Patch 2.5 Preliminary Notes Discussion

[Alberel]

So is the ?? quest for a primal besides Odin?

Considering the ??? trial has an achievement for completing it called 'Secret Ascian Man' most are assuming it'll be a battle with an Ascian; likely Lahabrea or Nabriales. Given that 2.5 is the conclusion of the current main scenario arc it makes sense that we'd have a battle with one of the actual main villains rather than just another primal.

[Sapphic]

Considering the ??? trial has an achievement for completing it called 'Secret Ascian Man' most are assuming it'll be a battle with an Ascian; likely Lahabrea or Nabriales. Given that 2.5 is the conclusion of the current main scenario arc it makes sense that we'd have a battle with one of the actual main villains rather than just another primal.

Doubt it would be Lahabrea as the Ascian in Ishgard is firmly entrenched and set up to be in a position to pull the strings. Lahabrea had a different agenda.

[Nekodar]

Considering the ??? trial has an achievement for completing it called 'Secret Ascian Man' most are assuming it'll be a battle with an Ascian; likely Lahabrea or Nabriales. Given that 2.5 is the conclusion of the current main scenario arc it makes sense that we'd have a battle with one of the actual main villains rather than just another primal.

Another way to interpret it would be that the player is the secret ascian man... On the french page it was revealed the trial name is La Chrysalide (Chrysalis)... whatever that means in the context of the main story.
Crackpot theory would be that we fight Hydaelyn in that trial...

[Alberel]

Doubt it would be Lahabrea as the Ascian in Ishgard is firmly entrenched and set up to be in a position to pull the strings. Lahabrea had a different agenda.

Actually the scene at the end of 2.3 showed us that it was Lahabrea and Elidibus that were pulling the strings in Ishgard as it was the pair of them stood beside the Holy See. I don't actually think it will be Lahabrea in the trial though. The 2.5 story seems to be focusing a lot more on Nabriales and his personality is quite rash and impatient which suggests to me he's being set up for a fall. He'll probably be the first Ascian that we actually kill outright, whilst Lahabrea is more likely to be a long-running rival/antagonist figure.

[Nalien]

Considering the ??? trial has an achievement for completing it called 'Secret Ascian Man' most are assuming it'll be a battle with an Ascian; likely Lahabrea or Nabriales.

Lahabrea was shown in the Before the Fall Part 2 section of the trailer, with Elidibus behind him if I remember correctly. Granted, we "killed" him before and he came back, but now that we have auracite, and the trailer also showed us using Tupsimati like the Sword of Light we used to defeat Lahabrea the first time on something (almost certainly an auracite trapping an Ascian), so I think we can safely assume that if we go and pick a fight with them we actually also have the means to put them down permanently, so I'd rule out a fight with Lahabrea.

I think Zodiark is actually a possibility... I mean... Even if Lahabrea at the end of Praetorium was actually a challenge... Mechanically it would still be an incredibly boring fight... I can't see a Trial version of it working... Plus "Mystery Trial: Generic Black Robed Villain!" is just such a boring let down...