Please consider changing the role of normal mode Alexander in future patches

[Ashkendor]

SE doesn't have a problem with cutting difficulty
(Steps of Faith, T6-8, ever-increasing Echo...etc.)

Everyone expects content to get nerfed as it ages and therefore becomes less pertinent, but not so much when it's newly released. I guess I just don't see what the point of it being released later and/or dropping the same item level gear as upgraded Law equipment would be. I think a lot of people just kind of forget that casuals form the vast majority of the playerbase, and when you get down to it a lot of them have the same fundamental wants as hardcore raiders. In short, they want to progress too. Sure, you don't need anything above Law gear to clear anything short of Savage but it's certainly a lot less of a pain in the ass. I know I cringe when I go into a dungeon or trial and see people barely scraping by on item level, because I know it's probably gonna be a bumpy ride.

TL;DR - everyone loves blowing stuff up faster so moar gears pliz.

[Renault]

Everyone expects content to get nerfed as it ages and therefore becomes less pertinent, but not so much when it's newly released. I guess I just don't see what the point of it being released later and/or dropping the same item level gear as upgraded Law equipment would be. I think a lot of people just kind of forget that casuals form the vast majority of the playerbase, and when you get down to it a lot of them have the same fundamental wants as hardcore raiders. In short, they want to progress too. Sure, you don't need anything above Law gear to clear anything short of Savage but it's certainly a lot less of a pain in the ass. I know I cringe when I go into a dungeon or trial and see people barely scraping by on item level, because I know it's probably gonna be a bumpy ride.

So you're a casual, as you put it, and that's fine. You're right, you guys make up the majority of the playerbase, pay your $15 a month and yadda yadda. So let me ask you: if you shouldn't be forced to do difficult raid content to see the story of the raid tier, why should I, as a "hardcore" player, have to farm content that was made specifically for casuals to be able to do my hardcore content? Not sure of your opinion on this second point I have here, but tons of people in my FC (which is all casual players except for myself) are not even doing Alexander normal passed their 1st clear because they will just get better loot from Eso gear anyway. So would it really change much for you guys if it was just i180, glamourable gear? I'd like to hear your opinion!

[Colorful]

So you're a casual, as you put it, and that's fine. You're right, you guys make up the majority of the playerbase, pay your $15 a month and yadda yadda. So let me ask you: if you shouldn't be forced to do difficult raid content to see the story of the raid tier, why should I, as a "hardcore" player, have to farm content that was made specifically for casuals to be able to do my hardcore content? Not sure of your opinion on this second point I have here, but tons of people in my FC (which is all casual players except for myself) are not even doing Alexander normal passed their 1st clear because they will just get better loot from Eso gear anyway. So would it really change much for you guys if it was just i180, glamourable gear? I'd like to hear your opinion!

You shouldn't be, hence why I stated in a post in another thread that Savage should be balanced around the best gear available at the time, and if Savage and NM were released at the same time that would be upgraded law... or at least the 1st, 2nd, and maybe 3rd floor.

Gonna respectfully disagree with you on this one, and here's why:

What if a progression savage raider -wants- to do Alexander normal to gear their alt or help their friends? While I still stand by my opinion that normal mode, if it's going to be on the same level of difficulty as story mode content, should not drop gear, I don't think forcing players to do one or the other is a good solution.

If you wanted to do it to help a friend friend, don't loot anything. That would keep your loot unrestricted for both modes should you choose to do one or the other. As for gearing your alts, does that not contradict your idea of them not dropping gear at all? I'd suggest the secondary tomes. As others have already addressed, wouldn't you still run Alexander normal mode to help you out with savage even if it weren't released until 2-4 weeks after Savage? Most groups won't have it cleared until a month, two, or three from this point. In a months time after Savage and Eso are out they'd have two pieces of Eso and maybe a few Savage pieces. They'd still be running normal mode for the loot to help out their savage progression.

[Ashkendor]

So you're a casual, as you put it, and that's fine.

I am? That's news to me. My static's working on A2S right now.

Behind the frontrunners for sure, but definitely not casual. o.O

[VargasVermillion]

casual/hardcore depends on the amount of time you invest in a game really, you could do raid content and still be a casual.

[T2teddy]

Also, second coil provided no gear

Excuse me?
Turn 1 belts, boots, gloves and accessories
Turn 2 - head, chest, pants, gloves, accessories
Turn 3 - The same but various classes
Turn 4 - Weapons

So Second Coil most certainly did/does drop level apropriate gear. In fact so do the three Crystal Tower raids. So does every main story dungeon.

[Colorful]

Excuse me?
Turn 1 belts, boots, gloves and accessories
Turn 2 - head, chest, pants, gloves, accessories
Turn 3 - The same but various classes
Turn 4 - Weapons

So Second Coil most certainly did/does drop level apropriate gear. In fact do the three Crystal Tower raids. So does every main story dungeon.

I think s/he meant Savage Second Coil.

[Leshpar]

I will probably never be able to do savage as all I have is the Duty finder and a few FC mates. I hope you can clear normal with the DF, because I really do want to do alexander, but I don't have the time to dedicate to 4 or 5 nights a week raiding.

[Yukiko]

casual/hardcore depends on the amount of time you invest in a game really, you could do raid content and still be a casual.

I like to believe there is no casual/hardcore, we are all players! point.
From the view of RPG (i think we are playing such a genre): we have many characters with different needs. There are no casual characters or hardcore caracters, we are all players with a character leveling and gaining "real" experience. So, what should content look like?

Even gates and doors having a "key" to open them, but SE is building brickwalls you cant climp up... We simply have to "wait" for months untill SE is adding a "ladder" to that brickwall they have build. There is no feeling of "adventure" or anything that the character can do to progress... its not a RPG its more like a "sim". They are doing it to gain money but they oversee the problem with "waiting". And its not only the "waiting" for better iLvL to beat savage, its omnipresent in FFXIV, you have to wait everywhere! Dungeonfinder queue, gathering spots, weather, RNG luck, friends time... there is content you can do without waiting, indeed, but then you have zero to no progress!

[Ashkendor]

I will probably never be able to do savage as all I have is the Duty finder and a few FC mates. I hope you can clear normal with the DF, because I really do want to do alexander, but I don't have the time to dedicate to 4 or 5 nights a week raiding.

Normal is definitely DF'able. I usually run in a premade of 5-8 so that makes it easy (that one lucky DPS that gets a 7 man premade, lol) but even the times that I've solo queued, I've only seen a few vote abandons.