Is this entire expansion a bait-and-switch?

[Lone-wolfe-02]

Someone mentioned this in another thread but this expansion might have a "empire strikes back" vibe to it, trying to liberate Ala mhigo and Doma may have disastrous results.

[Ayer2015]

I'd like to see the actual reclamation of Ala Mhigo be the raid based story, which would not see its completion until the end of the xpac. Drag it out and do it well.
Heading East will likely be premised on finding more allies to face the Empire.

[Vexander]

Honestly I'm worried Othard and Ala Mhigo being in the same expansion is too much, that neither will get the full devotion to story they deserve. I won't lie though, I had absolutely -0- interest in Ala Mhigo and a passing interest in Doma, so this at least gives me a little something to look forward to besides 5.0.

[REPROBEAN_CHILD]

I'm beginning to think people need to change their perceptive on this expansion. Rather than seeing it as "the liberation of Ala Mhigo" or "the liberation of Doma," it should be "fighting against the Garleans." It should be noted that Garlemald made an appearance within the trailer and "Revolutions" is the musical theme, which is consistent with the general theme of the expansion.

[FeliAiko]

You're acting like Doma and Ala Mhigo can't or won't get equal representation across the whole 4.x cycle. For all we know, we could be going to Doma first to gain numbers/support (dipping back to the Resistance if/when necessary) before finally making a unified conquest (in 4.5) to fully liberate Mhigo that then sets the stage for the Garlemand confrontation next expansion.

[Laerune]

I am guessing that Ala Mhigo will be the reason why the WoL will go to Othard, maybe the Garleans are too strong and they need ally. From what I have read, unlike Ala Mhigo, Doma has not been conquered that long. Maybe WoL and friends think that Doma will help take back Ala Mhigo if Doma is liberated?

Personaly, I am just happy that Yugiri (who has been absent untill 3.5) will finaly get some screentime, if we are lucky they will give her the same treatment like Estinien and Ysayle.

[myahele]

Someone mentioned this in another thread but this expansion might have a "empire strikes back" vibe to it, trying to liberate Ala mhigo and Doma may have disastrous results.

Possible. Some have speculated that "The Burn" region/ crater-filled area in western Othard could have been a result of the Empire "cleansing" that area of the Primals they encountered.

I am also surprised that we get to explore quite a lot of Othard.

[Nezerius]

Are they going to tell us "welp Ala Mhigo too stronk walls, let's go Doma?".

You have to realise that the city-state of Ala Mhigo has been under Garlean occupation for the last 20-25 years, and it has the full backing of the Garlean Empire.

In comparison, Eorzea had trouble dealing with a single rogue Garlean legion during A Realm Reborn. We're not just gonna roll into Gyr Abania and just liberate a city-state. The Warrior of Light needs way, way more allies to even begin to deal with Garlemald, and helping the people in Othard is a good start of that.

Besides, have you seen Gyr Abania? I don't think it'd be large enough to have an expansion's worth of content.

[Atlaworks]

You have to realise that the city-state of Ala Mhigo has been under Garlean occupation for the last 20-25 years, and it has the full backing of the Garlean Empire.

In comparison, Eorzea had trouble dealing with a single rogue Garlean legion during A Realm Reborn. We're not just gonna roll into Gyr Abania and just liberate a city-state. The Warrior of Light needs way, way more allies to even begin to deal with Garlemald, and helping the people in Othard is a good start of that.

Besides, have you seen Gyr Abania? I don't think it'd be large enough to have an expansion's worth of content.

To be fair, we also punked Thordan so hard he browned himself before dying. We've come a long way since 2.0.

[Exiled_Tonberry]

I don't care about Ala Mhigo or Doma. This was supposed to be the Monk expansion.
Now it's turned into the Samurai expansion ;_;