Parley – Increased Vert. from 2 to 3
      This ensures Ramza can only use them within their stated vert. limit.
  • Limit (Cloud)
    • Braver, Cross Slash, Omnislash – These abilities are now flagged for vertical tolerance
    • Braver and Cross Slash – Increased Vert. from 1 to 2
  • Ultima (varying characters) – Increased MP Cost from 40 to 60
  • Aim
    • Charge Weapon – Increased PWR from 16 to 17
  • Monster Abilities
    • Guardian Nymph and Shell Nymph (dryads) – Increased AoE from T-Shape to Iaido-shape

Equipment – Weapons

  • Books
    • Omnilex, Battle Folio, and Papyrus Codex no longer erroneously Boost: Fire/Lightning/Ice, respectively (improper bonuses from their previous version)
  • Bows
    • Perseus Bow – Added +1 Move
  • Fell Swords
    • Apocalypse – Added +1 Speed and Magick
  • Polearms
    • Decreased the +Jump bonus on all polearms from 2 to 1
      This is to lower the upper limit marginally while still making Polearms the best choice for Jump builds. 
  • Shields
    • Adamantoise Shield – Increased the damage reduction from 10 to 12%
      This slight nudge helps offset any loss value based on stacking mitigation, as well as a bit more improvement, even with just Protect/Shell.
  • Staves
    • Dreamwaker – Added +1 Speed

Equipment – Gear

  • NEW Cultist Robe (replaces Adamant Vest due to needed space):
    • +85 HP, +100 MP, Equip: Atheist
    • Purchasable in Dorter (Ch. 4) for 30000 gil – if you are using SLOT 3 as a template, please update this and any other save files as needed 
    • Limited item across all formats in a future save data update; please only equip one in your party of five during live multiplayer (ruleset is updated to this restriction. The bundled v5.4B save data package WILL NOT include this item until the official version is released)
      This new item addressed limitations when trying to build using Crown Scepter. I believe the main issue with trying to utilize Crown in teams is a lack of atheist itemization, in that there is only one item that didn’t have a drawback to use: Chaosbringer, but that required Dark/Onion Knight. This item helps to ease building towards this archetype while still keeping in mind that though this playstyle is warranted, I am also trying to be mindful of the impact it can have in games where Faith-based spells are used, which is why it is limited.

Practice Mode

  • Agrias Team (West):
    • Agrias – Swapped Safeguard for Attack Boost and replaced Shirahadori with First Strike
  • Construct 8 Team (East):
    • Monk – Set Br/Fa from Random to 60/60 as intended (starts at 70 Bravery due to Bravery Boost)
    • Bard – Swapped secondary from Items to Iaido, replaced Lambent Hat with Headband, and replaced Defense Boost with Arcane Strength
    • Dancer – Replaced Lordly Robe with Ringmail
  • Special Encounter Team (random):
    • Beowulf – Swapped Safeguard to Doublehand since First Strike provides pseudo-safeguard coverage and to better enable Tactical Shift plays
by Tactics League Article