Is anyone else bothered by the lack of incentive for mediocre players to improve?

To answer what your initial question really said, no, it doesn't bother me that "mediocre" players have the same gear as me. Personally, I think people who have major issues with someone obtaining the same thing as them with less effort lack emotional development. Second, your entire argument becomes moot with the introduction of High Allagan gear, I haven't seen any "mediocre" players running around in i115 gear. Finally, if you don't want to deal with that one unworthy person who sneaks into your group of perfect players and messes things up, get off your ass and turn your 7 man static into an 8 man, problem solved. Yoshi and the devs have intentionally negated the epeen factor in this game as much as possible, if you're the kind of person that demands a pat on the back for being a quality player you should start looking for another game.

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Originally Posted by ispano

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Standard ie the method that is most commonly used for a variety of factors including relative ease compared to Rot Passing. Don't play word games and expect to gain anything from it. Also, Enrage was legitimized during patch 2.16 when ADS was accidentally buffed to make enrage impossible and then INTENTIONALLY fixed to allow it to be viable. S-E isn't big on making official statements on things like that, but every sign they've given points to enrage being just as acceptable and viable as Rot Passing. Enrage is the method that is most commonly used, is the least stressful, the most pug friendly, and for quite a few people the only method they have seen so far. How is it anything but outlandish to expect everyone to know the older, less viable way of doing things?

Going back to my "issue" in t2 my group invited the player into our mumble where we proceeded to teach him how to handle rot and he did great. Sad fact is this guy who himself wasn't bad at all had no idea about a not hard mechanic because the other pugs he had gotten thought standing for 12 minutes was a better use of time (speaking of wasting time)

I really could care less what anyone does, if waiting till content is nerfed and the gear is garbage to clear progression content that's your deal.

Really though SE is hurting themselves and the players by not making things like t2 enrage properly. EVERY boss in XIV has a enrage timer and most of them will flat out kill you. Accepting one is going to 1) set these people up for failure, t5 enrage, or even ex primals is a game over. 2) there will be " I should be able to survive a enrage and have a chance to suck for a few more seconds and have a shot" threads, probably crawling with "fix it or I quit" lines. No bueno!!

Casual content is great, hell I love the new dungeons, a cake walk is nice every once in awhile but the hard stuff should be that... Hard.

And....it is? Again, you are getting worked up solely on your own preconceived notions. If Echo annoys you, you know you can click the buff off, right? You aren't being forced to use Echo. you aren't being forced to do any of this, yet you act like you are and it is a great disservice to you.

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Originally Posted by Kret

I really could care less what anyone does.

Really though SE is hurting themselves and the players by not making things like t2 enrage properly. EVERY boss in XIV has a enrage timer and most of them will flat out kill you. Accepting one is going to 1) set these people up for failure, t5 enrage, or even ex primals is a game over. 2) there will be " I should be able to survive a enrage and have a chance to suck for a few more seconds and have a shot" threads, probably crawling with "fix it or I quit" lines. No bueno!!

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Yet you say you don't care hmmm.

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Originally Posted by Kret

Going back to my "issue" in t2 my group invited the player into our mumble where we proceeded to teach him how to handle rot and he did great. Sad fact is this guy who himself wasn't bad at all had no idea about a not hard mechanic because the other pugs he had gotten thought standing for 12 minutes was a better use of time (speaking of wasting time)

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First of all, major kudos to your group for teaching that player how to do it properly. A lot of players I've encountered don't even like explaining things, let alone inviting onto mumble and working with them like that. That's fantastic.

As to the actual topic...I don't think gear is a proper way of gauging skill and it never will be. And not just because unskilled people can get gear, but also because not all skilled people have it yet. I generally just assume I don't know anything about anyone until I see them play.

I feel I like the idea behind the tome system, but even though it has benefited me, I feel like it is currently too fast. And I also feel it should be weighted, like WP and AK shouldn't give sol, that they shouldn't have gotten rid of philo. Have easier content give philo + some myth, then have harder content give myth + sol. That way the highest tome gear cannot be bought off easy content, and instead is something for the unlucky people that do harder content but loose rolls.

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Originally Posted by Kuwagami

well, technically they created it that way, so it was intended, at least to be able to end it for groups who would be late on timer (just like T4). Though as you say they never stated if doing full boss during enrage was intended or not. I won't try to do T4's P6 fully during enrage just to know if it's possible and if it's intended to be able to win that way though..

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Many things in games have unintended side effects that the developers never intended.

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Originally Posted by subteraneanbird

Standard ie the method that is most commonly used for a variety of factors including relative ease compared to Rot Passing. Don't play word games and expect to gain anything from it. Also, Enrage was legitimized during patch 2.16 when ADS was accidentally buffed to make enrage impossible and then INTENTIONALLY fixed to allow it to be viable. S-E isn't big on making official statements on things like that, but every sign they've given points to enrage being just as acceptable and viable as Rot Passing. Enrage is the method that is most commonly used, is the least stressful, the most pug friendly, and for quite a few people the only method they have seen so far. How is it anything but outlandish to expect everyone to know the older, less viable way of doing things?

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Again, they may not have intended it, but left it anyways so as to not upset the playerbase.

Since the new patch, I think SE has done a pretty good job of separating those who want to challenge themselves with tough content (second coil) and be rewarded for it, while not completely excluding the casual players. The new solidery items and echo buffs gives the casual players access to new higher lvl gear and doesn't exclude from now completing content that was previously too hard for them (T5 and primal exs). Secondly, the new coil turns are the only way to get sands, oils, and unidentified allagan tombstones to up grade those solidery items to 110. This will still allow those advanced players who busted their ass learning the new fights to have a sense of accomplishment.

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Originally Posted by TheKingSlayer

Since the new patch, I think SE has done a pretty good job of separating those who want to challenge themselves with tough content (second coil) and be rewarded for it, while not completely excluding the casual players. The new solidery items and echo buffs gives the casual players access to new higher lvl gear and doesn't exclude from now completing content that was previously too hard for them (T5 and primal exs). Secondly, the new coil turns are the only way to get sands, oils, and unidentified allagan tombstones to up grade those solidery items to 110. This will still allow those advanced players who busted their ass learning the new fights to have a sense of accomplishment.

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Completely agree, now they just need to not nerf coil at all, rather continue with the alternative content method and I think we have a win for both sides!