Castrum Meridianum and The Praetorium, main story line. *may contain spoilers*

These are the last 2 instances for the main story line as I gather. I have not done them yet as I have been reading on them and it seems like they take a little while to complete, as real world issues come up that I may not be able to sit through the whole instance. How long does it take to complete, and do you have to do The Praetorium right after completing the Castrum or can it be returned to?

You do the two separately.

Many people do these for their daily storyline roulette for the allagan tomestone rewards, so people are generally overgeared and try to complete it quickly. There's a lot of debate on the forums but many of these people appreciate skipping the storyline cutscenes (which take a long time - there are a ton of cutscenes) as it means they don't have to wait around a long time for an event they have done many times. If you skip the cutscenes you can probably complete each instance in 20-30 minutes, leaning more towards the former, and you will be able to more readily participate in the fun boss fights if you have people that are particularly rushed. Just let them know that you are new and will be skipping cutscenes when you enter. They get bonus tomestones for having a new player in the group so it's win/win for both parties.

The cutscenes can be watched in your journal in the inn room, under the "Duties" category so you can catch up with the story at your leisure.

Also there is a very lengthy string of cutscenes at the end of Praetorium that wraps up the storyline, but it is after you leave the instance so if you need to afk in the middle of it or something you don't have to worry about holding people up.

Frankly watching in the inn isn't fun because it's dislocates you - not to mention the interface it's rather poor. Best suggestion get a PF group that will focus on watching CSs and you can enjoy it. An hour each is at worst case(depends how fast you can read really). Hell CM isn't that much longer with CS... Prae you can go 15-30min extra.

OP might be more concerned with finishing the instances at all due to their possibly needing to leave the game after some period of time. Skipping the CS's means they have a better chance of being able to finish if their time is limited.

While skipping scenes might make it faster for those who wish to rush it for dailies...have some respect for those who's first time it is there and show a little patience. The scenes don't take that long in the grand scheme of things so stop being so selfish when there is new players who have never experienced the dungeons/instances, let them enjoy the experience while they are there, teach them how to do the instance and let them watch the scenes I say since probably only adds about 5-10 minutes to the dungeon which is not very long.

^ This.

I NEVER haggle people to skip their cutscenes. I was never one to watch them myself anyway (even the first time around), but I don't think it's right to force someone to skip 'em. I have been in a situation where the tanks in my group moved soooooo fast, I was locked out of all bosses until the Ultima Weapon room. That sucked.

Personally, I prefer to let them watch the cutscenes and move on without them. CM and Prae are i50 dungeons, and most endgame players are running i80+ equipment, so 1-2 people watching the cutscenes will not really force the party to wait for them or make it really hard to move on(unless it's both healers or tanks).

The cutscenes don't take long, and you're cheating new players out of the first-time experience of the dungeon.

Speed runners should be gutted, salted and left to die.

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Originally Posted by ProstatePuncher

The cutscenes don't take long, and you're cheating new players out of the first-time experience of the dungeon.

Speed runners should be gutted, salted and left to die.

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It goes both ways and the only reason you have speed runners there is because SE incentivized it for them to get extra Myth. They get extra Myth for their time, and the new player has people running the instance to help them complete the main scenario.

It doesn't go both ways. If you don't want to help people, don't run story roulette. There are other faster ways to get myth.

I just finished both yesterday. You do Castrum first and can always do Prae later, thats what I did, but you know what, they didn't even take me that long. I want to say maybe half hour each? felt like alot less than that lol it was so quick.

the parties I was with sped through it, ignored trash mobs and went straight to the bosses. And they were all so skilled and overgeared that the fights don't even last that long. lol just skip through the cut scenes to save on time and to stay with the group so you don't get lost lol and you'll be fine. :D

trust me when I say its the best feeling in the world once get past those two runs, I got my magitek and now can work on my weapon and end game stuff!:o

The biggest problem though is the tanks dictate the speed of the run and as a DPS I find myself in no position to force them to slow down for new players who's first time it is on those places which has happened a few times now and of which I hate not being able to make them slow down for new players. I do explain whats going on and what to do as best I can to help the new player in the short periods of time I have as the tanks run off ahead but it does not feel good knowing your part of the problem in the sense of being unable to do much about it when your not a tank or even a healer which they have to wait for much more often than a DPS. I might make a tank just to make sure I am in a better position to help new players at some stage.

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Originally Posted by IndigoHawk

It doesn't go both ways. If you don't want to help people, don't run story roulette. There are other faster ways to get myth.

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This. Get a good group, run Tam-tara HM for 100 myth in 15mins or less.