I hate playing as other characters

[Iscah]

I think some of them do drag out longer than necessary, but I like them overall.

Coming mostly from single-player RPGs and "action games", I'm used to playing as whichever character a game gives me to play as, so it's no big deal having another one here.

I'm not too offended by scripted failure either. Usually those kinds of fights still have "win or lose" conditions – you can still (at least theoretically) die to the enemy's attacks or gimmicks and that means you fail the fight and have to start over. Your reward isn't victory but progressing to the next step of the story.

on a side note, it would be way cooler to be "playing these RP" character, but have our main character join midway during the fight but do like a huge theatrical entrance, and we switch over back, that would be super cool

We basically do that in 4.55 with the solo duty as Hien, trying to buy time until the WoL arrives, at which point it transitions into our solo duty against Zenos/Elidibus.

I hope we can use this system to do crazy things occasionally

The G-Warrior mech fight is using the "play as NPC" programming, for a start.

My biggest ongoing issue with them is when they give you a completely gimped version of a job you know how to play.

I'm not keen on it either, but I guess it puts everyone in even footing for the fight.

I wish you could rearrange the hotbars though.