This made me laugh out loud [RAID SPOILERS]

https://i.imgur.com/yPyvPdx.png

So it is canon. I do love the concept of tournament. But that plot hole of 8 vs 1 is just laughable. I wish the canon is that we fight alone. LOL

In the story they make seven "simulacra" to aid you based on your memories using souls.

"Metem informs you that each fighter in the Ascension Arcadia Championship employs the use of feral souls to augment their strength, and the three tiers of the competition are divided by the potency of the souls utilized: the light-heavyweight tier at the lowest level, followed by the cruiserweight tier, and finally the heavyweight tier at the highest level. Your goal is to climb the ranks by defeating the respective champions of each tier and ultimately become the grand champion. To ensure the matches are fair, Metem requires that the souls of seven fighters join you in battle. Should you be victorious in your matches, he promises to set them free."

https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/w...lenger_Appears

As much as I hate Zenos,

We should bring him back.

Have our char vs him as a turn, and show them what a real one versus one is without feral souls.

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Originally Posted by Kaurhz

As much as I hate Zenos,

We should bring him back.

Have our char vs him as a turn, and show them what a real one versus one is without feral souls.

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I would live for that TBH. Zenos is the president all along!!!

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Originally Posted by Nitelancer

In the story they make seven "simulacra" to aid you based on your memories using souls.

"Metem informs you that each fighter in the Ascension Arcadia Championship employs the use of feral souls to augment their strength, and the three tiers of the competition are divided by the potency of the souls utilized: the light-heavyweight tier at the lowest level, followed by the cruiserweight tier, and finally the heavyweight tier at the highest level. Your goal is to climb the ranks by defeating the respective champions of each tier and ultimately become the grand champion. To ensure the matches are fair, Metem requires that the souls of seven fighters join you in battle. Should you be victorious in your matches, he promises to set them free."

https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/w...lenger_Appears

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Touche.
I really need to focus more on the story text.
I'm glad there's an in-lore reason for the 8-man fight. I'm just guessing the main character summons 7 other souls from the rift to complete his bidding, similar to trials and raids.

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Originally Posted by tsuchii

I would live for that TBH. Zenos is the president all along!!!

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Honestly... Yes!

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Ah, just so, such a thrilling reunion with my friend, enjoying the thrill of the hunt, the sport. Let us show them a contest of the ages. Embrace your true nature!

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I'm used to the way of thinking that everyone else in a group are simply "side characters", adventurers just tagging along for the fight in MMO's when the Player Character is "the special one" in a story.
Can't be multiple of "the one" running around.
I know some fights have an explanation for the other party members, but this is my to-go headcannon when playing.

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Originally Posted by Kaurhz

As much as I hate Zenos,

We should bring him back.

Have our char vs him as a turn, and show them what a real one versus one is without feral souls.

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In the 11th fight, we stand victorious over the champions when the announcer goes, "What... a mysterious stranger with a folded chair has entered the ri-" and all you hear is "A TEST OF YOUR REFLEXES-"

He called us out for being unfair but he doped up with his special juice right in the middle of the fight.

So I think that made us even lol.

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Originally Posted by Kaurhz

As much as I hate Zenos,

We should bring him back.

Have our char vs him as a turn, and show them what a real one versus one is without feral souls.

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Yes! Give us another real fight!

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Originally Posted by Papayatar

He called us out for being unfair but he doped up with his special juice right in the middle of the fight.

So I think that made us even lol.

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He literally kicks the shit outta the referee who says he's cheating and then whines about us beating him lmao

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Originally Posted by Its_Kazzy_D

He literally kicks the shit outta the referee who says he's cheating and then whines about us beating him lmao

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- Dopes up during fight
- Gets disqualified
- Beats up the ref

With our without a team of people he already lost and he did it all on his own. He should have been lucky we didn’t just put him in the ground after his disqualification mid fight.

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Originally Posted by Its_Kazzy_D

He literally kicks the shit outta the referee who says he's cheating and then whines about us beating him lmao

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Papayatar

- Dopes up during fight
- Gets disqualified
- Beats up the ref

With our without a team of people he already lost and he did it all on his own. He should have been lucky we didn’t just put him in the ground after his disqualification mid fight.

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Honestly I loved the four encounters, they really hammed up the wrestling vibes:
- Potential tag team partner who started as your opponent
- Pretty girl whose simps assault anyone who dares defeat her
- Buffoon of a heel who puts on a great show, brandishing too much bravado and breaking rules
- Surprise return of a former champion who puts him in place

Yes, it's goofy. Yes it's over the top. But damn it has a lot of personality and I'm here for it. I think it also helps I switched to JP audio - the announcer goes wild on the callouts. Which - in case it hasn't been mentioned yet - are dynamic to what takes place in the arena.

I still gotta give it to pandemonium for doing the 8 man in coolest way. It was so edgy in its execution.

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Originally Posted by Kaurhz

As much as I hate Zenos,

We should bring him back.

Have our char vs him as a turn, and show them what a real one versus one is without feral souls.

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I think if our memories are brought back there should be a fight where there is a raid ability where you can summon him. That would work.

Supposedly we are allowed more help because we don't have a regulator on our head. While the character says it is 8v1, it's more like 8v2 since they are essentially becoming eikons with the regulators.

I would have loved to have a 1v1 with him, maybe not in front of everyone to not just completely demoralize all future opponents as the WoL smacks him around with the same level of power as fighting Zenos at the end of EW.

ya know. this is another shard. so technically we can get zenos' reflection in here. :P

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaurhz

As much as I hate Zenos,

We should bring him back.

Have our char vs him as a turn, and show them what a real one versus one is without feral souls.

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Considering all the memory stuff this expansion, why not just pull our memory of zenos out for a solo savage fight

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Originally Posted by Kaurhz

As much as I hate Zenos,

We should bring him back.

Have our char vs him as a turn, and show them what a real one versus one is without feral souls.

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Zenos would LOVE the Arcadion and would be absolutely thrilled we actually wanted to fight him there in front of the whole audience. It would be like his nameday had come.

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Originally Posted by tsuchii

Touche.
I really need to focus more on the story text.
I'm glad there's an in-lore reason for the 8-man fight. I'm just guessing the main character summons 7 other souls from the rift to complete his bidding, similar to trials and raids.

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There was a whole conversation about it in a cutscene. The Arcadion has stored the souls of former champions, intended to be drawn upon for matches, and were using them for the simulacra instead. We only agreed to it because Metem offered to set free any souls we had summoned.

How does Eutrope know that the WoL has an extra dense soul?

Sending, zenos shard incoming, from the realm of lightning

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Originally Posted by Jojoya

How does Eutrope know that the WoL has an extra dense soul?

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That's something I noticed, too, and I'm sure that will come up in the story somewhere.

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Originally Posted by Jojoya

How does Eutrope know that the WoL has an extra dense soul?

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She doesn't have any confirmation, she just reached that conclusion after seeing the WoL beating the crap out of everyone.

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Originally Posted by Nitelancer

In the story they make seven "simulacra" to aid you based on your memories using souls.

"Metem informs you that each fighter in the Ascension Arcadia Championship employs the use of feral souls to augment their strength, and the three tiers of the competition are divided by the potency of the souls utilized: the light-heavyweight tier at the lowest level, followed by the cruiserweight tier, and finally the heavyweight tier at the highest level. Your goal is to climb the ranks by defeating the respective champions of each tier and ultimately become the grand champion. To ensure the matches are fair, Metem requires that the souls of seven fighters join you in battle. Should you be victorious in your matches, he promises to set them free."

https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/w...lenger_Appears

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The WoL even refuses at first until Metem proposes to free the soul if they win.
That said, even if WoL was using Azem's Crystal versus the opponent using their gadget and soul fusing it would remain pretty fair.

The opponents can create copies of themselves or summon bombos/bee workers/tesla cannon.
WoL bringing just 7 normal people isn't a stretch.

Can I call her an Ardbert fan?

Is it fair if we use the magical Azem Plot rock to do the same thing

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Originally Posted by CKNovel

The WoL even refuses at first until Metem proposes to free the soul if they win.
That said, even if WoL was using Azem's Crystal versus the opponent using their gadget and soul fusing it would remain pretty fair.

The opponents can create copies of themselves or summon bombos/bee workers/tesla cannon.
WoL bringing just 7 normal people isn't a stretch.

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I like to think that the WoL is more or less holding back and fighting them as 8 regular people... Because we fought Zenos 1v1, who is an exceptionally strong Garlean, who not only had his Echo also had all the power of Shinryu.
Compared to Zenos, I don't think most of the fighters in the Arkadion are anywhere near him in terms of power.

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Originally Posted by CaptainLagbeard

I like to think that the WoL is more or less holding back and fighting them as 8 regular people... Because we fought Zenos 1v1, who is an exceptionally strong Garlean, who not only had his Echo also had all the power of Shinryu.
Compared to Zenos, I don't think most of the fighters in the Arkadion are anywhere near him in terms of power.

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And this is why I hope the writing won't eventually try too hard to make it a power creep in order to give the WoL a challenge. My head cannon is my WoL is not in it for the bloodlust, survival or proper challenge, I'm in it for the theatrics, reward, and a good cause. No different than a champion hosting fight for charity or a sport team going on pre-season tours.

Also with the current structure we probably gonna have one guest appearance each tier, they can use those one for a proper fight. I'm ready for me and my man Eistenien to show the Alexandrian the kind of fight two people can do without regulators.

The WoL's canonical strength often kind of seems all over the place, but tbh I'm fine with the whole "protagonist is as strong as they need to be" trope. Zenos at the end of EW was probably our strongest opponent (hello fellow Zenos haters) and we still beat him solo in the end, but things would get boring fast if we were just perpetually at that level all the time. Plus, I like the implication that, even as absurdly strong as we are, we're ultimately at our best when we band together with others, cause it's very in-line with XIV's major themes.