Palace of the Dead (PAX)

So they announced new content and I have to say it reminds me of Diablo/Dark Souls when they spoke about it like in order to level up you need to interact with something (bonfire). I am quite interested now I would like to hear more about it.

http://i.imgur.com/AldXloq.png

http://i.imgur.com/Xdzy4ia.png

http://i.imgur.com/7D27xhT.png

http://i.imgur.com/E39A1Nq.png

http://i.imgur.com/47Ucgpa.png

http://i.imgur.com/4NVjZ9N.png

Sounds like Nyzul Isle to me.
I'm looking forward to it!

Yay for new stuff.

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Originally Posted by Canadane

Sounds like Nyzul Isle to me.
I'm looking forward to it!

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I didn't play XI much so I can't really compare it to that :P

Edda's definitely going to the be Mistress of that Dungeon. Haha

Since it sounds like the weight of gear IL won't matter much in this dungeon, they could actually use this as an opportunity to introduce item drops with horizontal progression that only work within this endless dungeon and focus on augmenting your skills to help you play on X job.

They could even go a step further and add in items with horizontal progression to older content that again only work within this endless dungeon.

Does anybody have a link with pictures/additional information?

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Originally Posted by Theodric

Does anybody have a link with pictures/additional information?

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Just updated OP with some images of the slide.

This has amazing potential. It'll have its own progression system so you'll restart at Level 1, progress is saved as you go, and you can queue solo or with friends. Solo play is supposedly more 'hardcore" and will have a ranking system.

Please, please, please... Do not screw this one up. Album of Deep Dungeon slides if you missed it.

I am looking forward to it.

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Originally Posted by Remus

Just updated OP with some images of the slide.

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Thanks!

Hopefully it's suitably dark, twisted and creepy. I'd love something similar to Bloodborne/Dark Souls...or more specifically something like the undercity within Lea Monde from Vagrant Story.

Please don't let this be another flop like Diadem... please don't let this be another flop like Diadem...

I want to be excited for this, but SE is very good at underselling.

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Originally Posted by Theodric

Does anybody have a link with pictures/additional information?

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Since it literally was announced about 15 mins ago you will probably see more people talking about it soon.

Basically the key points I picked up:

- For 1-4 Players
- Layout changes every time.
- Separate progression system so you will start as lvl 1 on the first floor.
- Ilvl doesn't count for much so you will need buffs obtainable in the floors. However some things that give buffs can be trapped and debuff you instead.
- progression is saved on certain floors. Die and you go back to your 'save point'
- Some floors will have conditions that effect what you can do and how you can play such as limitations on damage types.
- There will be bosses on some floors.
- Separate to the new Treasure dungeons that are coming out.

Sounds like a form of content that you can start playing pretty early. They talked about you being able to play with friends who just joined. Didn't say anything about rewards. Story is that they have discovered deep under the Shroud tunnels where an army of undead is awakening. I suspect it will be using the level adaption system from the HW combined with what sounds like randomly generation tech for layouts. Could be a good new alternative for levelling alts if it gives exp on completion for your class/job outside of the dungeon.

On a side note they also practically confirmed that there will be Moogle beast tribe quests in 3.3. Yoshi said they are trying to redeem them in players eyes since the lvling quests turned a lot of players against them.

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Originally Posted by Theodric

Thanks!

Hopefully it's suitably dark, twisted and creepy. I'd love something similar to Bloodborne/Dark Souls...or more specifically something like the undercity within Lea Monde from Vagrant Story.

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I'm actually hoping it's a Gelmorran ruin or some such that's been overrun cause we've been asking for more lore about that for ages.

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Originally Posted by Ashkendor

I'm actually hoping it's a Gelmorran ruin or some such that's been overrun cause we've been asking for more lore about that for ages.

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Since its under the Shroud I'd say it almost certainly is. One of the big questions though is why is there a huge undead army sleeping under the Shroud? What happened to create it? The Undead in Thanalan come from the war with Sil'dih. What animated this army? Can you imagine if its like some ancient Gelmorran disaster? That's horror movie fuel. Trapped underground with a natural world that will kill you if you go above ground and an undead nightmare below your feet.

Deep dungeon you say ?
http://jonfriesen.ca/content/images/2013/Oct/deeper.jpg

Really looking forward to this, if it's similar aspect to nyzul island from ffxi I will love it.

This just reminds me that I have yet to do the dungeons & Sephirot hardmode on any of my characters yet. Just been busy leveling up tank & healing classes & alts.

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Originally Posted by Belhi

Since its under the Shroud I'd say it almost certainly is. One of the big questions though is why is there a huge undead army sleeping under the Shroud? What happened to create it? The Undead in Thanalan come from the war with Sil'dih. What animated this army? Can you imagine if its like some ancient Gelmorran disaster? That's horror movie fuel. Trapped underground with a natural world that will kill you if you go above ground and an undead nightmare below your feet.

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I think the reason why The Shroud has so much Voidsent is mostly due to what the Mhachi did, they did summon very powerful voidsent (Diabolos and Ferdiad) not only that, but the Elementals have weakened considerably, so they can't protect/ prevent voidsent from appearing.

Though I think Edda has a hand in this ... she does have a propensity for awakening the undead in Gelmorran ruins

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Originally Posted by Airget

Since it sounds like the weight of gear IL won't matter much in this dungeon, they could actually use this as an opportunity to introduce item drops with horizontal progression that only work within this endless dungeon and focus on augmenting your skills to help you play on X job.

They could even go a step further and add in items with horizontal progression to older content that again only work within this endless dungeon.

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The only problem I foresee with that is inventory space... If you're someone who takes full advantage of the armory system (levels everything), you've only just got enough space for existing Jobs... This is something that comes up in PvP too, thankfully Morale is utterly worthless, though it's still worth having a dedicated PvP set because stats like Accuracy and Parry are utterly worthless there (well, you need some Accuracy, but your PvE set will have far too much). Thankfully the way Morale works now, there is no need to have a dedicated PvP weapon, which is the armoury chest slot that should have the most problems. If this does though? Currently I have 2 free slots for weapons in my armoury chest, if I need to go get a dedicated Palace of the Dead weapon, I'm not going to be able to easily play around with multiple Jobs anymore...

I'd actually prefer it if gear does nothing, even in PvE I'd rather have a system where gear is literally just for Glamour, and stat progression is earned by doing content. So if you want the maximum stats possible, you have to do everything. That would provide value to everything, you'd do Alexander when it comes out, then you'd do Void Ark as well because that'll raise your stats, rather than dropping gear you don't need anymore... All the Primals would have value, Bismarck wouldn't have been an awkward stepping stone... I made a much more detailed post on this concept somewhere in the past, I really hope this new content plays around with that kind of progression system...

So we have a solo mode and a team mode for thus place.

I wonder how many people will go into the place Solo for the Solo challenge

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Originally Posted by EdwinLi

So we have a solo mode and a team mode for thus place.

I wonder how many people will go into the place Solo for the Solo challenge

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Probably alot of people

One of the first things I'll do come 3.35 will be the solo challenge. Gotta see what's what and who's for, before I mentor people about it.

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Originally Posted by EdwinLi

So we have a solo mode and a team mode for thus place.

I wonder how many people will go into the place Solo for the Solo challenge

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I will :D. I hope it will be really tough for both solo and team adventurers and that it will come with exclusive rewards. That would solve the complaints about lack of content, lack of new content, lack of midcore content and lack of light party + solo content.

if this is, like someone said, for new players too, that's really great! So newer players who are not too fast at leveling have something relevant to do too ^.^

I'm really pleased it says "up to 4 adventurers", one of my biggest gripes with content in this game is the rigid party requirements... I find the undersized option for 2.x content to be the greatest thing Heavensward added thus far, I'd rather duo Shiva (Extreme) than do current content with 8... Was finishing up the early quests for my Summoner Anima weapon the other day, got to the Vault, tank was AFK from the get-go, went through with Titan-Egi, a Scholar and Monk all the way past the second boss before a replacement tank showed up. That was more fun and more memorable than literally any other dungeon encounter done the standard way. Likewise, soloing the 2.x dungeons for that weapon was a blast. Things are just more fun for me like that, so I'll welcome any content which embraces that.

I just hope this doesn't result in Diadem being "finished". I actually find Diadem OK, I like that I can just go in duo and get stuff done, but as an event in general? It's terrible. There is no structure, just go in and grind the same enemies until you're kicked out... IMO it should have been like Sky or Dynamis, heck even Abyssea would be an improvement, and I loathed Abyssea. I'd really hate for them to just close the book on Diadem at this point... It's got potential, they just need to put some actual effort in and structure it like a proper event...

A lot of people hate on the Diadem, but it was actually decent. A bit mindless but decent. It's even still used today as the fastest way to get tier V materia.
I think the Diadem could have used no flight. Just those jump pads. It would have ensured a real sense of danger and adventure in this large area that you cannot quickly traverse. Hopefully, this deep dungeon is like that. Dangerous, adventurous, fun. I don't even need a killer reward, I just want some adventure.

And this is what our missing 3rd dungeons are going towards. Let us see how this one pans out.

Oh I don't think Diadem is terrible, I just think it wastes a lot of potential. I agree flying ruins it somewhat, but they absolutely need that with the current durations (which they nerfed for no logical reason...). If it was just a regular zone that was fairly difficult to reach (like Sky/Sea), or an instance you can extend your stay in (like Dynamis/Abyssea), then removing flying would absolutely make sense. As it is though, it's just "Hunts: The Instance", and I think that was terrible when it was new and popular, now that it's empty I find it OK (though anyone without easy access to a FC Airship is basically outright screwed). The NM system in particular just irritates me, there is no direction or sense of progression in the zone, just farming the same enemies for worthless gear to get Spoils. I'd cut out the gear for the most part, and just have Spoils drop directly, have regular enemies force pop bigger versions like the kinda do already with Fresh Tracks, have those enemies drop items used to spawn other NMs, who in turn drop items to spawn bigger NMs, and so on until you're facing Absolute Virtue. Slap a nice time extension in those caves perhaps, have the caves blocked off by either roots or rocks, which you can battle to destroy, and/or have Botanists/Miners gather away at them to remove them... That would be an amazing event IMO...

As for Palace of the Dead... I'm getting a real Treasure of Aht Urhgan vibe from it now... Progression is similar to Nyzul Isle. Stats are similar to Salvage... Dare I hope for some special chambers with super bosses, who will allow you to face a mega boss if you defeat all of them? Gah! We're getting new Grand Company ranks soon too, and now I can't help but hope for some sort of Assault style event for it... Don't even get me started on how vastly improved the Anima questline could be by a Mythic weapon quest style conclusion! Or Besieged... Besieged... I've been telling SE to copy Treasure here for too long, do it SE! The hype overload may kill me, but it'll be worth it!

Diadem basically had potential, but it was just a lot of empty space with nothing to do besides killing mobs and gathering. This could have been an excellent way to get another use out of treasure maps.

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Originally Posted by EdwinLi

So we have a solo mode and a team mode for thus place.

I wonder how many people will go into the place Solo for the Solo challenge

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It will probably be my place of solace when I want some "me" time.

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Originally Posted by MilesSaintboroguh

Diadem basically had potential, but it was just a lot of empty space with nothing to do besides killing mobs and gathering. This could have been an excellent way to get another use out of treasure maps.

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Sorry to get off topic, but I think Treasure Maps would be better served making standard dungeons slightly more entertaining. You go in, "Hey, I've got a map for here" and that acts as sort of an optional objective to do in the dungeon, and everyone damn well wants to do it because its easy extra tomestones. You wouldn't always have a run of Neverreap where someone breaks up the monotony with a map, but you might occasionally... This would also have the added benefit of putting more people back into various dungeons, if I get a map that points me to Sohm Al, I'll queue Sohm Al, where as right now my only reason to do that is leveling (which I'll eventually be done with) or the Anima quest (same thing), maps would provide a constant reason to jump back into such dungeons. Furthermore, they could put maps in the dungeons... Rather than opening a chest to the fanfare of Blank Prisms, you might obtain something that has your group going "Wait, lets go back and do this!". Could even slap Hunts in there for that matter, open a chest, it contains something to spawn a Hunt enemy so you go do that for the rewards, though as far as open world Hunts go, I'd much rather see them turned into "endgame" Levequests.

Would be interesting if the apply something like that to this Palace, actually... This game needs more horizontal progression, would be quite nice if you reach a point in the Palace where the path is blocked and you need <Item#42>, so you ask around, find out <Item#42> drops in Aurum Vale (because I'm literally Satan), so you have new reason to do Aurum Vale (or you can just buy the item off the Market Board). I'd enjoy that, since it would make it even more of a quest to reach the end of this place, though I can totally understand others not wanting anything remotely like that...

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Originally Posted by Altanas

It will probably be my place of solace when I want some "me" time.

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Handling your "spear" on an old, dark and mossy dungeon...

Also, please dungeon be near west shroud. I want to see west shroud and that yellow crystal.

Completely agree with what Nalien said, man if this led to a Mythic style relic weapon quest line that actually contained "hard" things to do that would be sick.

Relic for casual, Mythic for the hard-core.

I wonder what sort of rewards will be attached.

I'm also curious about the solo-play aspect. I can only imagine that soloing it as a healer will basically be the same as soloing a fate as a healer. Which is like watching paint dry.

Ooo, they could give you a party of mediocre NPCs so that you could actually test your healing skill, rather than how much you can spam Malefic 2/Stone 3/Broil.

I also hope they move away from the "few enemies that hit harder with a crapton of health" style to the "many smaller enemies with less health and less damage" style. They'd die at about the same rate, but it would be less like watching paint dry.

Hopefully this turns out well :) I wonder too what they plan to do with diadem...and what are the rewards from this?

This reminds me of the optional dungeon in Tactics. Hope it doesn't have too much in the way of 'too dark to see' areas.

I wonder if those weapons of light are the result of the new relic quest or could they the drops of these dungeons?

http://i.imgur.com/Xdzy4ia.png
http://i.imgur.com/7D27xhT.png

It does appear like the weapon(s) used in the begining sequence
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tD0y7cQC7fg/maxresdefault.jpg

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Originally Posted by MilesSaintboroguh

Diadem basically had potential, but it was just a lot of empty space with nothing to do besides killing mobs and gathering. This could have been an excellent way to get another use out of treasure maps.

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What burned me about Diadem is I wish it could of been more like Dynamis, in the sense you have stages, you start with Bastok/Windurst/Jeuno/Sandoria, then move to Glacier, then to Xarcabard. It feels like what's missing from Diadem is the actual sense of exploring different islands with your airship. Instead it was exploring one zone with 3 difficulties. Instead those "difficulties" could of been from progressing through the "Diadem" content and not just 3 of the same instances with different coats of paint on them.