Will Evolith's Really Replace Augments?

SE is also really gambling with ruining in game balance with this evolith/augmenting stuff...

Not really. I doubt they'll introduce anything "gamebreaking" as far as the Evolith "augments" go. It seems as though these new augments themselves will be limited to one augment per item (judging from the released item SS's), aside from the current 2-3 augments that you can potentially get from the current augmenting system.

Really I dont' see SE releasing augments not too long ago, then making Evolith's to make augments obsolete. Augments will still have to serve their purpose in some way. SE is also really gambling with ruining in game balance with this evolith/augmenting stuff... I think they're doing all they can to keep players playing is all. I mean really a sonic belt with 6 acc, will be the new "speed belt" It will just recreate the feeling that people NEED these new augments, and that's what SE is lookign for to keep you playing. But back to the main question. Will Evolith's Really Replace Augments?

Honestly, if you think about it...

There are so few items that 75 jobs use that aren't rare/ex. Being able to augment the filler items doesn't break the game at all.

It makes someone that bought an E-bow,Hagun,other expensive ah item. Q_Q HARD when people with 20k items are just as good.

Will people ever stop asking questions like this before we actually get to play around with the item/event/system in question?

We don't know. Evoliths haven't even been released yet. There are limitations on what items can be used in the system that may keep FoV useful. Perhaps there will be augments you can only get from FoV. Some people may want to gamble rather than spend time on the new NMs. Who knows? I'm guessing no, but nobody can say for sure right now.

I meant game breaking as in.... All the updates SE has done... Players are getting so much stronger than they used to be.... The balance between mobs and players is less.

For example I've been killing byakko sieryu suzy etc with groups of 8-9.

I have solo'd Genbu.
I got chain 3 on VT pots as mnk/nin.
A long time ago it wouldve been very impressive to solo even 1 VT.

All these augments and evolith's really do add a lot to the already strong players. I'm just saying we're getting stronger, but you don't see mobs getting harder. Even Match these days, wasn't like Even Match back in the day, and it's because of updates.

However SE has known about this in game balance and not to disrupt it, but they slowly are. But they're doing it so people keep playing.

I meant game breaking as in.... All the updates SE has done... Players are getting so much stronger than they used to be.... The balance between mobs and players is less.

For example I've been killing byakko sieryu suzy etc with groups of 8-9.

I have solo'd Genbu.
I got chain 3 on VT pots as mnk/nin.
A long time ago it wouldve been very impressive to solo even 1 VT.

All these augments and evolith's really do add a lot to the already strong players. I'm just saying we're getting stronger, but you don't see mobs getting harder. Even Match these days, wasn't like Even Match back in the day, and it's because of updates.

However SE has known about this in game balance and not to disrupt it, but they slowly are. But they're doing it so people keep playing.

Actually it says its up to 3 depending the stuff you put on it and gear.

The Latest Evolution in Equipment—Announcing the Evolith System! (11/04/2009)

We're pleased to announce a new system that promises to offer adventurers unprecedented customization options for their equipment! Named the "Evolith" system for the curious stones whose powers must be harnessed to reap the benefits, it will be introduced in a version update coming as early as late November.

Introducing Evolith

Little more than nondescript rocks at first glance, the substance known as evolith has long escaped the notice of the inhabitants of Vana'diel. Closer investigation, however, has revealed that these ancient stones harbor elemental power to rival that of crystals. With advances in the emerging discipline of synergy*, the time has come that their latent potential may at long last be tapped...

*Synergy is a new form of synthesis conducted using a "synergy furnace."
This system will be introduced in detail in a future Topics article.

With each piece of evolith possessing unique properties (*see example screenshots), adventurers may mix and match them in various combinations to bolster compatible equipment with the exact combination of attributes they desire.


*Development screenshot—subject to change.

Evolith 101

Adventurers may enhance their equipment with evolith through the following procedure:

1. Acquire evolith
- Evolith can be obtained by completing new NM hunting regimes accessible from "Hunt Registries" that will be introduced to certain areas alongside the Evolith system.
- Note that each piece of evolith is defined by a unique shape, size and elemental affinity.



2. Choose the base equipment you wish to enhance
- A vast assortment of equipment will support evolith, from several hundred existing items spanning a wide range of levels to new equipment slated to be introduced alongside the Evolith system.
- You may check whether or not a particular piece of equipment supports evolith by trading it to one of the "Synergy Engineer" NPCs that will be dispatched to certain cities.



3. Prepare your equipment
- A maximum of three evolith-holding "slots" may be etched into a given piece of equipment via synergy.
Note that each slot will have its own shape, size, and elemental affinity, to correspond with the evolith itself.
- The etching process will require the use of dedicated items.
- Similar to augmented items, etching evolith slots into a piece of equipment will render it untradeable and unauctionable.

4. Confirm compatibility
- Ensure that the slot is of the same shape and elemental affinity, and is large enough to hold the piece of evolith you wish to attach.

5. Attach evolith
- Evolith may be attached to a compatible piece of equipment via synergy.
- It is possible to outfit a piece of equipment with as many pieces of evolith as slots it contains.


*Development screenshot—subject to change.

The Finished Product

Should your synergy be successful, congratulations! The help window for your newly evolith-enhanced equipment will appear like this:


*Development screenshot—subject to change.

- Evolith Replacement and Slot Removal
Should you wish to replace an attached piece of evolith with one offering different benefits, this may be done at time via synergy. It is also possible to remove evolith slots entirely—thereby returning the equipment to its original state—through synergy using a dedicated item. Note that in both cases, the previously attached piece of evolith will be lost.

With countless varieties of evolith in existence, the possibilities are endless. Seek out the combination that best suits your playing style, and the equipment of your dreams can be yours!


Source: http://www.playonline.com/pcd/topics/ff11us/detail/5017/detail.html