Do you think henchmen/mooks who recognize the WoL but attack anyway are silly?

[LystAP]

They sometimes seem to acknowledged knowing about the WoL, or identify us, but proceed to attack us no matter how little chance they have. It makes sense for mindless entities like Sin Eaters or Voidsent, but animals would know when to run for it.

There's also this gap between the MSQ and the Class/Job quests were certain intelligent bad guys, like the leader of the Bibliothecs, who probably should know who you are, but attack you anyways.

The only time I see when they do run, is during the Doman Adventurer Guild with that family of lalafells. Every other time it seems to be, 'it's the Eikonslayer! Attack!' Does anyone remember any other times that this happens?

[Canadane]

I mean, you aren't immortal. There are a few NPCs that can give you a run for your money.
You aren't some unstoppable force, for the vast majority of tasks you've undertaken you've had 3 to 7 of your friends join you for help. The game has been rather specific about pointing that out.

[Veloran]

The game has been rather specific about pointing that out.

I think it's more like they like to lampshade that in many, many cases, the WoL does it alone. Like the Susano quest where you're clearly the only one there to fight him and both Alisaie and Lyse say exactly that, but the DF says "uhhh yeah they were there all along don't think about it", or when you fight Bismark and there's clearly nobody there afterwards, it's like that with the vast majority of bosses.

Basically it's not a good idea to say random mooks challenging WoL makes sense because it's thought that WoL does it as part of a party, because the story pretty much always gives WoL sole credit anyway.

[LystAP]

I mean, you aren't immortal. There are a few NPCs that can give you a run for your money.
You aren't some unstoppable force, for the vast majority of tasks you've undertaken you've had 3 to 7 of your friends join you for help. The game has been rather specific about pointing that out.

True, but a reputation like the Eikonslayer should make individuals hesitant to engage. Or perhaps it is a limitation of the game. I feel bad at times for having to massacre waves of mooks, when they could have given up. But it doesn't feel like that option usually exists. There are a few NPCs, but most of those are named. Just as there are adventurers with their own stories in the background, it would be good to not simply be a killing machine that the game sometimes makes me feel. Maybe this is what Zenos meant back in Stormblood.

[Mixt]

Most people have very little capacity for risk assessment, news at 11.

Seriously, people doing suicidally stupid crap because they dramatically underestimate the risks involved is pretty common, people in general are not as smart as they like to think they are. Especially teenagers, my gods, the things dumb teens get up to because they think they are invincible.

"This guy eats demi-gods for breakfast, but i bet i can take him anyway, HEY GUYS! WATCH THIS!" *Rushes in and dies*

"Meh, that bad thing that happened to everybody else who ever tried this thing can't happen to me! Imma do it!" *That bad thing happens to him too*

"I'm a big strong bodybuilder! Clearly that means i can fistfight a pissed off grizzly bear to prove how awesome i am!" *Get's mauled, because bear*

Ridiculous, utterly unjustified levels of overconfidence and overinflated ego is just part of the human condition, you are always going to have large numbers of people trying things they really should know better than to attempt because "It will totally work out better for me than it did for all those other schmucks who got killed trying it!"

Really, i have some horror stories from real life i could tell you about people doing incredibly stupid things because they flat out could not comprehend the risks involved, or because they massively overestimated their own abilities and thought the dangers don't matter to someone so obviously awesome, which naturally goes very badly for them.

So no, it does not come as a surprise that mooks keep willingly throwing themselves into the meatgrinder that is the Warrior Of Light.

[MrThinker]

snip

All of what you said, plus the fact that, in the case of Garlean troops, they'd probably be punished for desertion or insubordination.

[Kuroka]

First thing that comes to my mind:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0Kz8gQxzGE

[Theodric]

Many are driven by intense ideals and/or desperation. The Warrior of Darkness isn't immortal, either - so if we're speaking in terms of realism, then there's a chance that even a peasant with a pitchfork could end the life of the WoD if they got a lucky hit in.

I think it'd make for a satisfying story arc if such a thing were to happen, especially with how tiresome the constant fawning over the WoD has become on many fronts. It's hard to root for a 'hero' that rarely loses in a way that humbles him.

[Gula]

All of what you said, plus the fact that, in the case of Garlean troops, they'd probably be punished for desertion or insubordination.

What a terrible way to die. Tried and executed on the spot, or run headlong into a fight with the WoL.

This is the fault of propaganda. Make it seem like the Eikon-slayer isn't as powerful to let them be ignorant. Then have the commanders send grunts out to their deaths to further mow down troops. I'm positive this is what they're doing given that they lied about Zenos.

[KageTokage]

I liked that one SB Monk quest specifically for the fact that someone doesn't underestimate you for once and they bring a huge mob to assist them but you beat them all up anyways.