The problem with FATES

1. FATES are the best way to level by a huge margin. Everything else is a waste of time. From level 46-49 there is a gap of no quests, which kinda forces you to grind out FATES. Unless you want to be massively inefficient doing leves and dungeons.

2. Endgame FATES are a terrible addition to the game. Odin and Behemoth are a joke in their current states. Nobody can enjoy the fight because 3/4 of the whole server is zerging into one area with all their pets and companions.

3. Grinding FATES teach you nothing of group game-play. Tanks don't learn to tank. Healers don't learn to heal. DPS don't learn anything about focusing a single target or crowd controlling another. FATES reward people that can just spam tagging abilities. Why learn to do any of these when 95% of all the FATES are just zerg spam fest? As time goes on people will see more and more players in 50 dungeons and primal fights whom have terrible gear and have no idea how to play their class properly.

Some solutions:
1. Increase the experience from leves and dungeons to match the efficiency of FATE parties.
2. Make Guildhests worth doing more than one time.
3. Introduce more FATES that reward proper team play.

Also adjust FATE's so that mobs have more HP so people can get to them in time and contribute enough to get full credit. There's nothing more annoying than running across a map to get to the next FATE only for it to be almost completed and have the cycle repeat itself all the time.

FFXIV: A FATE Reborn!

I agree with every point the OP makes. In addition, I suggest raising the exp reward from Battlecraft leves to equal that of Tradecraft leves and possibly adding optional HQ goals. When I'm getting 3k exp from a Battlecraft leve and 12k exp from a Tradecraft leve of the same level, there's a flaw somewhere.

(And no, it isn't because there are fewer ways to level tradecraft disciplines; combat disciplines don't get 1800+ exp per kill, so it isn't a matter of trying to balance leveling speed.)

Theres are 2 simple fixes:

1) Halve exp and double or triple gold earned. This will solve some gold issues while slowing down fate grinds to be on par with other types of leveling

2) Make exp start to slowly lower the more people that are present. This would cause people to use multiple zones instead of just 'the most efficient'
ex:
1-24 people = full exp
24-50 people = 75% exp
50-100 people = 50% exp

I feel it would be enough to slow down zerging

when a fate zone is overloaded I have little choice of somewhere else to go depending on the level range unless I join a fate party and then can't queue for dungeons (which may be less exp but are much more fun).

tbh once your quests run dry, the only way to reasonably level a second class is through FATES. So they really shouldn't touch the exp. Once the big zerg of people is done getting 50, fates will be very underpopulated if anything.

It's exactly what happened to GW2. (Since FATES are a direct rip from GW2's active events)

Excellent post! To be honest this is what made ffxi great! You had to learn how to play with people early on, you had to learn how to play your job early on. Fates, or dynamic events, are just for zerging down mobs. It's so chaotic. I can barely see what the hell is going in with all the abilities from people popping off.

They just need to make FATEs scale higher than they are. Currently, no matter how big the zerg is, the HP of the FATE mobs caps out rather low, making it nearly impossible for some people to get credit and impossible to get credit if you're not very nearby the FATE when it spawns.

As for the OP's point 3: FATEs aren't meant to teach you how to party. That's what the mandatory dungeon runs are for. Also, once all the people who aren't going to subscribe at the end of the free month leave, there will be a significant drop in zerging.

Part of my issue with Fates is how the contribution system is greatly skewed towards AOE DD. The Mobs in Fates die so quickly, I have a hard enough time landing hits on mobs. I end up having to spam FLASH in order to build any kind of contribution. Fates also seem to discourage players from playing their intended role. I've been in a growing number of Fates where healers will not heal me while I'm tanking because they are too worried about their contribution. Fates as they are seem broken.