What would you like to see from a future story arc? (Spoilers)

I'm curious what established pieces of XIV lore people would be interested in for a future story arc. It doesn't have to necessarily be for the MSQ.

I personally would like to see more of Gabranth since I was very invested in the Bozja storyline, and his field note kept the door open for him doing something in the future. I would also be interested in going back to the War of the Magi in a revamped Eorzea in a similar way to FFXI Wings of the Goddess. While I'm usually not too keen on time travel plots, I think a setting like the War of the Magi is too good to miss. Mhach, Nym, Amdapor; they're all quite cool, and I'm glad that the Occult Crescent seems to be tied to them. Even going back and exploring more of Ilsabard and seeing what other Garlean legions are up to would be interesting.

What would you like to see?

Defiantly some story taking place in Ilsabard im getting tired seeing the clouds over the continent

go 2 a diff shard with no scions new cast of character perfect expansion 10/10

that we conquer the world!!!

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Originally Posted by Aladar

I'm curious what established pieces of XIV lore people would be interested in for a future story arc. It doesn't have to necessarily be for the MSQ.

I personally would like to see more of Gabranth since I was very invested in the Bozja storyline, and his field note kept the door open for him doing something in the future.

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Matsuno already said that everything to do with Ivalice and Bozja is considered closed by CS3, so that's unfortunately not happening despite being left open. I'm still mad about it.

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Originally Posted by Daralii

Matsuno already said that everything to do with Ivalice and Bozja is considered closed by CS3, so that's unfortunately not happening despite being left open. I'm still mad about it.

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When was that? I read an interview after Bozja where Matsuno and Yoshi-P said they weren’t going to do a Dalmasca liberation arc, but had potential for something else in the same vein as the first part of Bozja with the solo story zone and a trial that takes place after Dalmasca is liberated.

Yoshi-P even said we’ll see Fran again.

The country of Bozja’s story seems to be closed, but there seems to be other Ivalice stuff they were thinking about.

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Originally Posted by MikkoAkure

When was that? I read an interview after Bozja where Matsuno and Yoshi-P said they weren’t going to do a Dalmasca liberation arc, but had potential for something else in the same vein as the first part of Bozja with the solo story zone and a trial that takes place after Dalmasca is liberated.

Yoshi-P even said we’ll see Fran again.

The country of Bozja’s story seems to be closed, but there seems to be other Ivalice stuff they were thinking about.

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https://i.imgur.com/visVdGr.jpeg

While he could have misinterpreted the reply, the Ivalice plans were cancelled according to him.

Ilsabard, Bozja, Dalmasca, Nagxia, Landis, the political turmoil there with resistances fighting over who gets to do the new laws (Bozja)

Like in so many Final Fantasies have the new MSQ focus around a centering love story (Loads of numbered Final Fantasies have these, I can't see why they can't write it for 14)

Yeet the Scions, maybe have one or two with us and have a new cast.


Write something else than a:

- Pseudophilosophical armchair take like "Oh, fear of death" and have all the npc's mold to it and have no other personality or aspirations or life besides bending over backwards to represent your THEMES
- Anime good vs bad story + melodrama, with NAKAMA and PROTECT EVERYONE AROUND ME as the centerfold

I enjoyed the Bozjan storyline, because it had nuance, it had you wonder if all that the empire was doing was bad after all. They built orphanages, educated people, took them off the streets. We could've had factions, more progressive legions, the populares to add nuance. The empire needed to be crushed, sure, but it could've been reformed into a shaky new beginning with the capital still intact and maybe legions fighting against each other in the backround.

But Endwalker farted all over that worldbuilding and went evil evil evil and used the butt samurai equivalent of a story dishrag to wipe it all out in one fell swoop OFFSCREEN so he could act smug on a chair for a full expansion, stalk us in the backround, do NOTHING and appear out of NOWHERE to duel us in the END OF THE UNIVERSE. Don't get me wrong, I love some of Ishikawa's work, but her and her team were vaping something extra when they rushed Endwalker out and were deciding what to do with Zenos.

Remember how in a sidequest in Shadowbringer it was established that it may be possibke to save the 13th?

Like they litterly make us send a porxy filled with ather into the void to find out if travle would be possible and rebalancing of the 13 ather an option... And the answer was yes... And we never ever did anything with that knowledge.

Entering the 13th in the aim to save what is possible would have been precisly the clean slate I imagin the story would have needet after Endwalker. But it not even getting mentioned ever again feels very disappointing.

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Originally Posted by Hallarem

Like in so many Final Fantasies have the new MSQ focus around a centering love story (Loads of numbered Final Fantasies have these, I can't see why they can't write it for 14)

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I don't think they'll ever do this. I suspect it's fan service thing - not wanting to alienate anyone who imagines their WoL with a particular character. Evidenced by the number of players who make reference to (for example) Y'Shtola being their waifu or G'raha being their husband.

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Originally Posted by Daralii

https://i.imgur.com/visVdGr.jpeg

While he could have misinterpreted the reply, the Ivalice plans were cancelled according to him.

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Interview dated later that year after those quotes you pulled said differently.

https://www.famitsu.com/news/202109/27234807.html

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Originally Posted by Reddit Summary

They are aware of the field records hinting at a future for the story, and Matsuno said it is envisioned to continue after the liberation of Dalmasca (so there was always going to be some sort of time gap)

Yoshida said that if they would make it (a story after the liberation of Dalmasca), he would like to see it in the style of the relic content in 5.25 (which was the journey through cid's memories, basically story content with a trial at the end).

Yoshida said Fran and the WoL would meet again in the future in the aftermath and focus on the things she left unsaid (hiding the fact Ashe is still alive) and why Lyon did what he did (seemingly killing Gabranth).

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Originally Posted by TheInsomniac13

Remember how in a sidequest in Shadowbringer it was established that it may be possibke to save the 13th?

Like they litterly make us send a porxy filled with ather into the void to find out if travle would be possible and rebalancing of the 13 ather an option... And the answer was yes... And we never ever did anything with that knowledge.

Entering the 13th in the aim to save what is possible would have been precisly the clean slate I imagin the story would have needet after Endwalker. But it not even getting mentioned ever again feels very disappointing.

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Have you played the post-6.0 MSQ?

Meracydia… I want another expansion with a HW feel, and what better way than going to a land with dragons? There’s a lot of other interesting story beats they could hit there as well.

I want them to set up Ultima as the next big bad, not The High Seraph, just Ultima. 'Ultima prime.' And the next set of expansions require us to not only unite the rest of The Source, but the remaining shards against them as well.

I just finished Endwalker and then 7.2 realeased and seeing the way jobdesign is once again devolving kinda killed all passion to continiue the game.

But judging by your question I asume they actualy did something with the 13th plotline I am unaware of so my former statment is invalide... Deamit having friends that spile storys to you realize what they just did and then try to mislead in hopes to save some of the story for you.

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Originally Posted by TheInsomniac13

I just finished Endwalker and then 7.2 realeased and seeing the way jobdesign is once again devolving kinda killed all passion to continiue the game.

But judging by your question I asume they actualy did something with the 13th plotline I am unaware of so my former statment is invalide... Deamit having friends that spile storys to you realize what they just did and then try to mislead in hopes to save some of the story for you.

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The entirety of EW's patch cycle was spent exploring the 13th in a weird partial retelling of FF4, ending with its restoration being set in motion.

I would like to see more war arcs that does not have egregious "squeaky clean good guy vs evil bad guy" morality, and the consequences of the war and people's hatred for each other is not handwaved away after the active conflict ends.

I would like to see Matsuno finish his storyline, which seemed like it was heading towards Gabranth having absorbed his soul into one of the Save the Queen/Auracite weapons that Lyon brought back. We might get to see Lea Monde and older Ashe.

I would like to see a completely full, brand new party added and able to be used as trusts in instances rather than get paired with the Scions for the umpteenth time. Their story is over. It is time to move on to new things. I would like to see the new cast of characters express contention and animosity, rather than the situation we have now where all of the Scions are a homogenous blob nodding their heads in unison and never stepping on each other's toes.

On the microlevel, the pacing of the MSQ needs to be tightened up. There is far too much running around talking to NPCs, giving them guided tours, reading fluff conversations, etc. You go hours without anything tense happening. The sidestorylines tend to be much more engaging because there is comparatively far less filler, so most of the runtime of the story has higher tension (ie compare Arcadion, Eden, and Werlyt to the MSQ).

I'm far more interested in the Source than the shards, so for me it would be Meracydia and Ilsabard that would be top of the list.

If we do go to a shard, I really hope it can be its own place with its own unique cultures rather than being particularly associated with one FF game, like they did with the Void/IV and with Dawntrail.

I'd personally like the Scions to stay with us, but in groups of 2-3 at most per expansion and to rotate out as needed.

I want to spend time with Graha, Erenville, or Zero again. I know they're always been supporting cast, but I want an entire side story dedicated to them, even if their role is finished in MSQ.

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Originally Posted by CCheshire

I want to spend time with Graha, Erenville, or Zero again. I know they're always been supporting cast, but I want an entire side story dedicated to them, even if their role is finished in MSQ.

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Would be nice to see how Zero has been getting on.

Some themes I would love to see them explore: environmentalism, identity, relationships with power, systemic change, love and hate, and cosmic horror.

Good gameplay that doesn't revolve around pressing the same button sequences over and over with 30 "does damage" skills.

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Originally Posted by Kandraxx

Good gameplay that doesn't revolve around pressing the same button sequences over and over with 30 "does damage" skills.

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Maybe we get a story arc that reduces our button bloat and makes gameplay better

A return to form in world politics like the first three expansions, hell, even Shb had a more interesting political background than DT. The Americas are such a rich source of historical inspiration, and they flubbed it so badly simply because they wanted to sanitize the 'scary' bits like they did in FF16. The stakes don't have any weight to them as a result, so they end up evaporating their audience's investment to the plot. There's a severe lack of interesting world-building right now.

SPOILERS. Just an example of brilliant writing that CS3 was capable of (IMO):

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My favorite scene from EW is when Alisaie and Alphinaud are simply having a conversation about the pitfalls of fundamentalism while being held hostage in Garlemald. This was a deliberate callback and reply to Varis Zos Galvus during Post-Stormblood. But this time, we're in a more calm setting that allows the siblings (and us) to explore some philosophical ideas and the greater consequences they entail. There's something incredibly open and vulnerable with the way this cutscene was presented. I've had conversations with close friends and family members about these types of discussions (minus the kidnapping), and the music was the perfect icing on the cake.

Scenes like this transcended FFXIV beyond it's plot. It was beautifully heartfelt, intelligent, and introspective. We got to see how much Alisaie, and especially Alphinaud, have grown over the years. They developed their own sense of morals and values to be able to refute the destructive principles of a fascist state that has been oppressively looming over the continent. They don't sugarcoat it. There is nuance and no perfect solution exists. They come to understand the enormous complexity and effort that's required to enact change within people whose ideologies don't align with theirs. The writers did their homework and managed to cobble together a somewhat coherent plot, despite EW suffering from pacing and similar issues as DT. This type of consideration is completely absent from the, now overwhelming, corporate fluff that FFXIV has become. Their recent writing is not even remotely relatable or believable in any way.

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Originally Posted by MatchaokaCha

A return to form in world politics like the first three expansions, hell, even Shb had a more interesting political background than DT. The Americas are such a rich source of historical inspiration, and they flubbed it so badly simply because they wanted to sanitize the 'scary' bits like they did in FF16. The stakes don't have any weight to them as a result, so they end up evaporating their audience's investment to the plot. There's a severe lack of interesting world-building right now.

SPOILERS. Just an example of brilliant writing that CS3 was capable of (IMO):

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Rubber bullets so people in Texas don't get offended for appropriating their culture?

Whalaqee censored out of the "stealing natural resources" plotline because native americans would get offended? And replaced with the most childrens cartoon version of a wild west version I've ever seen outside of an actual childrens cartoon. Where everyone is just okey-dokey with massive traintracks and ceruleum being mined out (again, stolen from the whalaqee storyline). No clashing with the native hhetsarro, and when there is a small problem, it gets solved with a trainwhistle OUT OF NOWHERE, invented in two seconds where everyone gets to be happy. No clashing of traditionalism and technology.

A generational conflict no doubt with a plethora of vendettas being sorted by tacos

Birdpeople being gaslighted by a furry to deny them their reeds for sustenance and building materials because they FORGOT their glowing paradefloat actually made their reeds grow

A people whose whole personality and existence is "I'm a merchant"

Fast forward to people whose whole personality is "Oh the theme is "Death is scary, so my whole personality, actions and everything I do revolves around MUH THEMES" instead of being actual functioning member of society (aside from Arcadion characters, a big theme in FFXIV is that the deeper better writing tends to be in raids and side content like Bozja, lots of nuance)

RANT.OVER. Dawntrail and Tural are DONE. 7.2 went into a better direction, but I'm expecting Sphene to be Wuk-Lamat temper-beamed down into a F-tier character somehow. I don't trust them yet.

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Originally Posted by mallleable

Some themes I would love to see them explore: environmentalism, identity, relationships with power, systemic change, love and hate, and cosmic horror.

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I was really hoping they'd go this angle with the Final Days but...alas.

The Endsinger was honestly a really disappointing final boss after the eldritch horror angle a lot of the blasphemy designs were leaning into.

I'd like to see the WoL I dunno, hit his head or get sick or something and pass out, and then the entire expansion is a dream/memory of some of Azem's pre-sundering adventures with his mentor and buddies. It would give us a chance to see more of the World Unsundered and fill in some of the gaps in the lore regarding the Convocation.

Doing it this way would let the devs get around the problem of 'not wanting to show Azem' because it would just be your character playing the part (Well, if they REALLY wanted to get fancy they could start the msq off with character creation to let you make 'your' Azem but just using your existing character would be fine)

A lot less rushed exposition for pre-scoolers. (I like the raid story, 7.2 I still don't like the MSQ)

Fewer of these weird emotionally stunted characters like Zero, and that new crazy scientist boy.

...and I wan't exuberant Wuk Lamat back. Either we broke the character or we broke the voice actor and.. (I didn't. I never disliked Wuk. I disliked the absence of everyone else) ... and It makes me sad.
Dawntrail 7 its just all sads :c .

Merrycitya, the Void, Reaper as Meteor's new expansion main. Machinist becomes number 1 DPS and everyone shits on Dancer and Bard instead.

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Originally Posted by KageTokage

I was really hoping they'd go this angle with the Final Days but...alas.

The Endsinger was honestly a really disappointing final boss after the eldritch horror angle a lot of the blasphemy designs were leaning into.

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I still think it's weird that she didn't get her own theme and just had a medley instead.

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Originally Posted by Turethir

I'm far more interested in the Source than the shards, so for me it would be Meracydia and Ilsabard that would be top of the list.

If we do go to a shard, I really hope it can be its own place with its own unique cultures rather than being particularly associated with one FF game, like they did with the Void/IV and with Dawntrail.

I'd personally like the Scions to stay with us, but in groups of 2-3 at most per expansion and to rotate out as needed.

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Personally, I'd rather enjoy a storyline where we use the 'key' (assuming that we figure out how it works at some point during Dawntrail) to visit another shard and, as you say, discover a interesting culture.....
but have the visit end with something happening that results in the key doing something that sends us back to the source, but not the point where we left - it drops us in Meracydia... except we don't know it's Meracydia; at least not initially. I mean, we know very little about Meracydia's (as Emet-Selch said) "current state of affairs" and the implication was that the only way we'd find out would be to actually travel there.

We'd have to figure it out eventually - evidence of the Allagan Empire and the presence of Dragons would give the game away, but it would be interesting to have a Shadowbringers-esq 'arrive in a strange and unfamiliar, place' start to a story again.

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Originally Posted by Daralii

I still think it's weird that she didn't get her own theme and just had a medley instead.

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She's also the only MSQ extreme aside from Ultima Weapon that didn't get a new phase so it seems like the devs just kinda...didn't care about making her feel terribly grand in comparison to what came before.

Suppose an ultimate might fix that eventually...

get imprisoned, have azem cristal destroyed in a way or another (het rid of these stupid power up BS), taken to a new continent where noone heard of WoL, so we can build around a new casts of characters, be an adventurer again

i really don't like where the story going with 7.2, it gives away that they going with another endwalker style expansion where they want the player to question life, so we get another lost civilization dungeon sometime later in this expansion and god-forbid the last dungeon of 8.0 to have the story go (see what happened to them? appreciate being alive FOOL)

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Originally Posted by Fatch38

get imprisoned, have azem cristal destroyed in a way or another (het rid of these stupid power up BS), taken to a new continent where noone heard of WoL, so we can build around a new casts of characters, be an adventurer again

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For better or worse I think every remaining major region in the world has somebody who knows about the WoL and the Scions now and could contact them if problems arise.

Ilsabard has the cooperative Garleans, Tiamat essentially has Vrtra on speed-dial if something happens in Meracydia, and Hingashi's affairs would likely concern our Doman allies like Hien as well.

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Originally Posted by Khryseis_Astra

Meracydia… I want another expansion with a HW feel, and what better way than going to a land with dragons? There’s a lot of other interesting story beats they could hit there as well.

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i want to go there too but i am afraid of them being there...




https://warcraft.wiki.gg/wiki/Dracthyr_%28playable%29