I am so freaking bored of Shadowbringer's story

[Iscah]

I can't say I dislike Alisaie, but out of them all she is far from my favorite. She just seems...forced I guess at times. I get it Alisaie, you've got mad RDM skills and you are just so totally awesome and stuff. Good for you! (Still don't care!) And sure, we had an adventure together with the forgettable Lyse, but I still don't feel like she's my character's friend. She gets shoehorned into the action a lot and acts like we're best pals. I'm guessing we're supposed to be, but I just don't personally feel it.

I think your individual character design makes a big difference to how convincing certain relationships seem, or changes the mood of them. Alisaie's friendship with my character (another girl of similar age) is going to seem very different to your older male character.

I also went the whole way through Shadowbringers without picking up on the "Alisaie has a crush on the WoL" thing at all until it was pointed out to me afterwards... but now that I'm starting to play through it with my male Elezen alt, whether it's the awareness or the change of character, I'm definitely getting more of that impression when she's interacting with him. Though it was also clearer in 5.1 with my main character.

[Alleo]

I think your individual character design makes a big difference to how convincing certain relationships seem, or changes the mood of them. Alisaie's friendship with my character (another girl of similar age) is going to seem very different to your older male character.

I also went the whole way through Shadowbringers without picking up on the "Alisaie has a crush on the WoL" thing at all until it was pointed out to me afterwards... but now that I'm starting to play through it with my male Elezen alt, whether it's the awareness or the change of character, I'm definitely getting more of that impression when she's interacting with him. Though it was also clearer in 5.1 with my main character.

Its interesting how different one can view that. I play a female and found her "love" for the WoL to be shoved down quite a bit. Just look at all of her reactions when other characters get close to us. Thats not how normal friends behave thus I have a hard time seeing her just as that. For me she is more like Haurchefant who shows his adoration quite a bit but unlike Alisaie he was still a side character who was not with us all the time so if you did not like him like that you could ignore the few times it happened. Alisaie is one of the main cast and I really wished they would tone it down a bit..that is imo not something subtle anymore and seeing how she is underage its a bit uncomfortable..I wished her character was a bit more other than putting Alphinaud down (even though I love most of their interactions) and loving the WoL.

About plot armor. Honestly the one with the most is Ysthola and it sometimes is annoying..other characters get killed of quite easily but she takes a sword swipe from Zenos directly and with full force and somehow survives it. That is imo bad writing and a huge plot armor. Head of city states being save is imo not that bad because you can at least start to see their characters being developed over the story and not just fear that another leader is killed after a short amount of time..(horde leaders in WoW for example..) I am fine if the plot is written in a way that kills the character in a meaningful way. (Gosetsu imo should have died in that tower) I really dislike killing for the sake of it. That just creates a story where people might just not take a liking for a character anymore because they will probably die anyway.

About disliking the story: I am fine if one did not like the story. I also did not like stormblood and found ARR to be medicore. But skipping it makes the argument a bit weak. There will always be part of it that might be a bit boring. I think that its the problem with telling a game story. But if you then start to skip it all you might miss the greater parts of it too.

[Tlamila]

I feel that at this point all Scions have plot armour. Sure, some died in the past but now it's been a while, and every time you think you lost them they just come back like nothing.
I don't even like it because it takes away a lot of tension.
As for Alisae, I'm the only one who never noticed her "love" and I really can't understand why.

[Lersayil]

Have to agree, its quite interesting how many ways people take Alisaie.

Personally I find her attitude... cute for a lack of better word. Her obsession seems to be mainly with our strength (both of character and actual figthing strength) and not quite romantic. She's basically fangirling over the WoL. She might have a minor crush on us, but I don't think she's aware if she does. Given our relationship with the other Scions (or lack thereof), its sometimes refreshing to have someone like her around.

If anything I'm more annoyed with the writers pushing the Ga Bu thing on her for this long. While the lore consequences are interesting, I've found Ga Bu to be rather a hamfisted and boring plotpoint. Thus, making him a major motivation for a character doesn't leave a great taste in my mouth.

Plot armor is... fine? We are filling our dead npc qoutas decently well so quantity is okay. Having major characters die on a regular basis would just devalue the occasion. However the quality of plot armor could use some work... Y'sthola vs Zenos and Nanamo come to mind. Y'sthola vs Ranjit felt miles better because the Emet ex mahina made sense AND served a point besides just keeping her alive, so I guess they're improving.

Its fine to dislike the story (even if I vehemently disagree), but judging after skipping it seems... shallow?

[Tlamila]

Have to agree, its quite interesting how many ways people take Alisaie.

Personally I find her attitude... cute for a lack of better word. Her obsession seems to be mainly with our strength (both of character and actual figthing strength) and not quite romantic. She's basically fangirling over the WoL. She might have a minor crush on us, but I don't think she's aware if she does. Given our relationship with the other Scions (or lack thereof), its sometimes refreshing to have someone like her around.

If anything I'm more annoyed with the writers pushing the Ga Bu thing on her for this long. While the lore consequences are interesting, I've found Ga Bu to be rather a hamfisted and boring plotpoint. Thus, making him a major motivation for a character doesn't leave a great taste in my mouth.

Plot armor is... fine? We are filling our dead npc qoutas decently well so quantity is okay. Having major characters die on a regular basis would just devalue the occasion. However the quality of plot armor could use some work... Y'sthola vs Zenos and Nanamo come to mind. Y'sthola vs Ranjit felt miles better because the Emet ex mahina made sense AND served a point besides just keeping her alive, so I guess they're improving.

Its fine to dislike the story (even if I vehemently disagree), but judging after skipping it seems... shallow?

"Y'sthola vs Ranjit" I actually can't make sense of how she had to almost kill herself in that occasion, and only because of Emet-Selch she was saved, while Ranjit survives completely unharmed with no explaination whatsoever. Hello, I'm so cool I can fall into neverending pits without problems.

On Alisae compared to the other Scions, i think that's what makes her seem so caring, the fact that Uri - Y'sh - Tan are basically icicles, so in comparison....but then I see Alphinaud display just as much affection if not more.

[Driavna]

Have to agree, its quite interesting how many ways people take Alisaie.

Personally I find her attitude... cute for a lack of better word. Her obsession seems to be mainly with our strength (both of character and actual figthing strength) and not quite romantic. She's basically fangirling over the WoL. She might have a minor crush on us, but I don't think she's aware if she does. Given our relationship with the other Scions (or lack thereof), its sometimes refreshing to have someone like her around.

If anything I'm more annoyed with the writers pushing the Ga Bu thing on her for this long. While the lore consequences are interesting, I've found Ga Bu to be rather a hamfisted and boring plotpoint. Thus, making him a major motivation for a character doesn't leave a great taste in my mouth.

Plot armor is... fine? We are filling our dead npc qoutas decently well so quantity is okay. Having major characters die on a regular basis would just devalue the occasion. However the quality of plot armor could use some work... Y'sthola vs Zenos and Nanamo come to mind. Y'sthola vs Ranjit felt miles better because the Emet ex mahina made sense AND served a point besides just keeping her alive, so I guess they're improving.

Its fine to dislike the story (even if I vehemently disagree), but judging after skipping it seems... shallow?

I enjoy the MSQ as long as I don't think too hard about it. Once I analyze the whole plot is easy to find all the glaring faults and how bad the writing can be at times. A good example for me is the death of certain NPC at Amn Araeng, the way everything happens is forced and make everyone involved look stupid just for the sake of appealing to my emotions.

Another problem is how, despite the odds, the good guys always end with a "perfect win".

[Windwalker]

If you character boosted and skipped story.... well its your own fault making the story "boring".

[Lersayil]

I enjoy the MSQ as long as I don't think too hard about it. Once I analyze the whole plot is easy to find all the glaring faults and how bad the writing can be at times. A good example for me is the death of certain NPC at Amn Araeng, the way everything happens is forced and make everyone involved look stupid just for the sake of appealing to my emotions.

Another problem is how, despite the odds, the good guys always end with a "perfect win".

I wouldn't call it perfect, I agree. It has its fair share of writing issues that are apparent when taking a step back, but in the end it has enough positives to counterweigh them. Given the type of medium and the competition available I'd say it still pretty well written, and even if we dont consider those, its still a well above average story for a jrpg.

As for the "perferct win", what do you mean? The victory itself and how its achieved or the aftermath? I aggree with the latter. Things turn out way too perfectly for the allied factions involved after the conflict. With the prior I sorta disagree. We lose people, we lose arguments, a paralell timeline even got obliterated because we couldn't deal with a problem without future help.

"Y'sthola vs Ranjit" I actually can't make sense of how she had to almost kill herself in that occasion, and only because of Emet-Selch she was saved, while Ranjit survives completely unharmed with no explaination whatsoever. Hello, I'm so cool I can fall into neverending pits without problems.
...

That one I just hadwave away with difference between physical abilites: one being a mage and the other an inhuman level kungfu master (with a pet dragon that can fly).

[NessaWyvern]

I feel that at this point all Scions have plot armour. Sure, some died in the past but now it's been a while, and every time you think you lost them they just come back like nothing.
I don't even like it because it takes away a lot of tension.
As for Alisae, I'm the only one who never noticed her "love" and I really can't understand why.

I didn't notice it much either, but for some reason I get a little sister vibe from her, so I must have picked up on it a bit. I guess it's because she's young, and she looks up to you, and your strength and experience. Also, because she can be a little bit of a brat sometimes, as siblings can be.
It's also probably why I get disgusted more than usual when older people say they want to date Alisaie. GET AWAY FROM LIL SIS.

There's also a double standard - characters like Alphinaud and Ramza are criticised for their arrogance but Alisae doesn't get nearly as much backlash. If and when she does end up on the chopping block I hope it's painful! It's a shame she didn't go the way of her friend in Ahm Araeng.

You can also stay away from lil sis T^T

[Alleo]

Have to agree, its quite interesting how many ways people take Alisaie.

Personally I find her attitude... cute for a lack of better word. Her obsession seems to be mainly with our strength (both of character and actual figthing strength) and not quite romantic. She's basically fangirling over the WoL. She might have a minor crush on us, but I don't think she's aware if she does. Given our relationship with the other Scions (or lack thereof), its sometimes refreshing to have someone like her around.

In the german version in 5.1 Ysthola really makes it sound like Alisaie and the exarch are fighting over their beloved WoL and both of them react a bit embarrassed. Then all her reactions when someone like Feo Ul interacted with us. That really screamed jealousy to me. Yoshida I think also mentioned that we can look at her that way too so its kinda done on purpose. (So one can see her as just a friend and another can see her being in love with us) Overall I was fine with it until 5.1 where it was way overdone imo. I mean one could even interpret Lyses behaviour as being smitten with us (if one wants too) but it was at least imo way more subtle written. I really hope that it wont be a theme with her because I believe that she deserves more than that.

About plot armor. I agree, I do believe its fine that major NPCs have some plot armor. But Ysthola is just way too much. I just wish that they would have written that a bit different if they wanted her to survive it all. But yeah better no death than too many. You can write a sad emotional story without death quite good..heck death is a imo often cheap way to introduce some drama..but with the downside of taking out a NPC who could still be developed and often with the need to fill it gap..so you introduce another new NPC that has no built up character at that point.