The amount of runs to level trust should be lower.

[Barraind]

Oh you're totally right. We'll just conveniently forget all the low level crap we have to grind through in order to get them "overpowered" to start with. Cos they sure as hells don't start great.

As compared to Trusts, which are out of the box at the right level to begin levelling my alt jobs, needs no micro management to function and can be started from anywhere I like.

Also, note that I said "Trust is much better for levelling". I was not referring solely to the Trusts. The pace of levelling the NPCs is perfectly fine to me. The boon of not having to sit in 30 minute queues is well worth the extra few minutes it takes me to run Trusts.

When I first ran Holminster with Trusts, I tried AoEing. It was painfully slow. So i stopped trying and just went single target. My best runtime so far has been 26 minutes on a job that isn't even 390 geared. Compared to the average 80 dungeon of around 20~ minutes with multipull AoE fests and 4 players who're overgeared for the dungeons.
They're nowhere near as slow as people make them out to be.

Yeah, those 5 or 6 15-minute dungeons you have to do to get their masteries up to "break the game" levels is the worst thing ever.

They even level for you off squad training and missions, for those times you're leveling your main job, or doing the weekly mission that matters.

Trusts are just worse squadrons. Cant glam right off, cant tell them to attack, cant tell them when and when not to LB (alisaewhy) and they dont AE.

[Sylve]

Yeah, those 5 or 6 15-minute dungeons you have to do to get their masteries up to "break the game" levels is the worst thing ever.

They even level for you off squad training and missions, for those times you're leveling your main job, or doing the weekly mission that matters.

Trusts are just worse squadrons. Cant glam right off, cant tell them to attack, cant tell them when and when not to LB (alisaewhy) and they dont AE.

So … Grind 6 boring low level dungeons that are level synced to get 3 squadron members to "good" states. Then do 6 more with 3 different ones and then a further 6 more for the last 2. So we're looking at 18 runs of low level, synced dungeon runs just to make our squadron "acceptable". OK
Then grind your way through dozens of more low level synced dungeons to get them to cap, 3 times over to get all 8 Squadron members levelled.

But before you can do ANY of that, you need to spam missions to rank up to a point where Command Missions unlock in the first place.
Continuing, I need to do 2~ 18 hour missions to get most of them a single level. So 36 hours per level on average. But only ever 4 at a time. And they can fail those missions, so its not always getting the best exp. OK.

And finally … Squadrons cant glam until they're 50. Trusts cant glam until they're 80. Neither can glam right off. Both require grinding to unlock it. Alisaie dropping an LB is a known part of per personality/programming. If you don't like it, take someone else.
Their lack of AoE is a counterbalance to the system so that playing with real people is more efficient. If Trust runs were exactly as fast as (or faster since they do most every mechanic perfectly) than DF runs, everyone would just use Trusts for levelling alt jobs exclusively.
The difference between a player run and a Trust run is a handful of minutes at worst. I just use it as an excuse to practice and optimize my single target rotations.

As such, I strongly disagree with your assertion than Squadrons are better.
They're also locked behind Grand Company ranks so are entirely locked off to new players until they're too high to benefit from the dungeons on their main job anyway.
which is much like how Trust levelling after you hit MSQ completion isn't worth much to your main job since its capped already, thus benefiting only alt jobs as well.
Compared to the Trusts, which are available through the MSQ and require no additional side grinds to make available in the first place.

[MomomiMomi]

So … Grind 6 boring low level dungeons that are level synced to get 3 squadron members to "good" states.

What? They're better than Trusts right off the bat. They're way stronger than a typical player. You don't need to grind anything.

Getting their tactics up just breaks things further.

[RokkuEkkusu]

So … Grind 6 boring low level dungeons that are level synced to get 3 squadron members to "good" states. Then do 6 more with 3 different ones and then a further 6 more for the last 2. So we're looking at 18 runs of low level, synced dungeon runs just to make our squadron "acceptable". OK
Then grind your way through dozens of more low level synced dungeons to get them to cap, 3 times over to get all 8 Squadron members levelled.

But before you can do ANY of that, you need to spam missions to rank up to a point where Command Missions unlock in the first place.
Continuing, I need to do 2~ 18 hour missions to get most of them a single level. So 36 hours per level on average. But only ever 4 at a time. And they can fail those missions, so its not always getting the best exp. OK.

And finally … Squadrons cant glam until they're 50. Trusts cant glam until they're 80. Neither can glam right off. Both require grinding to unlock it. Alisaie dropping an LB is a known part of per personality/programming. If you don't like it, take someone else.
Their lack of AoE is a counterbalance to the system so that playing with real people is more efficient. If Trust runs were exactly as fast as (or faster since they do most every mechanic perfectly) than DF runs, everyone would just use Trusts for levelling alt jobs exclusively.
The difference between a player run and a Trust run is a handful of minutes at worst. I just use it as an excuse to practice and optimize my single target rotations.

As such, I strongly disagree with your assertion than Squadrons are better.
They're also locked behind Grand Company ranks so are entirely locked off to new players until they're too high to benefit from the dungeons on their main job anyway.
which is much like how Trust levelling after you hit MSQ completion isn't worth much to your main job since its capped already, thus benefiting only alt jobs as well.
Compared to the Trusts, which are available through the MSQ and require no additional side grinds to make available in the first place.

That is the cost vs. benefit between Trusts and Squadron. The availability of trusts to use in ShB leveling dungeons can help people level alt roles over time. However, they take a while from 25-30 minutes on average.

If you build up your squardron, they can help you clear dungeons faster and give you an instant queue on lower leveled dungeons that. Offensive 5 for your squadron party members is absolute beast.

[Barraind]

So … Grind 6 boring low level dungeons that are level synced to get 3 squadron members to "good" states. Then do 6 more with 3 different ones and then a further 6 more for the last 2. So we're looking at 18 runs of low level, synced dungeon runs just to make our squadron "acceptable". OK

Or you could do it on a healer. Get the 2 dps you'll ever use Offensive and your tank whichever one you prefer. Its irrelevant on a healer, theyre not going to use damage abilities, never going to get targeted by anything, and have enough HP base to not die to room ae's. You now have a party of 4 to run squad missions for mgp/scrips and a 2 dps tank healer team to use in command missions. You can change their classes at will with books that are incredibly cheap once youve unlocked the rank (which you have to do before you have access to command missions).

Then grind your way through dozens of more low level synced dungeons to get them to cap, 3 times over to get all 8 Squadron members levelled.

You're also leveling them passively through training missions, which you'll be doing before you can even use them in command missions and can level them through squad missions. Mine were level capped faster than my squadron mission team just off getting alts through the Brayflox levels.

But before you can do ANY of that, you need to spam missions to rank up to a point where Command Missions unlock in the first place.

All of which give XP. To the point where they'll already be high enough level to jump into anything by the time you unlock it.

And finally … Squadrons cant glam until they're 50.

Which they'll be either by the time you unlock command missions, or a couple runs away (you cant start that process until you finish the 2nd tab mission).

They're also locked behind Grand Company ranks so are entirely locked off to new players until they're too high to benefit from the dungeons on their main job anyway.

You unlock them after Aurum Vale, provided you've been keeping up with the quests.