Patch 3.2 Trailer Discussion

[Theodric]

Could 'Raubahn' be Ilberd in disguise? Given that they look somewhat similar and he's wearing a helmet?

I suspect the Raubahn fight may not be as serious as it looks, guy lost his arm, we may just be sparring with him to help him get back into shape.

Yet there's raging flames nearby which suggests that it isn't really a regular sparring match at all - but rather something more sinister. Granted I can't think why he'd betray us unless the WoL's interests no longer align with our own. I've often expressed a desire for the conflict with Garlemald to be more morally dubious than it is already so perhaps they'll force us to put down many Ala Mhigans for going too far in their quest for vengeance against anything remotely related to Garlemald, including civilians/non-combatants?

[Nalien]

Are you asking about Amdapori Time Magic b/c of all the XI models? :P (Beetle, Kraken, Magic Pot...)

I guess... It seems like we've time warped though, the entire area is pristine.

Could 'Raubahn' be Ilberd in disguise? Given that they look somewhat similar and he's wearing a helmet?

How does one disguise a missing limb? Fairly sure it's just a sparring match, he needs a confidence boost after what happened... I guess Ilberd could be so dedicated to his cause that he'd chop off his own arm...

I'm more incline to think we're seeing the aftermath of some Grand Company/Nidhogg conflict. The floor appears to be icy, so it's in Coerthas? Flames as a result of Dragon fire, and after the conclusion to 3.0 you'd expect the Immortal Flames et al to now get involved with their allies conflict. Raubahn then turning to us and sparring because he still feels weak after the battle.

Kind of hard to place the ground though... Could be an entirely metaphysical encounter and we're not fighting Raubahn at all, just a trial in his image because Hydaelyn is twisted. I'm incline to think it is a part of Coerthas though, and a Dragon battle is the only way I can place Raubahn there, plus it explains the fire.

[Theodric]

-snip-

If someone was posing as Raubahn then they'd need to make it authentic - it's possible that the guy's arm is simply hidden beneath the armour. I'm not sure why Raubahn would be sparring with the Warrior of Light if he's out of shape given how powerful the WoL is meant to be. I'm not particularly interested in him matching us/triumphing in an injured state either. Though I'll admit that's largely due to bias and me not particularly liking the guy to begin with. Ultimately, though, he has hundreds - possibly thousands - of able bodied men and women would he could practice with. Why would he come all the way to Coerthas if he can't fight as well as he could, let alone challenge the WoL, arguably the most powerful fighter in all of Eorzea?

[Nalien]

Why would he come all the way to Coerthas if he can't fight as well as he could, let alone challenge the WoL, arguably the most powerful fighter in all of Eorzea?

Why spar against anyone else? It's not like we don't have a history of doing it, either. We had a nice little sparring match with Hoary Boulder.

Given the fire, I think we're seeing the aftermath of a Dragon v Grand Company battle, given Ishgard is now in the Eorzean Alliance. I don't think Raubahn is in bad shape, certainly not if he was on the battlefield, but his psychology is another matter. It's very likely that he feels inadequate as a result of his injury, and would want to prove himself regardless of how well he is. A spar against some Immortal Flames grunt proves nothing, but a spar with the Warrior of Light? He can hold his head high no matter the outcome, really... If he can so much as put a notch on our shield (so to speak) he has proved himself capable again, as far as lore goes, not many can achieve that. If he gets utterly destroyed, well... Would anyone be surprised? We're walking demi-gods at this point...

It's also entirely possible that he is leaving... There is no way we'll have a prolonged confrontation with the leader of the Immortal Flames, but it is possible that he might have a dramatic resignation. Pipin takes up leading the Immortal Flames, while he joins the Ala Mhigan Resistance, perhaps in trade for Y&P. I'd imagine the biggest injury Ilberd inflicted on him was his pride, Raubahn has kind of forgotten about his homeland, while Ilberd did what he did for it... Would make sense for Raubahn to want to push into Ala Mhigo, but given the Eorzean Alliance is likely stuck sorting out its new allies problems for now... Yeah, I could see him dramatically leaving on the battlefield... While Ilberds actions were wrong, I don't think what he said was entirely wrong...