Thanks for the clarification!
When it comes to combat, I consider myself a pretty casual player. Yet, I strongly agree with you on all points, here.
Interesting dungeon ideas. Remind me of a few things:
- Alternate routes for treasure: Brayflox's Longstop
- Optional side bosses: Halitali (kind of)
- Crafter/Gatherer thing is unprecedented, but that's something I've always wanted.
There are so many unique elements in ARR. I even remember having to spam Haukke Manor and take side routes to get varnish for the instrument furniture, and how much fun large pulls were in Brayflox HM.
Though now I've thought of something cursed: A jump/platforming puzzle inside a dungeon.
With regard to FATEs, I kind of liked when they were a part of the ARR relic, but even back then, I disliked their inclusion in the Crystal Tower questline. It was a bit more novel, at least, at the time.
And while I'll refrain from commenting on the raid stuff, I liked the example of Ramuh. It was the example that came to my mind, too!
From what I've seen, the consensus is that the class homogenisation/simplification/etc is actually a problem. I don't expect them to reverse their direction with job design, but I'm still hoping for it. I guess we'll know soon enough!
The other thing that ties all of this together, though, seems to be a lack of experimentation. We've listed so many mechanics that were sort of just... Tried in ARR and then nothing like them was revisited in later iterations of the game.
I would absolutely love to see them try thinking outside the box, even if it means it's not well-received.
This applies to the overworld, too. It feels like they took two of the systems in ARR (FATEs and hunts) and decided those were just enough to carry every other expansion.
In short, I think so many complaints would be addressed with some experimentation, as long as that experimentation didn't detract from the core experience of the game— an issue with certain innovations seen in other games.
I'd love to be proven wrong, but I do kind of worry that 6.X will just be more of the same.
All that said, I do still think there's a ton to love in the game. It's at least a very polished sort of repetition, and I still personally enjoy it — except healing. I don't currently enjoy healing.