The latest issue of Famitsu has an interview with Yoshida Jounosuke of Atlus, who is in charge of Etrian Odyssey X’s battle system.
本日発売「週刊ファミ通」にて『世界樹の迷宮X（クロス）』記事4ページ掲載です。先出しファミ通でヒーローの別外見が公開されましたが、もう1体の方はぜひ誌面で！ヒーローの詳細のほか、先着特典ガンナーやバトル担当スタッフのインタビュー、NPC情報などなど盛りだくさんです。 #世界樹X pic.twitter.com/sThDyCXLae
— 世界樹の迷宮 広報 (@SQ_kouhou) April 26, 2018
When asked about how the 18 returning classes in X were chosen, Yoshida says that the primary criteria was the popularity of classes that would fit into the game system-wise, and that the secondary criteria was classes to cover roles that remained lacking in the roster. For example, the Cestus (Pugilist) class was added because the first group of classes selected did not include any with bashing and binding attacks, while the Doctor Magus (War Magus) was added because the Medic was the only healer class in the roster at that point. He said that they wanted to put in all of the popular classes, but that actually doing so would have skewed the balance of the game in favour of fancy offensive classes.
When asked about the Hero, Yoshida says that they first wanted to make it a class with balanced offensive and defensive capabilities, but that they found that this made it little more than a combination of other classes. It was only by adding after-images as an element found in no other class and other skills with good synergy with it that they managed to turn it into a class that can do things no other can. He calls it a unique and fun-to-use class worthy of being the face of X.
The interviewer asks about the after-images, and Yoshida goes into detail: When an after-image appears, it does the same skills as the Hero, except on the following turn. This means that it becomes possible for skills that usually cannot be used multiple times in a row to be activated multiple turns in a row, or for skills that only have an effect for one turn to be extended to two. After-images use not only the Hero’s own class skills, but also their subclass skills: For example, if the subclass is an Imperial, the Drive skill which usually requires multiple turns for preparation can be used multiple times in a row. On the other hand, if using Hero as a subclass to Nightseeker, the character can cover the Nightseeker’s weaknesses of having low defence and not having multi-target attacks. After-images can also help increase the chances of inflicting status ailments.
The interviewer mentions how 1, 2 and 5 did not have subclasses, and Yoshida talks about this as well, saying that subclasses can be used to make up for weakness. For example: Swordsman (Landsknecht), a class that can learn speed and accuracy boosting skills, would be a good subclass for the Gunner. Meanwhile, using Reaper (Harbinger) as a subclass for Doctor Magus (War Magus) would allow that character to use the scythe’s skills to inflict status ailments that help fulfil requirements for the Magus skills, or for the Magus’ forst boost to activate the Reaper’s passive skills.
Yoshida says that X’s skill tree is slowly unlocked as a character grows, like in 4, but that they also made it so that there are more skills that make jobs’ individual styles stand out more, or expand the player’s choices, so that it’s easier to make characters with more individuality derived from their skills.
Because there are also subclasses in X, the skill tree is also made so that there are less requirements to learn specific skills compared to 5, making it easier for players to get the skill they want without spending large numbers of skill points on lower skills that they don’t want, giving players a higher degree of freedom in character creation. They also made it easier to put points into skills, which makes respeccing easier as well.
Yoshida talks about the difficulty of balancing classes that were never meant to be alongside each other, let alone with subclasses. He says that they are doing their best to ensure that they keep the individual classes’ identities intact, and are balancing them in a way that this shows the most when they’re used as the main class.
The interview concludes with Yoshida saying that there are countless combinations in the game, and hopes that it turns out to be one where players will want to try everything out.
Sekaiju no Meikyuu X will be released in Japan on 2nd August 2018, with physical and digital versions of the game are priced at 6,480 yen (excluding tax). Non-Japanese versions of the game have not yet been announced.
