The ARR Dungeon Gear Overhaul Thread

Posting this seemed like a good idea because I've been driven half-insane by trying to farm the Lord's set over in Pharos Sirius, so let me provide some backstory.

It's no mystery that a lot of ARR's dungeon gear is...well, kind of shit. As a Fending gear user, I notice this especially, with many Fending gear sets being essentially palette swaps of the basic ARR tank armor set(though admittedly, some of them have neat traits, which we can work with).

My big bugbears, though, are a dungeon chain that goes from Pharos Sirius Normal to Snowcloak: half of that dungeon chain is utterly bloated with mostly terrible-looking gear sets, the other doesn't give ANY gear sets at all, which is sort of shameful.

So I got the idea to start this thread, where we can go over each dungeon's stuff and offer ideas and suggestions as to how to improve the gear there, while making the most of the descriptors currently in use as well(I'll give an example in my next post). However, as I am a tank main, I can only really offer a tank's perspective on gear, so if you're another class-type main and want to weigh in as well, or even just offer feedback, you're more then welcome to.

We'll start at the very start...

SASTASHA(NORMAL)

As a Tank main, I have a really big bone to pick with this place's Fending set...it's LITERALLY a rename of the craftable Bronze fending set. Not even a slight model alteration(I have no problem with the Warded Round Shield, but there's a better place for it, you'll see).

As such, I say we use only the Plundered name for the gear sets from this dungeon(don't worry, Acolyte's and Foestriker's enjoyers, you'll get your time in the sun soon!), and instead of palette swaps of the Bronze set, we make this set live up to the moniker more. Scavenged wood and metal, worn over thick clothing and held together with scrap, leather straps, nails, rivets and ill will. Kind of the 'extremely low budget' approach to armor, which kind of fits given the piratical nature of the dungeon.

Thus, the tanking set here could well be called the Plundered Fending set, evoking the design of the square shields: vertical wood paneling held together by bolted strips of metal and reinforced with leather straps and belts, the kind of thing that really says 'starter dungeon gear', but in a cool way! In addition, as the Plundered War, Plundered Magic and Plundered Maiming sets are, at most, between three and one pieces big, I say we expand those as well...anyone who plays the associated classes, of course, is free to offer their insights on these in my stead.

And as Sastasha is a den of pirates, as a PLD main, I figure the PLD weapons could be messed with too: the weapon becoming the Plundered Cutlass, a notched, curved blade fit for raiders of the high seas, and the matching shield being the Plundered Window Shutter, essentially a thick, double-doored window shutter someone kept closed with a heavy padlock, reinforced with scrap plating and attached a handle to, to use as a shield.

Before you get any further with this, firstly you can edit your post to get around the initial 3000-character limit, but more importantly what you are looking at is already the overhaul.

The current state of the ARR dungeon gear was implemented in patch 5.3 and added "unique" (mostly shared model) items in the dungeons that previously only dropped identical-to-crafted aetherial pieces. It took the patchwork of random pieces dropped by dungeons and made sure that every one now drops three complete sets of gear and an at-least-slightly unique weapon for each class.

That said, I think the early dungeons should have gotten a unique tank set to properly match the Hall of the Novice set, as the Acolyte and Foestriker sets do.

Considering most recent dungeon gear in EW is absolutely atrocious looking (especially tank gear) and doesn't even look anything like armour generally, I actually prefer the low level gear, at least it looks functional. Also armour doesn't have to necessarily match the theme of the dungeon, it's there for gameplay purposes not story.

Also pre level 50 gear was mostly returning gear in both stats and design from 1.0, which had a lot more design limitations on gear, so a certain amount of lowering of expectations is needed. Not to mention until recently dungeons also used to drop pink aetherial gear which SE replaced with dungeon-specific gear with equivelant stats, on top of the 'normal' dungeon gear, so there is variety there.

Besides, level 15 players can go through the Beginner's Hall if they want fancy gear.

I know both of you have a point, and that what we have now is better then what ARR players had to slog through with Aetherial gear...but that doesn't mean that, as a Tank player, I have to be satisfied with damn near every Fending set from ARR dungeons being palette-swaps of the same basic-bitch armor sets(plate, scale). That is why I started this thread, to vent some ideas to actually make these sets stand out and worth farming for(and yes, I'd totally go back and farm for them if this happened!).

Anyway, let's keep going. Next up is...

TAM-TARA DEEPCROFT(NORMAL)

Remember when I said the Acolyte's set would have its time in the sun? THIS dungeon is where I figure it could go, as associated with the Lambs of Dalamud. Heavy on the robes for all sets and adorned with some wood, a bit of metal protection and lots and lots of Lambs of Dalamud iconography and scripture. Really drive home that 'crazy cultist' sort of look.

The tanking set here, I figure, could be called the Acolyte Bodyguard set, featuring thick robes and armor essentially made of worn-out, strapped-together books with thick leather-and-iron covers, adorned with torn pages featuring scribbled scripture and Lambs-centric iconography, with the 'cuirass' being a big, opened book cover that's heavier on the metal, and pauldrons and and fauld made of tied and strapped tomes of a similar kind of make.

PLD weapons here...for the actual weapon, the Acolyte's Sword, perhaps a thinner sword ala the Inquisitor's Tuck, and for the shield...well, what better to use then the Warded Round Shield, renamed to the Acolyte's Warded Round Shield?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Insidhe

I know both of you have a point, and that what we have now is better then what ARR players had to slog through with Aetherial gear...but that doesn't mean that, as a Tank player, I have to be satisfied with damn near every Fending set from ARR dungeons being palette-swaps of the same basic-bitch armor sets(plate, scale). That is why I started this thread, to vent some ideas to actually make these sets stand out and worth farming for(and yes, I'd totally go back and farm for them if this happened!).

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Had you looked at any crafted gear?

I certainly have, which is why I call the armor sets involved 'basic'. Many of the dungeon sets I have beef with are, in fact, recolors or outright renames of said crafted gear(and some, like the Sentinel's set, don't even hide it that well). I have no problem at all with said sets existing, I just have a problem with them being damn near everywhere in ARR dungeons.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Insidhe

I certainly have, which is why I call the armor sets involved 'basic'. Many of the dungeon sets I have beef with are, in fact, recolors or outright renames of said crafted gear(and some, like the Sentinel's set, don't even hide it that well). I have no problem at all with said sets existing, I just have a problem with them being damn near everywhere in ARR dungeons.

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Might I suggest you look at some of the 25-35 gear for fend etc, try a few dyes and see the results. Yes they are basic, this was the restart of ARR, so a lot of work still had to be done on fashions etc. I have a few sets using pure white or jet black dyes, soot black as well, maybe try a few of the gold dyes, the results will interest you.

Iron scale / Iron cuirass / steel cuirass / steel chainmail / iron scale mail have some possibilities. A lot of dungeon stuff cant BE dyed, which is why I suggested crafted, try toadskin jacket as well, maybe boarskin harness, see what you can do with a mix and match.

ARR was, as you remember ( or you should ) the relaunch of the game,. and yes a lot of the early armor is kinda generic, it also fits with the intent of you being a simple adventurer. I agree the actual types are somewhat basic , but IMO if you combine crafted with specific pieces you may be surprised.

And let's keep right along, because next up is...

COPPERBELL MINES(NORMAL)

This, I figure, could be where the Foestriker's set makes its home...and, as the actual Foestriker's set is one of the nicer-looking ARR dungeon sets already, I say we just keep to its theme while we diversify: cloth, leather and chainmail, with asymmetrical pieces and the occasional small plate of bright metal, made more for flash and recognition then practicality, but getting the job done.

A tanking set of this nature could be called the Foestriker's Fending set, and, true to form, having more of that bright metal displayed across the chest, both shoulders and a small fauld, while not detracting from the overall theme the Foestriker's sets have going. To keep the asymmetry theme going, the armor on one side could well be larger then on the other.

And as for PLD weapons, what I figure could be neat is both the Foestriker's Falchion, to make use of the old Plundered Falchion's assets, paired with the Foestriker's Square Shield, a square of strapped metal of the same style as the armored plates the Foestriker's set already has, maybe with a small chainmail drape on the underside.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by VelKallor

Might I suggest you look at some of the 25-35 gear for fend etc, try a few dyes and see the results. Yes they are basic, this was the restart of ARR, so a lot of work still had to be done on fashions etc. I have a few sets using pure white or jet black dyes, soot black as well, maybe try a few of the gold dyes, the results will interest you.

Iron scale / Iron cuirass / steel cuirass / steel chainmail / iron scale mail have some possibilities. A lot of dungeon stuff cant BE dyed, which is why I suggested crafted, try toadskin jacket as well, maybe boarskin harness, see what you can do with a mix and match.

ARR was, as you remember ( or you should ) the relaunch of the game,. and yes a lot of the early armor is kinda generic, it also fits with the intent of you being a simple adventurer. I agree the actual types are somewhat basic , but IMO if you combine crafted with specific pieces you may be surprised.

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Also, that is actually a thing I do. Maybe not with the dyes, but one of the glam sets I rock is very much that in spirit. And I'm not objecting to people who do that. But the point I'm making here in this thread is, while it's fine for crafted sets to do this, dungeon sets really should be a little bit MORE, so as to justify farming up a full set and not looking barely any different from something one can craft. :p

BNTW Insidhe, if you have it, try the earlier leather sets / iron cuirass, combine that with the Leonhart Bottoms, a set of black gloves and boots. Add in a nice shield and thats a serious fighting look.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by VelKallor

BNTW Insidhe, if you have it, try the earlier leather sets / iron cuirass, combine that with the Leonhart Bottoms, a set of black gloves and boots. Add in a nice shield and thats a serious fighting look.

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...huh. Might give that a go sometime, actually. As-is, the set I'm currently using is very much a 'Tank casual' set. A pair of glasses(I use Inspector's), felt robe, iron gauntlets and sabatons, woolen sarouel, decorated iron shield and any given sword.

I'd use the Woolen robe, but that pairs well with Mythril armor, which doesn't have a good-looking shield to match it.

But to keep on trucking, next up is...

HALATALI(NORMAL)

To this day, I actually still don't know what a Doctore even is, besides a palette swap of Gridania's Dullahans. If they're trying to showcase gladiatorial gear, all of the ones featured just seem like they cover too much skin(actual gladiators actually went very lightly-dressed), so that's a look I figure we can use...without being AS bare-bones as the Colosseum Galerus and Subligar pair with the addition of heavier strapping and thicker, more durable metal pieces and helmets.

Thus, I figure a tanking set here could be the Bloodsand Fending set. A good deal of skin shown, as is the norm for gladiator gear, but featuring a tough helm with a face cover whose three vision-and-breathing slits make a vague outline of a bull head, a protective metal plate over the heart and a big shoulder pad on the same side, simple plated arm protectors and shinguards and a skirt wrought of coeurl pelts. Maybe a short mantle as well.

The PLD weapons here could be the Bloodsand Gladius, as the short, redoubtable gladius was ever the favored sword of Roman warriors, and the Bloodsand Pocket Scutum, a square shield done up the same way the Scutums already in-game are, but smaller.

Hell, maybe add a bonus set, the Bloodsand Bull set, which is basically dyable cosplay Raubahn gear. :p

Shields.

Hmmm..................

Try one of these....?

Company Escutcheon / bronze hoplon / scorpion shield / eagle crested round shield / warded round shield? Or failing that, maybe the GC escutcheon? ( Maelstrom/ Adder etc..). I AM aware a lot of the early ones cant be dyed..I am wondering ( as I actually dont know ) if they are like that as dyes were introduced later? That always did puzzle me.

The company one looks VERY nice..I actually wanted the shield of the Black Falcon..."Yonda lies the cassle of my faddah.." ( Tony Curtis movie, Black Shield of Falworth.. long story....;););) )

Helmets: for a fend set..maybe the mythril barbut? I am again not sure if it can be dyed..maybe make one and see?

Entirely possible...but it's honestly just easier to settle for Iron stuff. Plus, the Decorated Iron Scutum actually DOES look pretty nice. :p

Now THIS is a shield

Damn , image too big Ill leave the link for you

https://drawshield.net/gallery/0018/...ery-001827.png\

This is the company one

https://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/w/imag...Escutcheon.png

Anyway, moving right on...

THOUSAND MAWS OF TOTO-RAK

The dungeon itself may have gotten a much-needed overhaul, which I very much approve of, but the gear found within still sucks. The coolest thing there is the yellow-and-black pattern on the Brigand's Acton, but besides that, the sets involved just lack an identity. So why not take that pattern and make it a central theme? Thick cloth backed with leathers and furs, and perhaps even wooden armor, to really show what Gridania's all about.

Thus, a tanking set here could be called the Toto-Rak Warden's Fending set, featuring leather armor, the same color as the Thalassian Targe, reinforced with wooden paneling of a more natural style, almost like thick slabs of armored bark, a leather helmet with bark plates covering it, paired with a mask, and a long, heavy fauld of more of these bark pieces, all of which are occasionally adorned with strips of pelt, likely from the deer that frolic right outside the place.

For PLD weapons, I actually don't have any suggestions. Frostbite and the Thalassian Targe work just fine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by VelKallor

Now THIS is a shield

Damn , image too big Ill leave the link for you

https://drawshield.net/gallery/0018/...ery-001827.png\

This is the company one

https://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/w/imag...Escutcheon.png

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...yeah, the Company Escutcheon IS apretty nice shield. I hope to craft it someday, it'll go nice on my Storm Elite set with some nice red dye.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Insidhe

Anyway, moving right on...

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If you want anyone to read any of this you should really just please edit all of it into your second post so people don't have to scan the entire thread to find your main points that you've interspersed between people's commentary. Use new replies specifically for replying to things people have said.