Better Squadron expansion for 3.0 - 4.0 than Trusts

2.0 trusts are needed, I'll give them that, but it feels like they totally abandoned the squadron system which kinda sucks because it is pretty much a similar system and any issues with squadron could just be fixed instead of making more work.

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Originally Posted by maxxvoltage4

2.0 trusts are needed, I'll give them that, but it feels like they totally abandoned the squadron system which kinda sucks because it is pretty much a similar system and any issues with squadron could just be fixed instead of making more work.

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I think they are doing some adjustments with squadrons, but I think there's some things lost in translation from the recent live letter. All I remember is that they're not completely abandoning them, just reworking them to eventually be trust compatible or something like that idk.

Squadron requires investment (grind seals to rank up, training your squadron, doing missions to level them up so that they can run dungeons with you), while Trust is on-the-fly that requires zero investment



Expanding Squadron beyond lv60 is okay, as it gives players more choice to level up or decorate their little team. However, it should not be the reason why Trust in SB is not necessary. Not everyone invests in squadron.

Some of the most recent info we have:

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Originally Posted by Shibi

Here is the same interview with a revised/formal version on dengekionline. The words used in this formal version are much clear. So please check it out. https://dengekionline.com/articles/119882/

The following section is where the squadrons are mentioned: ――メインIDのフェイス対応に関連して、冒険者小隊の扱いがどうなっていくかもお聞かせください。

Here's a quick translation (sorry for poor English):

"Just like I mentioned in the PLL before, the AI of the Squadrons is totally different from the AI of the Trusts. Lets say that we want to update the Squadrons, then we will have to update the MSQ and ID/Dungeons at the same time (to make them also being able to run smoothly by the Squadrons AI)."

"Furthermore, I think that if we want to further develop the Squadrons system, its better for us to make them have the same (AI) system as the Trusts. Some people might be really looking forward (for the Squadrons updates), but the Squadrons updates will be paused until then (after they have the same AI system as the Trust). (For this reason,) We might give out compensation."

"If we continue to update the Squadrons system (without updating its AI), it will be vastly different (in an inferior way) from the Trusts system. When the players are getting used to the (advanced) Trusts system and Story Support features, it would be very stressful (to make the Squadrons as good as them). In order to make the Squadrons and Trust system together (e.g. use the same AI), and by considering the cost of AI development, I think it would be better to spend our resources (to make Trusts system's AI run) on the MSQ and ID/Dungeons first."

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Personally really hope the interesting, and rewarding, aspect of empowering squadrons is not lost if they do combine the two systems together (which could be a nice win for trusts, then). If not then yeah I definitely would like to see updates for squadrons, with my personal note being I think they could be focused on a GC angle to all tasks. Like supply chains, war table, outpost building/acquisition, stronghold attacks, hamlet defense, etc. Building up the garrison being a potential concept as well. As the trust goes into story content with you then squadrons by lore would be going into those contents after the fact, and so those contents could have different layouts and such. May also have fun with some Shadow of Mordor (LotR) / Dynasty Warrior like vibes.

Does seem like for a while though squadrons will be a slumbering content, as it has been for quite some time. Perhaps also they're using this time to make squadrons interesting / revamped? Which then the AI modifications are certainly a reason, but also because content has to be made and that in and of itself takes time.

I liked the reward of investing in the squadrons though, a max offense squadron with the right jobs was very O_O... "Worth it". Meanwhile trusts start as neat characters with lore vibes, but wet noodles, and end as wet noodles lol (plus I hope they greatly diminish or remove the scaling element, as I feel it encourages sloppy play since the better you do the worse they will do to ensure a certain amount of time is taken to complete content). Also Chocobo, still has accuracy boosting option last I checked which is hilariously outdated stat xD (would love to see a FFT like system applied, I think that could be a fun long term thing for chocobos).

I liked that Squadron NPCs deal more damage than Trust NPCs and can even use AoE, and I liked that Trust NPCs can avoid mechanics and act on their own.
The strengths and flaws of Squadron and Trust are not the same and combined, they could achieve something better than the two.
I'm not having high expectations, but I'll see what SE will do.

Whatever they do with Squadrons I hope that they either keep the Special Missions or add another source off getting these weekly buff allotment scrolls. They are very helpful in addition to the FC buffs.

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Originally Posted by Momo_Kozuki

However, it should not be the reason why Trust in SB is not necessary. Not everyone invests in squadron.

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Not everyone invests in squadrons because it's damn near pointless to do so. If they'd fix that, everyone would invest in the damn things.

Squadrons were probably always just a prototype for Trusts. It's not at all surprising to see them get sidelined now that the real, and mostly better system is in place.

I think at this point Squadrons should just be removed from the game. Inasmuch as grinding for seals unnecessarily hinders progressing your squadron, progressing your squadron unnecessarily hinders ranking up in your GC.

I wouldn't be opposed to the squadron characters still being available in the new trust system, but the squadron system itself is just parasitic and unfun at this point.

I prefer trusts to having babysit idiot squadron...

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Originally Posted by Erendis

I prefer trusts to having babysit idiot squadron...

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I tho the squadrons that babysit us? Literally as healer I don't need to heal the tank because their HP is 4x us...

Also they should've improved the squadrons. I don't want to give up my 5 roes collection :(

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Originally Posted by Knot_D

I tho the squadrons that babysit us? Literally as healer I don't need to heal the tank because their HP is 4x us...

Also they should've improved the squadrons. I don't want to give up my 5 roes collection :(

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I get they can be a bit painful to level up, and they are certainly pointless to level up if you don't need buffs, the achievement reward, or have jobs in the range they can do content... BUT.. yeah a max powered squadron baby sits you. My squadron could do most of a content without my help. . lol.

Squadrons are massively stronger than trusts, when built up. Personally I don't need them to be /massively/ more powerful, but I do greatly appreciate that they have so much growth potential and having them ranked up was like "yeh, this was worth". Especially because I leveled most of my non-instant queue jobs via that content quite a bit faster than pretty much any other option available to you for the period of time you can use them. They made most of the best DF groups look slow once you optimized for GOTTA GO FAST, NO-- FASTER! And cheesed and timed your way through everything, I think I was getting half the time it took a normal party to get through that one winter dungeon with the dragon.

Meanwhile using trusts I usually just feel "gotta not try, because they're going to force you to go slow anyways" (last I heard their damage considers time, so you don't go too fast or slow- if you need help or not, I think it's clever they're thinking about difficulty but I also think this was the wrong way to do it). Still like using them the first time, but I look extremely jealously at my squadrons when using trusts past the first time.

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Originally Posted by Kranel_San

I liked that Squadron NPCs deal more damage than Trust NPCs and can even use AoE, and I liked that Trust NPCs can avoid mechanics and act on their own.
The strengths and flaws of Squadron and Trust are not the same and combined, they could achieve something better than the two.
I'm not having high expectations, but I'll see what SE will do.

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There has to be drawbacks. Squadrons AI were dumb for the same reason trusts don't do aoe's and do less damage in general. They still want dungeon runs to be more efficient for actual player groups. Trusts and squadrons are an option, but they don't want them to be better than a full group of players.

In a JP interview after the first LL68, supposedly Yoshi-P did say they plan to address Squadron AI later, potentially as good as Trusts, but not until after they implement the Duty Support stuff through SB. There's only a fan translation of this interview though.

I like my squadrons, and I don't think the system needs to be abandoned as they still have their place for Optional dungeons... since they've hard-confirmed atm that Trusts/Duty Support NPCs won't be available for places like Aurum Vale... However, there's already a glaring omission then since Squadrons can't go to the 51 dungeon...

I found running dungeons with my Squadron frustrating and find Cecily to be the worst healer in all of FFXIV. Worse than all those new player healers people complain about.

I hope they just replace their AI with Trust AI. I kind of grown attachment to my hand-selected group of NPCs and would like to see them stick around.