8 man endgame content should go back to the 2.x method (no baby mode) Hear me out...

[Mahoukenshi]

As a low-skilled player: As long as it is non-MSQ content, you won't see me complain nor touch the content. I'm all for making optional, but interesting stories beind put behind trials like Eden or raids and adjust the difficulty to whaever seems fitting. I just won't touch it, but that's my decision and I'm mature enough to "live" with the decision (instead of crying for nerfs). Sure, I'll miss the references in MSQ to that stuff if it happens, but I can accepte that.

I struggle already enough with remembering every MSQ-required dungeon/trial mechanics as I easily grow tired of running the same stuff multiple times, intentionally (in roulettes, I get what I get). I know, I know, an alien concept for some.

[Gemina]

I disagree. Players who desire to improve will do so on their own merit. You also repeat what we got with coils, with those wanting to experience the story having to do those fights in undersized parties much later, and the lack of threat level takes away the whole power dynamic of the opposition you face in there.

The savage fights also have phases and mechanics, and even music that are exclusive to them. There is a ton of incentive to run savage. The lore helps give incentive to run the "baby modes" as this content is totally optional, and a lot of casual players run them only once so they can see the story, and then they are done.

[Cilia]

As others have said, locking important lore bits behind Savage-grade content will not encourage casuals to "git gud;" it will just lead to them deciding the content isn't worth the headache and deciding to eat the loss so to speak. That's my experience with it, at least.

The people who do EX and Savage content are there for the challenge first and foremost, not the story. They are not driven by getting lore, they are driven by getting loot - or barring that the sense of accomplishment they get in overcoming difficult content. Even if there's no incentive, the people who want to do this stuff will do it anyway - why not make an Easy Mode so players who don't want to beat their heads against the wall for 2+ days memorizing dozens of fights can enjoy the story that goes with them?

(Personally I generally avoid Savage / EX content because I don't like being held to a schedule or metagaming too hard. I've made exceptions only for Memoria Misera EX and Castrum Marinum EX, purely for aesthetic purposes.)

All that said, Shinryu (Normal, as he was on launch) proves that casuals can and will rise to the challenge of tougher bosses than is standard. I mean, other than the enrages Emerald EX isn't that much more advanced than his normal version...

[Garnix]

Meh....it would just allow "content creators" to make more money simply by uploading cutscenes...
I feel like getting a new savage-exclusive boss/phase in each tier is a decent reward for those who want the challenge.

[van_arn]

How to drive your playerbase to youtube in one easy step!

[Kaurhz]

This proposal will only lead to more players showing disinterest in the story, that, or you'll have a much higher influx of players wanting to do the content without actually being remotely, even aptly prepared to do said content, which in the end just torments all players. Be it the players that want the story without having to go through savage; or the players that already do Savage and to a very decent level, suddenly seeing an influx of ill-equipped players join their PFs on a routine basis. Serves nobody and punishes everyone.

Besides, the story is an integral part of near enough the entire franchise, so locking story components behind savage content is a bad idea in itself.

[Reinha]

The majority of players won't do savage for the lore, they won't do it for gear, they won't do it for the mount and they won't do it for the BLU achievements. They just won't do it.

So why is there even a need to give them more motivation? They don't like savage. It should be clear to everyone at this point.

Games should be enjoyable. When you put core content behind enough bs and hurdles players would rather take their sub and leave than put up with it. This has been shown time and time again in different games.

[Anhra]

I think what everyone seems to be missing out on context here from the OP, is that he wants things to be overall more challenging. This Game in its current stage feels nore like a retirement home when compared to other MMO's on the matter of difficulty, and if i am being honest here, depending on how the next Expansion turns out, i might even consider ditching this game for a free2play game like Tera Online or so, which at least, puts more effort into the combat system (and expects some basic competence).

I would prefer to enjoy FFXIV longer, but the current endgame when you got all Jobs maxed out, is dull to say the least.

[Vyrerus]

Thing is, except for choice turns of coil, most of original coil is easier with less mechanics than current normal mode raids.

Standouts for difficulty in the 13 turns of Coil would be Turn 5, Turn 7, Turn 9, Turn 3 (:^)), and Turn 11. Now, I'm not saying the others were anything to sneeze at, but they were mostly raw gear and DPS checks, where the only way mechanics would get troublesome was if you took too long to kill adds or what have you, with a little group assignment stuff peppered in.

In fact, I think that individual mechanics assignments is something that I kinda miss from these. It'd be cool if they added a separate difficulty rated as, "Technical" or whatever. Have more fights like Turn 8, where the tank gets charmed. There's a tether that has to be taken out of the party. Mines requiring people to detonate, and towers to micro manage. Yeehaw

[Quintessa]

Control Freakism is strong in this thread.