Tales from Duty Finder: Some make you laugh, some make you cry. Let's vent.

[MrThinker]

Square Enix really needs to teach people mechanics better. Had a new healer in A12N and they ran away with the stack marker not once, but twice. Dying the first time didn't make that mechanic apparent. It's a shame too since they seemed pretty okay.

Which makes me ask since I don't really remember: Just how many times has this mechanic appeared before Alexander? I know of nidhogg where it matters and Xelphatol where it... doesn't. Was there any other instances?

As far as I remember, the stack marker as we currently know it first appeared in the trial against Thordan, though this might just be me confusing it with Thordan ex (It is definitely in there), in which case Gordias would be the most likely instance(dont remember if it actually was in there). As for other instances between that and Nidhogg, sephirot/sephirot ex has it as well. Im pretty sure Xelphatol is the first time it is used in a dungeon. Ozma in the Weeping City may have used the marker IIRC.

Stack mechanics however have been in the game since at latest Turn 5 of the Binding Coil of Bahamut.

[tdb]

Stack mechanics however have been in the game since at latest Turn 5 of the Binding Coil of Bahamut.

Before the current stack marker it was not at all clear when you need to stack though. Like at the second boss of Sohm Al. How are you supposed to know that you need to stack for red marker but run away from blue marker? Old content has about five differently colored markers which are used for different mechanics seemingly randomly.

[SpiritMuse]

Ozma doesn't have stack markers. But the final boss of Void Ark does, and I think that's the first time most of us encountered them. At least I remember so many people running away with it when it was new.

[Bonbori]

Ozma doesn't have stack markers. But the final boss of Void Ark does, and I think that's the first time most of us encountered them. At least I remember so many people running away with it when it was new.

I'm 79.54% sure that Ozma does have a stack marker. I don't remember when it happens but I seem to have some fuzzy images in my head of getting it and having to reposition to share the love with as many party members as possible. Connected to those memories are also some vestiges of annoyance at having to reposition to chase the occasional someone who doesn't want to share.

[MetalSnakeXI1]

Square Enix really needs to teach people mechanics better. Had a new healer in A12N and they ran away with the stack marker not once, but twice. Dying the first time didn't make that mechanic apparent. It's a shame too since they seemed pretty okay.

Which makes me ask since I don't really remember: Just how many times has this mechanic appeared before Alexander? I know of nidhogg where it matters and Xelphatol where it... doesn't. Was there any other instances?

Yeah,im surprised stuff like prey and stack markers,which appear quite frequently from heavensward onward,weren't added to the novice tutorial yet.

I mean sure some msq dungeons and trials will show you those but newbies won't know what it is until they see everyone else run inside them.

[HyoMinPark]

Square Enix really needs to teach people mechanics better. Had a new healer in A12N and they ran away with the stack marker not once, but twice. Dying the first time didn't make that mechanic apparent. It's a shame too since they seemed pretty okay.

Which makes me ask since I don't really remember: Just how many times has this mechanic appeared before Alexander? I know of nidhogg where it matters and Xelphatol where it... doesn't. Was there any other instances?

As far as I remember, the stack marker as we currently know it first appeared in the trial against Thordan, though this might just be me confusing it with Thordan ex (It is definitely in there), in which case Gordias would be the most likely instance(dont remember if it actually was in there). As for other instances between that and Nidhogg, sephirot/sephirot ex has it as well. Im pretty sure Xelphatol is the first time it is used in a dungeon. Ozma in the Weeping City may have used the marker IIRC.

Stack mechanics however have been in the game since at latest Turn 5 of the Binding Coil of Bahamut.

Current stack marker appeared as early as Void Ark (appears during Echidna), in terms of “casual” content. I don’t think Thordan normal had a stack marker (and it’s so easy that, sadly, it wouldn’t matter much if it did)—EX did, though.

Ozma doesn't have stack markers. But the final boss of Void Ark does, and I think that's the first time most of us encountered them. At least I remember so many people running away with it when it was new.

It does—you stack up for a shared meteor that gives a brief magic vulnerability iirc. I think it happens during Square phase. Would have to double check though, because it may be Triangle... I feel like I remember instances of the stack coming out while the bleed from Triangle phase is also out.

[Enla]

I'm 79.54% sure that Ozma does have a stack marker. I don't remember when it happens but I seem to have some fuzzy images in my head of getting it and having to reposition to share the love with as many party members as possible. Connected to those memories are also some vestiges of annoyance at having to reposition to chase the occasional someone who doesn't want to share.

Meteor is his stack mechanic according to MSQCapture. I haven't gotten Mhach for awhile in Alliance roulette so I had to look it up to double check myself. The stack marker happens after the Ozma Shade transition but when it goes off seems pretty varied, even when it was new content.

[TheMightyMollusk]

The first stack marker in content required by the main story is Nidhogg in the Final Steps of Faith. But it doesn't tell you to stay stacked until he's done spamming it, so people still run off after the first hit and get splattered on a regular basis. Especially since he pauses after the first hit.

[MrThinker]

Since it has also been a long time since I entered, does the marker appear anywhere within Midas at all?

[Moomba33]

Since it has also been a long time since I entered, does the marker appear anywhere within Midas at all?

Brute Justice has it in A8 normal.
I sadly remember struggling with it when it came out. >.>

In this past week I experienced people running away with the stack marker in O12 normal and Nidhogg in Trial roulette. The Nidhogg example is understandable since that's likely the first instance new players see the marker as they often don't do the old optional content. It is strange how often players in current content don't recognize it though.