Did TRUST info in Live Letter 68 seal the fate for SQUADRONS?

[Nighthawky2010]

I hope they keep squadrons, i want to keep getting those buff items.

I am definitely with you on that. Especially when you World Travel, those buffs come in handy.

[Nighthawky2010]

Very disappointing if the Trust remains as slow as before.

Squadrons may have awful AI, but if you take the time to build them they're the fastest 20-60 leveling in the game due to the fact they do reasonable dps and can be equipped with a +60% damage trait on top. Getting full offence 5 Mastery on 4 squadron members took a lot of time and rng but was a worthwhile investment for leveling a lot of alt classes. You could go through dungeons like Aurum Vale or Sohm Ahl in 10-12 minutes with no queues.

"Some form of compensation" is vague and very unlikely to be enough for anyone who fully invested in their squad, either for leveling alt classes or for getting 8 members of their favorite race fully glammed. The fact that Squadron Mastery traits exist meant they intended for us to build and run a lot with them and use them as an alternate leveling path. They can't just add a feature, let players put in all the time and investment, then randomly delete it.

I agree. One of the main reasons that I like squadrons is they can go through a mob very quickly, they use AOEs. Trusts...it will take me 30-40 mins to go through dungeons. They don't use AOEs.

[DPZ2]

So, did everyone provide their ideas on whether Squadrons can no longer be Grand Company content because they've become Trust'd?

Personally, squadrons are an item whose time has come and gone. Too wonky to trust them as a Tank. Not actually usable until you hit Second Lieutenant, well past the date for the 2.0 ARR instances. Good for 10 runs through low-level instances in order to get the Physical Education emotes, but after that ...

[TaleraRistain]

When the Trust system updates are completed he plans to retire the Squadron system. Since people have got attached to their squadron members, there may be some form of compensation.


https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comme...tm_name=iossmf

There's a correction there were they say "the exact quote is that the squadron system will be "replaced and unified" with trusts"

It doesn't seem they're throwing the concept out entirely. I'm curious what they will do with this. I haven't put nearly the time into my getting that perfect Squadron as others but I do like the group I have put together.

[StriderShinryu]

At this point the best thing I can see happening to Squadrons is just being able to use the members as the "generic" Trust NPCs in lower level content that were mentioned in the Live Letter.

[Jojoya]

There's a correction there were they say "the exact quote is that the squadron system will be "replaced and unified" with trusts"

It doesn't seem they're throwing the concept out entirely. I'm curious what they will do with this. I haven't put nearly the time into my getting that perfect Squadron as others but I do like the group I have put together.

Total guess work on my part but sounds like squadron and command missions, along with affinities and related rewards/bonuses, will be removed with some of the current Squadron NPCs being moved to Trust for at least ARR duties, if not also HW and SB. Whether they'd be limited to Scenario mode or we'd be given the option to level them for achievements in Avatar mode is hard to say. If they are available to level in Avatar mode, it probably would be only for level instead of the current mastery ranks.

It will be interesting to see if Squadron manuals are retained as a reward for completing a Trust duty if the squadron missions are being removed, shifted to purchase with GC seals. or removed altogether. Those have been handy for getting access to the grade 3 FC action buffs since most FCs either don't have access to those or are running actions other than what the player needs.

[EnigmaticDodo]

Trusts are crap.

They need to allow us to customize their AI. They have stated that it's an iteration on FF12s Gambit System that you were able to modify. Why can't we modify it here?

[EnigmaticDodo]

I agree. One of the main reasons that I like squadrons is they can go through a mob very quickly, they use AOEs. Trusts...it will take me 30-40 mins to go through dungeons. They don't use AOEs.

Is there any stated reason why they don't do AOES? Literally all they would have to do is make it so they do them consistently and Trusts suddenly aren't as trash anymore.

[Shougun]

Is there any stated reason why they don't do AOES? Literally all they would have to do is make it so they do them consistently and Trusts suddenly aren't as trash anymore.

I think logically it was to prevent them from replacing DF easily, especially because unlike squadrons trusts just automatically become available to you for new content. Though I also believe they were way too strong on it and they could have some sort of progression systems that facilitate not a level gating system but the joyful acceleration that is made available to squadrons when people invested in them. So not saying they don't feel bad combat wise (I love them story wise), just that I imagine it was because unlike squadrons trusts just happen to exist right out of the gate and currently have no means of being better or worse except for their self modulation which... may have been a cool idea at the time but honestly I wish they removed the self modulation. Makes me not want to play well because I know if I do worse they'll do better, unlike squadrons which if I train them to be so strong that I "can" do worse doesn't mean I will because maybe I want to 'gotta go fast' with my team.

[SenorPatty]

No, not my bikini femroe squadron!


You'll never take them alive! NEVER!