LongSword Fiona Tweaks and Suggestions

X1Guts1X

While I like the way LS Fiona has evolved with the current Revamps, I would like to see some tweaks made to address her 3 main current issues:
1) Trash Mob Clearing
2) Sp Generation in some Raids
3) Utility in Raids, variety in rotations

To address the above,
1) Switch Ivy Sweep and Blossom Blow ( Make Ivy the R2 smash). Also, give the 1st and 2nd smashes on Ivy Sweep more range (similar to the kick) and increase SP generation from this smash. Reasoning here is by moving it to R2 and buffing its range you make trash mobs easier to deal with. By adding SP generation, you give this Smash some utility in Raids as a means of getting in some quick SP if you are struggling for it (like on many non-agro bosses)
2) Give Blossom Blow Knockdown buff, give Shield Charge Knockdown Buff
Since Blossom Blow is R3 now ( and somewhat useless since IVy Buff) Make this a UTILTIY Smash with very high knockdown. Also, since most LS FIONA don't really use Sheild charge since Focal Point, Dash Focal, Shield Bash are the optimal DPS rotations along with counterattack Amaranth, it makes Shield Charge + Blossom Blow + Shield Bash + Amaranth Kick (which already has decent knockdown) an ALTERNATIVE rotation (and the linking effect of Blossom BLow flows nicely with the Slashing High effect from shield charge) for LS FIona to provide UTILITY in Party play.
3) Reduce SP cost of Taunt
I really like the new Taunt, and using at start of rotation to get agro for counterattack to generate SP is nice, but it comes just a bit too late UNLESS you have a Cat Statue (but character design should not be based on assuming cat statue). By reducing SP cost you give Fiona a chance early on to get her SP generation going and allow her to get into her rotations sooner for more Party damage.

Let me know what you think about these suggested changes

kosc

1) Not sure if I'm an odd fiona but when I clear mobs I just use focal point combos or use amarth kick for building up sp. I rarely use those other smashes. Buffing those other smashes to make them useful again sounds good.
2) I actually use shield charge on every cooldown for bosses like succubus queen or zecallion where counter attack x2 + amaranth kick is just so convenient. The left over sp is used for slashing high for infinite stamina and increased speed. The increased speed from the slashing buff is actually really nice because it lets me counter attack or even counter attack x2 where I might not be able to due to low speed.
3) I also use sp reduction skill awakening for taunt. I find that most of the times, it's not the sp that limits my taunt use; rather it's the cooldown time. I wish we could use both sp reduction and skill cooldown on taunt. (But I guess that would make the skill too unbalanced).

Atherion

I personally feel like a rework on SH for LS Fiona would be nice since I find spamming Focal Point to be a much better sp sink. I rarely find myself using it unless my stamina is almost gone or I'm just sitting on a stack of sp I can't find the opportunity to burn off with FP.

And with the addition of parry, the speed increase doesn't really help me get many additional hits in, but then I am playing with 80speed.