Today’s Letter From the Producer Live further detailed our look at Patch 4.2 “Rise of a New Sun,” set to release on January 30th, 2018. Debuting the new trailer, the team revealed that Final Fantasy VI-inspired content will appear in this patch for the Omega: Sigmascape raid including a certain notorious villain…

Here are the major details:

The Jade Stoa

A new trial versus Byakko of the Four Lords will commence in 4.2, and the team sneaked us a preview of the battle. The encounter will reward weapons and Yoshida says it will be more difficult than Susano and Lakshmi trials. This trial will also have a Extreme difficulty version. The story of the Four Lords will be interwoven with the main scenario, as well as the dungeon “Hells’ Lid”

Job Adjustments

– Tanks:

Paladin:
Shield Swipe and Holy Spirit potency will be decreased, as the team felt the DPS output is a bit high.

Warrior:
The DPS for Warrior will be increased. Storm’s Eye will be nerfed a little, but other actions will be buffed. Changes are being made to Inner Release and Berserk.

Dark Knight:
The team has increased their “usability” in general. Their DPS will be increased.

– Ranged DPS

Machinist:
The potency of Hypercharge will be decreased.

Black Mage:
Potency of Fire IV will be increased. The proc duration for thunder-type spells and Fire III will be extended. The recast time for Aetherial Manipulation has been decreased. The recast time for Transpose has been decreased.

Summoner:
The potency of area of effect attack has been decreased.

– Melee DPS

Monk:
Wind Tackle will now apply Greased Lightning Brotherhood’s effect will apply to the user as well. It’ll make it much easier to open a Chakra now. The recast time for Mantra and Perfect Balance has been decreased.

– Healers

Scholar:
The healing effect from Excogitation will now execute when the effect duration ends.
The team has made adjustments to the other two healers as well to increase their usability.

– Role Actions

Diversion will be adjusted to further reduce enmity generation and the duration will be increased.

More adjustment details will be available in the Patch Notes closer to release.

Elemental resistances are being removed from the Character window, gear, and materia — elemental materia will no longer be available. Consumables that provided buffs to certain elemental modifiers will be changed or removed. Condistions for receiving bonuses for miner or botanist will be changed accordingly.

However, the Forbidden Land Eureka Anemos will have an Elemental Level, and everyone will be leveling this. Furthermore there is a unique system referred to as the Magia Board, and players will place magicite into the board to strengthen elemental properties. Players will adjust their offensive and defensive elemental properties to fight against monsters.

The experience points earned inside Eureka will be retained even when you leave, and you can continue the next time you enter. If your Elemental Level is higher than 6, there will be a death penalty. (The penalty will not apply if you are raised.)

This content can be played solo, or in parties up to eight players.

New gear will be added:

Housing Updates

Additional plots will be added in one week following Patch 4.2’s release, and Wards 13-18 will be added to the Mist, Lavender Beds, Goblet, and Shirogane neighborhoods. Each ward will have a subdivision.

Changes to the plot purchasing system have been made to facilitate the purchase of plots by free companies that do not currently own one. Plots designated for free company use will be limited to purchase by free companies with at least four members. Individuals will be restricted from purchasing plots for personal use for a limited time. Players will be permitted to own only one private and one free company estate per world per service account.

Following the release of Patch 4.2, the team will evaluate the housing market and decide whether to lift these restrictions to individuals.

Regarding plot resale, plots relinquished by owners will be unavailable for purchase for a limited time. During this period, plots will still be available for relocation.

Community contest winners have been added as furnishings:

Omega: Sigmascape

The next tier of the Omega raid series will feature bosses and locations from Final Fantasy VI. The first encounter will be against the Phantom Train. In the Savage mode version, you can fall off the sides, but in the story version you’ll be safe. The team says it will be harder than the Deltascape’s first encounter against Alte Roite. The second encounter is against Chadarnook and will have a Duty Action where you spill ink on the floor.

Due to feedback the team will be releasing the Savage mode difficulty on 4.2’s release day — they encourage those who want to get to it quickly to collect the new crafted gear.

Peformance Action Update

The new interface and instruments for the Performance actions were shown off, including the ability to manually adjust the volume of instruments. Instruments now include: harp, grand piano, steel guitar, and pizzicato. You’ll be able to apply specific key bindings for performance actions for both keyboard and controller. In the future the team wants to improve the animations, and introduce a system to perform music with other players when in a party.

Fashion Report

A new minigame in the Manderville Gold Saucer will involve having your glamour judged by none other than Redolent Rose. Participate and you’ll be rewarded with 10,000 MGP — score higher than 80 and you’ll get even more. The theme will change every week (every Tuesday) and evaluations will begin on Friday to give you time to assemble the gear you think matches the request. There will be item rewards that can only be obtained from Fashion Report.

Crystal Tower Training Grounds

A new map has been added to The Feast PvP mode called the Crystal Tower Training Grounds. This map was designed with a Final Fantasy theme in mind for people watching who may not be familiar with the game. The barriers will have random formations. The next pre-season will commence with Patch 4.2.

Glamour Dresser

A new feature called the Glamour Dresser will allow you to store and assemble various items for use in outfits.

They are available from inn rooms only, and you will use glamour prisms to convert equipment into glamour. You will be able to set up to 10 Glamour Ensembles that can be toggled from the character menu. They can edited in city-states, the Gold Saucer, the Ivory Chapel, and inn rooms. You will also be able to add dye to Glamour Ensembles.

Announcements

– Yoshi-P will appear on NGC’s Final Fantasy XIV Season 3 live broadcast on Monday January 22 at 22:00 JST. Together with the hosts, they’ll complete as many Extreme-difficulty trials as they can from the 2.x and 3.x series.
– Yoshi-P will host a patch note reading for 4.2 will be broadcast on January 29 at 21:00 JST.
– Valentione’s Day seasonal event will is scheduled for early February.
– The Eorzea Cafe will sell limited-quantity Valentione’s Day chocolates starting February 5.
– Final Fantasy XIV Stormblood Art of the Revolution -Western Memories- artbook goes on sale February 26 in NA/EU. Includes Wind-up Yotsuyu minion.
– Meister Quality Figure Shiva pre-orders begin today — will release mid-February. Includes Diamond Dust emote that will be distributed to all characters on the selected service account.
– Yoshida Uncensored Vol. 2 will be published by Weekly Famitsu — it’s 260 pages covering episodes 45~96. Goes on sale February 7.
– Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary Exhibition -Memories of You- will be at the Mori Arts Center Gallery from January 22 to February 28.
– Final Fantasy XIV will attend the 69th Sapporo Snow Festival with a Heavensward-themed snow sculpture on February 5 through February 12.
– Letter from the Producer Live #42 will be on February 10 from Sapporo, Japan.
– The Final Fantasy XIV team in Japan is hiring a community planner.
– The “Elixir, Please!” shirt Yoshi-P is wearing will be available for purchase at the 30th Anniversary event. It has a PuPu on the back collar.