What's the best way to experience Praetorium properly?

[Iagainsti]

No you don't. Just watch them in your Inn and don't hold up a party for an extra 30-45 minutes in a dungeon that can be completed in 20. Or watch the cut scenes and let the party keep pulling, then run it again to experience the fights. I don't even bother running main scenario because even the soldiery bonus isn't worth it when a new person joins and expects 7 other people to spend over 30+ minutes doing nothing but stand around. This isn't solo content and the way they integrated the cut scenes is a major design flaw that's very difficult to deal with in a way that is fair to both veterans and new players. There's no resolution to this issue, which is why 1.5 years later there are still ongoing threads made about it.

Totally agreeable^^

[Iagainsti]

Let me tell you a story.

Love the write up, and I agree it was fantastic in my AF and Ifrit HM axe, but that was September 2013. It's like Woodstock '69 and '99, the magic isn't there. If you want that kind of experience now, he should be doing Chrysalis and watching those cutscenes.

[Donjo]

Love the write up, and I agree it was fantastic in my AF and Ifrit HM axe, but that was September 2013. It's like Woodstock '69 and '99, the magic isn't there. If you want that kind of experience now, he should be doing Chrysalis and watching those cutscenes.

I'll have to disagree. The main reason something like Woodstock loses the magic is because it's impossible to go back and time and truly see it. However, this is an MMO. Going back in time, so to speak, is perfectly possible. It is still very possible to experience the true magic of the Praetorium today, but I will give it to you that it is definitely more difficult. Prae is still the only content in the entire game that can evoke this kind of experience. It's worth trying to keep it alive

[Iagainsti]

I'll have to disagree. The main reason something like Woodstock loses the magic is because it's impossible to go back and time and truly see it. However, this is an MMO. Going back in time, so to speak, is perfectly possible. It is still very possible to experience the true magic of the Praetorium today, but I will give it to you that it is definitely more difficult.

you'd need a 8man of new 50s, or a premade where no one has gear past i55, bc anything else you're bound to rush it.Just did a run for some fc newbs(ps4 player surge) and tanking at i121, I was pulling the mob train to the bosses, grabbing the alarm adds bc the extra damage was minimal. boss fights im dropping defiance to dps bc they cant do more than 2% of my max hp a hit. you can't go back, just like my reference. Ps- fc newbies all watched the cutscenes from inn room and enjoyed their supper whilst.

[Dualblade]

you'd need a 8man of new 50s, or a premade where no one has gear past i55, bc anything else you're bound to rush it.Just did a run for some fc newbs(ps4 player surge) and tanking at i121, I was pulling the mob train to the bosses, grabbing the alarm adds bc the extra damage was minimal. boss fights im dropping defiance to dps bc they cant do more than 2% of my max hp a hit. you can't go back, just like my reference. Ps- fc newbies all watched the cutscenes from inn room and enjoyed their supper whilst.

Use some seals on all GC equips (including weapon), and you too can go back in time to the days of newbs, where these things actually COULD kill you before you even got to the boss if you rushed em so hard! So really you can do it, if you want too.

Anyways, while it does suck that the PF method doesn't work on small servers, the whole rushing thing is pretty much why we don't have anything quite as cutscene heavy within a dungeon. Who knows, maybe the expansion(s) will be able to do epic things like it, while also somehow keeping people interested enough to not quite speed through it.

[RayneBoemir]

Transfer to my server Adamantoise and I will wait for you to watch cutscenes. I always refuse to move on my tank despite the imploring of people to skip; in fact I had one of these groups the other week. My apologies to that group by the way my internet fizzled. Anyways most people are nice, and only one person in that group complained nonstop. He told us to kick him, and we said no leave and take the penalty.

[Wadoka]

I faced Gaius, flanked by my allies, as we all told him what was truly worth fighting for.

This. Right in the feels.

That fight is the best... darned... scene in the whole Main Scenario.

"Why do you fight?"

Realtime or riot!

If we shared servers I'd queue with you in an eyeblink.

[Sousoulsu]

Blindfolded
Playing with feet (one foot for best experience)
While reciting the tenants of the Geneva Convention verbatim from memory.
Without getting hit by aoe.

[Jhana]

I have this issue now. I want Castrum & Prae done with the scenes and participating in the battles but it seems to be the consensus everywhere that it just isn't gonna to happen. PF yielded only someone sending me a message to just go DF with speed runners and watch at the inn.

I tried DF and got a speed run. No one was rude about me watching but I was left behind (and stuck?) after the 1st boss fight & during the fight it was clear that I wasn't needed anyway. It didn't hurt anyone to leave and I certainly wasn't having fun so I left. I guess if I don't find some FC or something by monday I'll just bite the bullet and speed run. It's a very big bummer for me honestly and a stain on my otherwise great experience with this game but there's not much to be done. I really wouldn't care if an overpowered party crushed the dungeon or if I was with other noobies going slow as long as I could watch the scenes and at least participate in the fights but it looks like a no go.

[Jhana]

Well I couldn't wait until Monday lol. I bit the bullet and speed ran both instances. I got lucky in that both teams were rather polite and patient with my adapting to the speed run on the fly and I have to admit they were both quite exciting that way; especially Castrum. Watching the scenes in the inn wasn't bad but of course I felt would have been better in the instance. Still I had a decent time in the dungeons which left me in a good mood. I imagine the feeling I would have right now would be quite sour if I had ended up with rude or more impatient players but luckily I didn't.

It's just a shame that SE left the final product like this. Someone must have seen that these conflicts would arise. No easy solutions for everybody here which is too bad.