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Lightbreaker (Class)

! Replaces Heavyblade class

Renowned for their mastery of an unorthodox weapon, the Lightbreakers are ex-Heavyblades who have traded their greatswords for a sword revolver hybrid offering a balance of power and speed at the cost of complexity and timing. Primarily found in the frontlines or bodyguards of mages and nobility, their name originates from the weapon's blinding flashes which dazed foes and unfortunately friends from casting their spells. A notorious form of PvP, Heavyblades will always find a way.

The Lightbreaker's main mechanic is timing where slightly delaying your next attack does more damage where holding a button is a DPS loss. Most attacks have a 1.0s GCD and the timing window is 1.1s ~ 1.35s which is roughly 15 frames (at 60fps). To mess with your timing, the second mechanic is an oGCD Special that you cost a resource called Cartridge which can be gained by Primary or Secondary. The last one is Boosted where using your Secondary changes your Primary or Special attack to make sure you have a gap closer or AoE attack which makes downtime just as nuanced.

If you have a Lightbreaker in your party, make sure to bring shades because cool bnnuys look at explosions.

CAVEATS:
- Boosted Primary has no invulnerability
Aside from balancing reasons, this is meant to replicate a dash attack like DMC's Stinger or FFXIV Rough Divide/Trajectoy so it reuses the original Special and intentionally takes away invulnerability.
- DPS is slightly overtuned
Because of its mental overhead, this class is slightly overtuned to 240DPS assuming 50% accuracy. Meaning if you are above 50%, fights will end quicker. If you are not, you will feel the DPS loss.
- Precision is always +100ms of GCD and Boost -100ms GCD
Precision used to be always 1.1s and Boost 0.9s regardless of GCD effects but now adjusts based on GCD to allow for more flexible loot and gameplay variety.
- Precision and Boost are debuffs as they are mostly visual indicators
Also for balancing like with my other classes. Everything else are buffs like Defensive buffs.

TERMS:
- 1 :: Primary
- 2 :: Secondary
- 3 :: Special
- 4 :: Defensive
- 1.b / 2.b / 3.b :: Boosted Primary/Secondary/Special
- Cartridge :: Special resource

DE/BUFFS:
- Boost :: Changes your next attack
- Mark :: Special damage on wearing off
- No Mercy :: +20% damage
- Precision :: +75% ability damage

SKILLS:
These 3 skills grant Mark, Precision and 1 Cartridge
- 1 :: Dancer Primary
- 1.b :: Heavyblade Special (no invulnerability)
- 2 :: Sniper Primary Garnet + Boost

- 3 (3 Cartridge) :: Destroy Mark
- 3.b :: Heavyblade Primary + Precision

- 4 :: Invuln + 20% damage buff (10s CD)

PLAYGUIDE:
Fundamentally, simply time your Primary for the damage bonus, weave your Special and fit as many of those under No Mercy window. If you use your Secondary, remember you will get Boost so be careful with Primary PvPing or getting yourself KOd. Get Primary boosting items or Special procs and that is about it.

- Make sure to warm up before by doing a few loops of Primary/Secondary and Boosted Primary
- Holding Primary/Secondary is a DPS loss. This can be valid during high mobility mechanics like for Wolves or if you have loot or status effects affecting GCD like Haste.
- Missing the timing window is a DPS loss over holding a button
- If you want to cancel Boost or Boosted Primary, Boosted Special was designed for this purpose
- Store at least 3 cartridges before using the Defensive buff to get 3 Special weaves
- Remember to Secondary when out of range or mobility is needed

- Always be casting during downtime to gain Cartridge or time Precision.
- You can weave 2 oGCDs and still get the next Precision bonus but not advised.
- You can use Special under Precision specially with s3 and r3.
- If you really want to hold buttons, get Emerald. If you want to be cool or unlucky, get Opal.

ISSUES:
- Not a "complete" class mod since it does not have a custom skin and icons. Not planning to either way since most players have their own skin and this class is niche enough although would be nice.
- No Diamond mods/upgrades
- Only English localization

DESIGNER NOTES:
I wanted to create a rhythm-based character where the player would executes notes in order but not possible with the modding API. Instead, having a timing-based attack is the closest I could get then I immediately thought of FF8 Squall's Gunblade and DMC5 Nero's Exceed mechanic. I had to made sure holding buttons instead of timing it is a DPS loss and this was the balance I decided on. Being a FF14 Gunbreaker main, the rest of the design came easy.

As for gem design, I try not to repeat ideas from my previous designs and the well is running dry. I am really happy with o3 being an indicator of being able to maintain the chain and s4 being an enmity based buff closer to being a FF14 Dancer than a tank. e2 is a concept I want for charged skills where a skill is available but gets stronger the longer it is not used although I would like to hold buttons for the mechanical feel. g1 and s1 are such a comfort pick . Still, I am quite proud that I was able to provide an unique set or feel across the gems.

Another hard class to design and balance but hope you have fun with it.

THANKS TO:
- alchyr (@Alchyr)
- sparrows (@Sparrows)
- tomeking (@garnet secondary)
- xgit (@Neko/Niko)
- fuzzything44 (@#1 Spellsword Fan)
- daybreaker5784 (@Obi Rod Seeker)

ICONS:
- FFXIV Gunbreaker Icons :: https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/wiki/Gunbreaker
- Lorc for HBS Icons :: http://lorcblog.blogspot.com