am i the only one who really want more "human size" epic boss fight?

[Belhi]

Zenos isn't fat!

He is just big boned!

[Rosenoire]

Has the Garlean devil's advocacy gotten so strong that you're gonna make a fuss about someone making a passing comment about a character's extreme bulkiness?



Zenos' posterior is pretty darn big. (Image from Reddit)

That armor makes Zenos' butt look huge. I mean, baby's got some serious back.

Either that or he's keeping like, twelve Lalafells under that skirt.

[Theodric]

Humorously, one of my favorite bosses in any game defies this trope pretty hard: Vergil from Devil May Cry 3. Its also humorous because it spits on the trope by having the immediate preceding boss be a literal giant blob, and then the final boss is you going toe to toe with your literal twin.

Admittedly though, a duel like that only really worked because it was 1v1, and as a former / alt melee main myself, I find myself hating tinier enemies because they're hard to see through spell effects, and their target rings are frustratingly small.

You and I are quite alike, then! Vergil is one of my favourite characters out there as well - he's a fascinating character. I'm hoping that, someday, we get a Devil May Cry game where Vergil rather than his dim witted brother is the primary protagonist. The Dark Souls and Bloodborne games also have some pretty iconic humanoid bosses as do various RPG's.

[Dualgunner]

You and I are quite alike, then! Vergil is one of my favourite characters out there as well - he's a fascinating character. I'm hoping that, someday, we get a Devil May Cry game where Vergil rather than his dim witted brother is the primary protagonist. The Dark Souls and Bloodborne games also have some pretty iconic humanoid bosses as do various RPG's.

I would disagree that Dante is dimwitted (lackadaisical I'd give you) but a game where Vergil's campaign consists of more than "retrace Dante/Nero's steps" would be amazing. I'd play the hell out of it. It makes me wonder what they're planning for DMC5 since that was leaked--but we journey a bit off topic.

I'd love for them to find some way to deliver us an experience like Mission 20 in DMC3. Truly a well-crafted fight. I was genuinely annoyed that the closest thing they had to that, with the WoD, was destroyed swiftly.

EDIT: I feel it worth mentioning that Dante and Vergil are some of my favorite characters: apart, they're fun characters to follow and watch; together, they play off each other well. The twins are the main reason I have such a fondness for the series.

[Theodric]

-snip-

I'm cautiously optimistic that DMC5 will be a thing based on how plausible the rumours surrounded the leaks have been. I just hope they go back to the style of the original game in terms of aesthetics.

As for the Warrior of Darkness, I do feel as though he had a lot of untapped potential. The Warrior of Light is sorely in need of a long term rival that he does not overcome easily and who has sympathetic reasons for opposition. Zenos and Ilberd fulfilled the rival role rather well, too, though they proved to be completely unhinged which made taking them down a necessity.

[Cilia]

Thankfully, nobody on this board has ever claimed that Garlemald is perfect and without flaws. I've even actively made it clear that I desire a 'Larsa' type figure to step up and lead Garlemald towards an era of peace and prosperity. So your concerns are completely unwarranted. I have, however, suggested that the plot points surrounding Garlemald are far more nuanced than what some posters here suggest and that if they wish to agree to disagree regarding the specifics then that is absolutely fine and encouraged...yet if they resort to sly quips at every possible turn then they will find a circular argument awaiting them.

And yet, there is the denunciation of Garlean defectors and stating that any such "Larsa" figure shouldn't be of the mind that their country's actions are wrong on the global stage. If the Empire's actions are not condemned, there is only the belief that it is acceptable or desirable for it to do as it has been doing.

Bolded part is essentially proving my argument for me. If someone denounces Imperial philosophy and actions, they will be told they are not looking at the nuances behind it - intimating they do not know what they are talking about. Refuting that assertion with a detailed analysis and dissection of such to prove it simply leads to being told to agree to disagree, which does not constitute a proper rebuttal. (Do you want to debate, or simply tell people they're wrong about the Empire?)

Out of curiosity, though, Cilia - if you did play WoW in the past did you do so over on the European servers? If so, did you ever engage in debates over on the lore sub-forum over on the European version of the official site? You remind me so very much of someone who posted there though it may simply be a coincidence.

Coincidences happen. I played on the EN Kirin Tor server and avoided the forums except for the comedic value behind people whining about how [X class] was underpowered or overpowered (and how Orc Jesus Thrall had way too much of a spotlight, but that's neither here nor there). However, as you pride yourself on your defense of the Blood Elves' adoption of fel magic to satiate their magical addiction, I will weigh in as well.

Like with Garlemald, I understand the nuances completely.

On the one hand, the effects of magic starvation are shown with the Wretched. The Alliance also failed to protect the Northern Kingdoms during the Scourge's invasion, and Kael'thas had to resort to desperate measures to protect his people.

On the other hand, substituting fel magic for the magic of the Sunwell is... well, to use a real-world analogue, not too different from how heroin was originally marketed as a non-addictive substitute for morphine; while it cures the symptoms, it does not cure the underlying disease and simply creates a different addiction. Kael'thas rationale, while understandable, is also very flawed - he bases his entire argument on the Alliance failing to stop the Scourge from laying waste to Quel'thalas as well as a single racist and very poor CO in the post-Scourge Northern Kingdoms. The Scourge, under Arthas' leadership, laid waste to Lordareon in a matter of days; it's unlikely Stormwind, Ironforge, and Gnomeregan even had the time to muster a response before Arthas was marching on the Sunwell, assuming they weren't busy with their own internal issues. I should also like to believe that Kael'thas would be wise enough to understand that Garithos (said racist and very poor CO) does not represent the Alliance as a whole, but evidently that faith was misplaced.

The Alliance's condemnation of the Blood Elves' use of fel magic is its own sovereign right, as is Quel'thalas' decision to abandon the Alliance in favor of the Horde. Personally, I don't condemn the Blood Elves for using fel magic to satiate their addiction, but at the same time I would strongly advocate seeking a way to kill the dependence in its entirety instead of substituting magical heroin for magical morphine and calling it good. I also don't condemn them for abandoning the Alliance in favor of the Horde, though I don't feel the rationale behind it is particularly sound.

... so again, like with Garlemald I understand all the nuances behind the issue.

[Theodric]

It seems like a lot of it may simply be a misunderstanding, then. My stance on Garlemald is that it requires reform - so that it can focus on bringing forth peace and prosperity to its citizens first and foremost...but also be active and engaged on the world stage as a whole. I want the rot to be cut out so that individuals such as Zenos do not end up in leadership positions, yet I also want the concerns of Pureblood Garleans to be acknowledged and addressed. They are, after all, at a major disadvantage due to their inability to wield aether in a world actively steeped in magic. Magitek helps to an extent, yet I want the reliance on Cid to end so that Garlemald itself can bring forth some form of beneficial Magitek that is required to defeat some great opponent. That would be a great step towards making peace with the rest of Hydaelyn...as would ceasing its current foreign policy. At the same time, though, I want to see things from Garlemald's perspective and for some territories to remain firmly aligned with the place as they do not suffer under Imperial rule. I think it would be a lot more interesting than another 'liberation' expansion as Stormblood did not really capture the feeling of war and the losses were minimal for the protagonists beyond a couple of minor characters killed off purely to elevate Lyse.

Shinra in FF7 indirectly helped save the world from Sephiroth. Sure, they caused Sephiroth to be a problem in the first place yet if not for Shinra's 'Sister Ray' cannon in Junon it is very likely that the Northern Crater would remain sealed, leading to Cloud and his companions being unable to put Sephiroth down. I'd like to see something similar happen with Garlemald. Perhaps Elidibus succeeds at manipulating or corrupting Varis and the 'Larsa' figure steps up to help put an end to him whilst taking Garlemald back to the days of prosperity. I want to see more of Garlemald's civilian culture, too. Associating the Prima Vista with Garlemald is a great step in that direction. Perhaps they can do the same with the famous opera from FF6.

I'll be honest, I don't find the likes of Minfillia or Lyse to be particularly engaging. I find them incredibly dull - and that is a major issue. I like Hien and I liked Ysayle and Estinien. My fondness for the antagonists, however, would likely not be so great if more of the protagonists weren't so dull and predictable. I want them to make bad decisions, I want them to have meaningful flaws and I want them to find that some things do not work out as intended instead of various plot points wrapping up in a neat, convenient little package.

[Shurrikhan]

Has the Garlean devil's advocacy gotten so strong that you're gonna make a fuss about someone making a passing comment about a character's extreme bulkiness?



Zenos' posterior is pretty darn big. (Image from Reddit)

I'll give him the same benefit of the doubt I apply to all player characters, given their flat-ass-ness except when wearing (bell) dresses: (lack of) cloth physics.

[Shurrikhan]

Humorously, one of my favorite bosses in any game defies this trope pretty hard: Vergil from Devil May Cry 3. Its also humorous because it spits on the trope by having the immediate preceding boss be a literal giant blob, and then the final boss is you going toe to toe with your literal twin.

Admittedly though, a duel like that only really worked because it was 1v1, and as a former / alt melee main myself, I find myself hating tinier enemies because they're hard to see through spell effects, and their target rings are frustratingly small.

As much as I'd hate being blind, I think I'd hate the times I'm not blinded even more. The complete lack of stagger, damage-interrupt, scalar knockback, or ragdoll mechanics relative to the usual game settings of such fights would just be far too obvious.

[Dualgunner]

As much as I'd hate being blind, I think I'd hate the times I'm not blinded even more. The complete lack of stagger, damage-interrupt, scalar knockback, or ragdoll mechanics relative to the usual game settings of such fights would just be far too obvious.

That is a good point. It would be nice if there were an option to make the target ring and silhouette of the enemy supersede combat effects.