[Feedback] Dragon's Mount (might have a little spoiler

What do you all think about the rein on THE dragon's mount?
I don't think it's appropriate to put it there, looking at HIS background, and (at least mine : Au Ra) the WoL actually did not interact with it either.

Would it better to remove the reins?
Edit :Saddle is okay

Edit : posters' opinion
Pro :
- Dragons are sentient beings. Just tell the destination, no need rein like animal

Con : (currently more than pro)
- It was His choice to have the rein
- It's a thing to hold on when flying

I think he's the one who waited so long to get a new vessel and he decided that vessel was good. The reins are on it and he seems fine with it. It's not like the reins are because he's a slave, it's because he said he will let us use him for flight, so we need a way to control him in the air.

I'd like to think that if the father of all dragons had a problem with wearing reins, he just... wouldn't. If you inspect him closely, it doesn't have a bit so it's not as if you're treating him like a beast of burden. Rather, he's offered to be your wings and there's got to be a convenient way to guide him where you need to go. I mean, he also has a pack saddle and some very spiky armor plating. All in all I think he's a pretty practical dragon. :3

Don't forget, lore-wise, Middy CHOSE how he was going to be equipped when carrying you. You didn't give him any of his gear as a mount, he decided he would bear it himself

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Originally Posted by Ashkendor

-draconian practicality

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This is one way of looking at it.

The other way is that the reigns aren't for Guiding so much as keeping you aboard. It's a dragon, and is on your best interest to hold onto something.

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Originally Posted by saber_alter

This is one way of looking at it.

The other way is that the reigns aren't for Guiding so much as keeping you aboard. It's a dragon, and is on your best interest to hold onto something.

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Traditional dragon riding has you in one of two places depending on the age of the beast.

Elder dragons, such as great wyrms, you ride on the neck at the base of the head.

On younger dragons, you ride between the shoulders.

Generally there's plenty of spikes to hold on to.

On Triaxus, our saddles had springs on them. As the mounts stood on two legs in combat as to use weapons, and all fours for travel, the saddle needed to adjust.

I'd imagine that would be the case here too.

*nods* I have experience in these things.

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Originally Posted by Nadirah

*nods* I have experience in these things.

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*nod nod*

With traditional dragons (be out European or Asian), this works quite well.

However dragons in ffxiv are quite odd. Unlike most depictions of dragons I have seen (which are front heavy), eorzean drains ate more often than not back heavy on rodent levels. This creates a problem, as the back slumps. While it does crest a perfect spot for a reclining chair, holding onto their back spikes is sadly not an option. Leg straps are oddly not present either on middy.

Stirrups aren't always necessary when riding.

They're on horse saddles because technically you don't sit in then while the horse is moving most of the time, but half standing on the balls of your feet. That's why it's hard on your legs at first.

The shoulders are also ideal because of how weight is distributed (horse saddles again - racehorses you crouch over their neck) and legs behind the wings could potentially cause issues in flight.

My saddle for Sahiron(Triaxian dragonkin) actually kept your legs back almost like au Ra females sit while in flight. Dragonkin are large size, roughly 20 ft long and 6-7 at the shoulder standing on all fours.

I have a complete writeup on Anastasia and her mount on my laptop somewhere.

There also were no reins, as he is a level 7 Paladin.

You have an empathic connection to your bonded mount and control his movements that way. They're sentient creatures and have wills of their own, but its a life bond, much like in Pern. Dragonkin will not take another rider.

And here we're discussing dragonriding. Lol. Middy let's us ride him and he chose the form. Lacking empathic bond, the reins are likely for direction. Armor and scales make leg pressure alone hard.

I'm glad the mounts of reins and saddles now. I always thought bare-back riding the primal ponies was awkward (the unicorn made more sense since it was a Conj quest and I don't think Conj would put reins on anything, especially a unicorn).

Though, tbh, Iceheart won the game for coolest dragon mount. ;c I wish Hresvelgr would give me rides, he's so fabulous and fluffy.

As for "reins are something to hold on to" and "you aren't sitting most of the time when horse riding".. Just.. No. :( standing vs sitting is discipline specific, but you definitely do not want to hold hard/try to balance with the reins - think of what that'd feel like on the horse's mouth/face! Your grip comes from legs on a horse, and if you need something to hold for extra support, you use the hair in front of you (as horses have few nerve endings there) or the saddle itself.

I imagine the reins on middy are either to let him know where we want to go without talking, or even to let the ishgardian feel more comfortable with him around ("look! The WoL had the dragon under control!")

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Originally Posted by Selli

I'm glad the mounts of reins and saddles now. I always thought bare-back riding the primal ponies was awkward (the unicorn made more sense since it was a Conj quest and I don't think Conj would put reins on anything, especially a unicorn).

Though, tbh, Iceheart won the game for coolest dragon mount. ;c I wish Hresvelgr would give me rides, he's so fabulous and fluffy.

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I dunno, I swear you could see his dick sheathe in that cutscene. :x

I think it's weird to have a rein on him.

dragons are intelligent species and can talk in this game. why can't we just tell him the direction we want him to go? why do we have to treat the legendary dragon like some animal?

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Originally Posted by Daralii

I dunno, I swear you could see his dick sheathe in that cutscene. :x

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W-Wait... what? o.o"

I did feel that his riding gear meant that he lost a little decorum in cutscenes. I thought he could do with a different model for those.

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Originally Posted by Selli

W-Wait... what? o.o"

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Yep, I just watched the cutscene again. I'm pretty sure Shiva climbed into that thing when they first consummated.

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Originally Posted by Slappah

I think he's the one who waited so long to get a new vessel and he decided that vessel was good. The reins are on it and he seems fine with it. It's not like the reins are because he's a slave, it's because he said he will let us use him for flight, so we need a way to control him in the air.

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The bolded part can be refuted with

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Originally Posted by Evangela

I think it's weird to have a rein on him.

dragons are intelligent species and can talk in this game. why can't we just tell him the direction we want him to go? why do we have to treat the legendary dragon like some animal?

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While

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Originally Posted by saber_alter

This is one way of looking at it.

The other way is that the reigns aren't for Guiding so much as keeping you aboard. It's a dragon, and is on your best interest to hold onto something.

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Can we hold onto his spikes, if we ever do some acrobatic moves?