So English Iruna has been steadily (sprinting, actually) catching up to the JP servers.
We're already at Chapter 4 and our level cap is already at 320.
Both JP and English servers are catching up to all the updated information for i-Mode.. plus they have implemented way more features, skills, and classes than i-Mode.
But...
what does this mean for the future of English Iruna?
There are a couple of trends I've been seeing...
BOWS
Ah.. my favorite weapon of choice.
Bows!!!
Up until Christmas this year, the elemental normal bows available to us on both the English and Japanese servers have been abysmal.
I had predicted that Asobimo would come up with a new Ice Bow because Icicle Bow had the lowest attack of all available elemental normal bows.
And what do you know?
They implement Freesia Bow, which by itself, without 2 slots, easily surpasses a 2s max attack Icicle Bow.
Then I predicted a wind bow would be next.
Why? Storm Bow Sturm sucks. Its max attack and stats are pretty terrible.
Then what do you know?
Rising Ray was implemented.
What's next, then?
Well..
judging by the list of available bows, wind and water are out.
Earth, Light, Dark, Neutral all have pretty strong stats and upgrades.
What's left?
FIRE!!
Here's to hoping ^-^
BALANCE
If you have been following the newly implemented skills, you would have noticed the glaring absence of new skills for:
Assassin
Enchanter
Gladiator
Monk
What do all of these classes have in common?
D.P.S.
All four of these jobs are extremely strong if well equipped, whether solo or not. The DPS of a sniper (prior to the implementation of the new skills) pales in comparison to a fully equipped, well prepared and partied monk or solo assassin.
Gladiators and Enchanters (and claw monks and assassins even) also share the common trait of being very strong and solo-able characters for boss farms.
Now... you may argue that Paladins got a new skill and yet was already very strong because of Knight Oath.
But.. think about it.
Knight Oath is still weak and not helpful for many party situations. In the English servers, the maximum Knight Oath I've seen is a little over 2million.
That's 2 million over 10 seconds.
With a good set up, I alone can do 5 million in 10 seconds.
Which is getting to my point.... Asombimo is striving for greater balance in parties for all characters.
Whether that be extra DPS, extra defense, or whatever is best suited for that particular class.
For example, Bishops received Judgment (slightly altered from the i-Mode version) to increase light/Nemesis damage yet decrease Heal recovery. Bishops from the get-go were not designed to fight bosses (at least, continuously for an effective farm) and thus it only makes sense to increase nemesis damage, rather than give bishops an entirely different damage skill.
Now what does this leave for the rest of the new skills?
(Hopefully Asobimo lets us know by the end of this month as they promised...!)
Beast Knight and Servant
Due to the unpopularity of these classes, I suspect Asobimo will consider giving them some types of OP skills that will help boost people's interest in them.
But, then again, I don't believe this means Servant will get a strong damage skill (if they even get one) because it appears to be Asobimo's intent to keep it a purely support type character.
As for Beast Knight, it's actually not a bad type of class. The hybrid nature of it, however, is likely what turns people off from making them. Perhaps Asobimo will give it some skill that boosts its solo-ability or dps? We'll see what Asobimo thinks up...
Summoner and Necromancer
Unfortunately, there is still no word from Asobimo about these classes.
Not even any leaked information.
But considering that the trend has been towards balancing classes, I would guess that Summoner is similar to Ragnarok Online's sniper class and its use of a wolf/eagle. I'm not quite sure about necromancer, but the general consensus is that it would be given mainly dark magic skills...
Which makes sense, considering that no one magic type class (unless you somehow consider assassin as magical) has a monopoly on dark magic.
Sure, we could all slap on some dajarte and call yourself a dark magic class, but you won't have any inherent skills to boost that damage.
If that's the case, maybe Asobimo will create a new AL crysta for dark magic +10% (only lunange is out on both JP and English and it only gives 5%)...
Samurai-Ninja-Minstrel
The interesting thing about each of the special classes is that they all can dish out quite a bit of damage if built correctly.
Each of them also can hold their own pretty well solo-wise.
So what's left?
Probably not much. Ninja already has a DOC level 2 planned so perhaps that's all they'll get.
Samurais are already pretty overpowered, so perhaps a skill that will help it defend/resist/evade attacks.
Minstrels are pretty overpowered when it comes to DPS parties--perhaps they'll give us...*drum roll*... Dragonewt level 2?!?!?!
Which would be awesome. But probably too overpowered to consider...
Alchemist
Alchemist, however, is different from the rest of the special classes.
It is still quite a wild card, because the premise of the class is based on production, rather than DPS or support as other classes. I suspect Asobimo will play to an alchemist's strengths, either helping alchemists with its DPS (a new skill or upgraded skill perhaps) or increasing its production rate (which is more predictable).
BUT.
BUT...!!
New skills for these special classes will be discussed today on NicoVideo in about three hours.
I will update this entry once it comes out!
**EDIT: NEW SPECIAL JOB SKILLS**
Dun..Dun...DUNNN!!!
So new skills have been announced via livestream for special classes.
And they look interesting!
The announcers suggested they will be available in a week or so.
Let's take a look at the classes they actually showed.
*Sorry in advance. I merely skimmed the video and didn't really watch the whole thing with care like last time. I just skipped to the skills this time.
But if you'll notice, the 4 shortcut slot has been implemented for the left side of the screen...
MINSTREL
Ah, minstrel.
My favorite class.
And yet... they didn't show anything.... ;_;
SAMURAI
修羅道 - Shurrado
1. Must increase shura 100% to activate 
2. lasts until you die
3. high damage (like 16k average issen -> 75k issen)
4. before your gauge reaches 100%, each Issen gains 10% on your gauge
血化粧 - Chigesya
Attack power rises after defeating a mob
画竜点睛 Lvl2 - Finishing Stroke
Cool.. but I'm still sad about the lack of minstrel news.
NINJA
無音一殺 - Silent Single Kill
atk+matk damage, critical if throw equipped
分身乱舞 - DOC 2
Increase number(?) and power of clones + skills
Fire and Wind magic are increased
妖炎 - Youen
1. Cast on yourself, then use skill desired
2. Lasts over 2minutes
This skill looks AWESOME!
It can be used in conjunction with magic skills and DOC.
With fire magic alone, it'll increase 2.5k damage to 10k + 1k
With DOC, it'll increase a 16k DOC to 36k
ALCHEMIST
Like minstrels, the alchemists' new skills were not revealed..
（/TДT)/
But they said the skills will be shown sometime next week..
We'll see if it actually happens next time.
Afterword
The reveal of the new special classes has one major trend...
That is increase of damage.
But both ninja and samurai already do pretty decent damage.
Maybe not assassin/sniper type damage, but still pretty freaking high.
...Perhaps all special classes get a damage boost to rival their normal-job friends' dps??
We will see.
...Until then! ヾ(＠°▽°＠)ﾉ