While we are dying on the bridge over and over and trying to kill vishap

Random ranting towards lore.

So, the Steps of Faith trial.

This whole dragon army is on Ishgardian's front door, quite literally, and they have like, what, 2~3 squad of infantry troops in total of like 3 dozens men at most?

C'mon Ishgard, get your shit together.

Because the attack is not just happening at the bridge. all areas around Ishgard are being assaulted by dragons (more than the light forces we faced prior to the trial). If they had concentrated all their forces on the Steps of Faith that could leave another area weak and hit by the dragons.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RylaiBluecrow

Random ranting towards lore.

So, the Steps of Faith trial.

This whole dragon army is on Ishgardian's front door, quite literally, and they have like, what, 2~3 squad of infantry troops in total of like 3 dozens men at most?

C'mon Ishgard, get your shit together.

---

Don't forget. These guys fight dragons for a living. Yet they'll stand in front of XYZ's dragon's mouth and get one shot'd by a dragon breath....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RiceisNice

Don't forget. These guys fight dragons for a living. Yet they'll stand in front of XYZ's dragon's mouth and get one shot'd by a dragon breath....

---

Attack strategically from the beast's flank or rear? That is the COWARD'S way! Clearly, you are no Ishgardian!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LineageRazor

Attack strategically from the beast's flank or rear? That is the COWARD'S way! Clearly, you are no Ishgardian!

---

I attacked under his belly, it's a nice way of not being crushed by his massive legs ^^.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LineageRazor

Attack strategically from the beast's flank or rear? That is the COWARD'S way! Clearly, you are no Ishgardian!

---

http://puu.sh/hEHMn/7c0c34086f.png

Now go, and die a glorious Ishgardian death!

We've already seen monster that can reposition (like alexandrite map mobs that always surround you), certainly they can apply this AI to NPC partners like the knights in Steps of Faith or chocobo companions. Have them attack the flank or rear if not tanking, or heck, even circle around to dodge AoE.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Urthdigger

We've already seen monster that can reposition (like alexandrite map mobs that always surround you), certainly they can apply this AI to NPC partners like the knights in Steps of Faith or chocobo companions. Have them attack the flank or rear if not tanking, or heck, even circle around to dodge AoE.

---

Swinge. That is all.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Urthdigger

We've already seen monster that can reposition (like alexandrite map mobs that always surround you), certainly they can apply this AI to NPC partners like the knights in Steps of Faith or chocobo companions. Have them attack the flank or rear if not tanking, or heck, even circle around to dodge AoE.

---

All that goes out the window anyway once to the damn turtle spawns.
I REALLY hate that turtle.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Urthdigger

certainly they can apply this AI to NPC partners like the knights in Steps of Faith or chocobo companions. Have them attack the flank or rear if not tanking, or heck, even circle around to dodge AoE.

---

My chocobo is physco and attacks everything head on when in dps stance and dies alot because of it.

Yeah, the AI that controls the NPCs in Steps is.... pretty awful. About the only thing they can be reliably counted on for is killing the biasts if you manage to kill the other adds first. Other than that? Most useless NPCs ever.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RiceisNice

Don't forget. These guys fight dragons for a living. Yet they'll stand in front of XYZ's dragon's mouth and get one shot'd by a dragon breath....

---

The elite troops are dragoons right? The guys on the bridge probably aren't dragoons, judging from their attire.

Maybe they just sent fodder because "The Warrior of Light's got this."

Vishap is a huge winged flying dragon, therefore his logical attack path is to walk very slowly across a bridge.

Okay?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Illya

Vishap is a huge winged flying dragon, therefore his logical attack path is to walk very slowly across a bridge.

Okay?

---

Yeah... cause you know...
http://cdn.mothership.sg/wp-content/...ike+a+boss.gif
http://under30ceo.com/wp-content/upl...ike_a_boss.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Illya

Vishap is a huge winged flying dragon, therefore his logical attack path is to walk very slowly across a bridge.

Okay?

---

There are magical wards across all other parts of the city that are generated on the bridge. So Iceheart disabled the first one, and then Vishap was sent in to blast down the wards one by one, so that the rest of the city would be completely defenseless to airborne attacks.

Basically, if Vishap and other Dravonians tried an aerial attack with the wards still up, it would be akin to a bird smacking into a glass window. THUNK!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Catwho

There are magical wards across all other parts of the city that are generated on the bridge. So Iceheart disabled the first one, and then Vishap was sent in to blast down the wards one by one, so that the rest of the city would be completely defenseless to airborne attacks.

Basically, if Vishap and other Dravonians tried an aerial attack with the wards still up, it would be akin to a bird smacking into a glass window. THUNK!

---

I think what Illya meant is that it makes more sense for a FLYING dragon to just nuke the wards from the air where...you know...he can't be attacked...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kiroh

I think what Illya meant is that it makes more sense for a FLYING dragon to just nuke the wards from the air where...you know...he can't be attacked...

---

Unless you're Onyxia, one simply does not take a deep breath to raze something while flapping wings to carry their massive weight.

Does Vishap even using any sort of breath attack? I honestly do not remember, and if he doesn't maybe he has lost/never got fire/some sorta breath type...would be kinda wierd though if he has been at war with the Ishgardians long enough they might have wounded him in a previous encounter that made it difficult.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dualblade

Does Vishap even using any sort of breath attack? I honestly do not remember, and if he doesn't maybe he has lost/never got fire/some sorta breath type...would be kinda wierd though if he has been at war with the Ishgardians long enough they might have wounded him in a previous encounter that made it difficult.

---

He must be a fresh level 50 black mage. He forgot to get Flare from his level 50 quest.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RiceisNice

Unless you're Onyxia, one simply does not take a deep breath to raze something while flapping wings to carry their massive weight.

---

One does not simply walk into Ishgard

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kiroh

I think what Illya meant is that it makes more sense for a FLYING dragon to just nuke the wards from the air where...you know...he can't be attacked...

---

The dragons (theoretically) aren't fools. If they're not attacking from the air, it means that something about the wards is preventing them from attacking from the air, even if we don't know what that something is. That Vishap chooses to stomp slowly across the bridge instead of nuking it from orbit (just to make sure) doesn't bother me, because I'm sure he's doing it for a reason.

What DOES bother me is how, for the entirety of the fight, Vishap doesn't bother to, you know, directly attack any of us? He stomps on people by accident. He blows away cannons, but doesn't particularly care about the people manning them. He's got a huge head full of sharp teeth, but never uses it. One could argue that we're that we're beneath his notice, that he's leaving us to his minions while he gets the important ward-destroying work done. That only holds water until the first Dragonslayer lands. At that point, he REALLY oughta be paying better attention to the flies buzzing around his feet! Once it's revealed that we can deal more than superficial damage to him, we're presenting a significant threat to his ward-destroying mission, after all!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dualblade

Does Vishap even using any sort of breath attack?

---

I always assumed that Vishap's bridge-wide attack that the snares interrupt is a breath attack, but I've always been too busy to check out the animation.

Vishap has his orders - take out the wards, ignore everything else. Even at the cost of his own life, apparently.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LineageRazor

That only holds water until the first Dragonslayer lands. At that point, he REALLY oughta be paying better attention to the flies buzzing around his feet! Once it's revealed that we can deal more than superficial damage to him, we're presenting a significant threat to his ward-destroying mission, after all!

---

If Vishap's tanking of our group is anything like my feeble attempts at tanking he needs to be forgiven. He has Netflix running on the other screen and it's not just going to watch itself! = D

All i know is this 8man is standing in between me and finishing the story until the expansion comes out and i cant find a group to get it done. I have queued 4 seperate times and either people leave before we even get going or when we do pull adds are running around like crazy just smacking me 1 shotting me. Im a WHM. Idk, i just really dont get why SE made this fight rely so heavily on people picking there roles and knowing how to execute them correctly. I mean this isnt supposed to be hard like Coils, but im pretty sure their are coils fight that would be easier then this even with no Echo. just my 2 cent
TLDR ; This Steps of Fate shit sucks and i just want to be done with the story mode but cant find smart people to run it with. And its too complicated for casual players.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bruiser_Cruiser

All i know is this 8man is standing in between me and finishing the story until the expansion comes out and i cant find a group to get it done. I have queued 4 seperate times and either people leave before we even get going or when we do pull adds are running around like crazy just smacking me 1 shotting me. Im a WHM. Idk, i just really dont get why SE made this fight rely so heavily on people picking there roles and knowing how to execute them correctly. I mean this isnt supposed to be hard like Coils, but im pretty sure their are coils fight that would be easier then this even with no Echo. just my 2 cent
TLDR ; This Steps of Fate shit sucks and i just want to be done with the story mode but cant find smart people to run it with. And its too complicated for casual players.

---

It took me 16 tries. Just keep hammering.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Illya

One does not simply walk into Ishgard

---

They are taking the lalas to Ishgard

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Illya

Vishap is a huge winged flying dragon, therefore his logical attack path is to walk very slowly across a bridge.

Okay?

---

It may actually have to do with the barriers around Ishgard. Its stopping him from having a smooth flight.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LineageRazor

What DOES bother me is how, for the entirety of the fight, Vishap doesn't bother to, you know, directly attack any of us? He stomps on people by accident. He blows away cannons, but doesn't particularly care about the people manning them. He's got a huge head full of sharp teeth, but never uses it. One could argue that we're that we're beneath his notice, that he's leaving us to his minions while he gets the important ward-destroying work done. That only holds water until the first Dragonslayer lands. At that point, he REALLY oughta be paying better attention to the flies buzzing around his feet! Once it's revealed that we can deal more than superficial damage to him, we're presenting a significant threat to his ward-destroying mission, after all!

---

You do realize that outside of a full i120 to i130 party, that only the Cannons, Explosive Barrels and Dragonkillers are doing significant damage? The a group in the expected gear does only superficial damage.

Quote:

---

I always assumed that Vishap's bridge-wide attack that the snares interrupt is a breath attack, but I've always been too busy to check out the animation.

---

The message that announces the attack describes it as "breathes."

Landwaster is indeed his breath attack. Also note that he takes out the wards by body slamming them; it's likely aerial breath attacks wouldn't even work.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kyuven

All that goes out the window anyway once to the damn turtle spawns.
I REALLY hate that turtle.

---

You know a turtle is bad when even the person form the server named after a turtle hates it. xP

In all seriousness yeah the turtle is the worst part of the entire thing. Turtle should be the number 1 priority when it spawns if you have new players in the group as it just makes things harder if kept alive.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RiceisNice

Don't forget. These guys fight dragons for a living. Yet they'll stand in front of XYZ's dragon's mouth and get one shot'd by a dragon breath....

---

https://i.imgflip.com/lac5m.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RiceisNice

Unless you're Onyxia, one simply does not take a deep breath to raze something while flapping wings to carry their massive weight.

---

Moar dots? ^_^

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sapphic

Moar dots? ^_^

---

DPS very very slowly

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bruiser_Cruiser

All i know is this 8man is standing in between me and finishing the story until the expansion comes out and i cant find a group to get it done. I have queued 4 seperate times and either people leave before we even get going or when we do pull adds are running around like crazy just smacking me 1 shotting me. Im a WHM. Idk, i just really dont get why SE made this fight rely so heavily on people picking there roles and knowing how to execute them correctly. I mean this isnt supposed to be hard like Coils, but im pretty sure their are coils fight that would be easier then this even with no Echo. just my 2 cent
TLDR ; This Steps of Fate shit sucks and i just want to be done with the story mode but cant find smart people to run it with. And its too complicated for casual players.

---

Why not, instead of asking the one fight in the MSQ that requires coordination be nerfed, you simply, you know, socialize in a MMO? DF isn't the end all be all route of doing content in this game, you know.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RylaiBluecrow

Random ranting towards lore.

So, the Steps of Faith trial.

This whole dragon army is on Ishgardian's front door, quite literally, and they have like, what, 2~3 squad of infantry troops in total of like 3 dozens men at most?

C'mon Ishgard, get your shit together.

---

There's no dragon army at Ishgard's gates. Iceheart destroyed the first of five barriers that encircle the city and protect it from direct attack from the dragons. With the first barrier down the farthest tip of the bridge was exposed for a small strike team of dragons to try and topple the other barriers in order to leave the city vulnerable to a direct attack. Vishap and the dragons in the trial are the ONLY dragons attacking Ishgard at the time; there are others swarming in Coerthas but no others going for the city. With Ishgard's knights preoccupied with the invasion in Coerthas we step in to defend the bridge.

As for why Vishap lands and walks across the bridge: the barriers repel the attacks of the dragons, that is the entire purpose for them existing. It's fairly obvious, therefore, that it would resist a dragon's breath. Vishap flying around breathing fire would do nothing to disable the barriers. If you pay attention in the trial you'll notice that Vishap disables each barrier not by attacking it directly but rather by stomping the ground immediately in front of it to topple the wards that maintain it.

The only other thing to question would be how slowly he moves across the bridge yet that can also be explained. Koji Fox has previously mentioned that due to how long they live the dragons don't really value time the way the mortal races do. This is why Midgardsormr speaks in such a slow drawl for example. They're a lot like the ents in Lord of the Rings. Vishaps walks slowly across the bridge because he thinks nothing of a group of mortals that barely scratch him and doesn't really have a concept of urgency.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Keylus

They are taking the lalas to Ishgard

---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE-1RPDqJAY

Its worth mentioning that the bridge wasn't the only battleground during the attack. NPCs mention fighting going on at Stone Vigil and Steel Vigil as well. I imagine other sights saw battle too.

I wouldn't be surprised in the least if Vishap launched a major attack at another front to draw defenders away from the bridge before attacking.