the normal content is too easy

[Kaurhz]

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iLv cheesing also gives plenty of leeway to skipping potentially difficult mechanics that can serve as a barrier. E.g. Judgement Nissi in A4S, or giving you a larger vitality buffer pool allowing you to outright ignore mechanics that may otherwise kill. You take away the potentially stringent DPS checks, in addition to a much larger health pool and mechanic skips due to disproportionately high DPS than what the encounter otherwise requests then yes it becomes easier because it invariably potentially strips away the components of the fight which made it difficult in the first place. Once again, refer to A4S, and Ravana Ex - Whether artificial or otherwise. So yes, it has as much to do with difficulty as it does with efficiency. You'll have an incredibly hard time convincing me there's no relevance between iLv cheesing and difficulty, practically everything that happens as a result of cheesing can translate onto the difficulty. Shinryu doesn't exactly emanate the same level of threat or challenge when you do the encounter in full Valerian/Atiquated AF, versus when you do it in Scaevan, or even Ryumyaku for that matter Tidal wave is the only mechanic expressing any real potential threat unless you elect to ignore the ATE, diamond dust doesn't even exist anymore, really.

I don't even disagree with the other points because that is what I was attempting to highlight. Nobody is going to do encounters when the rewards aren't proportionally adequate. Especially if a more efficient viable alternative exists. This is the problem with making normal content incrementally difficult. In the end, nobody cares for that thirst for challenge versus the ease and efficiency with which they complete it when it comes to doing roulettes, and making something engaging is different from encounters being too difficult, or too easy. Again, this is the problem with these statements beyond platitudes. Going back to your own example. Why is someone going to do something like Paradigms Breach, or even the Stormblood 24-man raid series when a much more efficient viable solution exists in shafting your own item level and completing easier and more efficient duties in a fraction of the time. If we speak in terms of leveling here, then why would people bother with roulettes in any circumstance? I could effectively get the same, if not a better reward for time invested by doing something such as Bozja. People will seek efficiency regardless of whether you place it there, or somewhere else. 40 minutes of time yields much better rewards by doing Bozja than what it would doing Paradigms Breach - Heck at this point even open-world FATEs would.

Edit (for middle-ground):
Would I enjoy something that nicely fits between Extreme and Savage difficulty? Or even between story difficulty and Extreme difficulty? Yeah, sure. But would I want that to be the norm of content, inclusive of roulettes? No, not really. There are much better approaches they could elect to take. Story content and levelling content are just that. It's a chance for people to experience the story or level of jobs and classes they aren't as experienced with. They need an extra layer, and personally, I don't see that extra layer of difficulty coming at the expense of upscaling the norm of content barring certain trials, and nor should it, I don't think.

My main question for you really, is you mention it not being blisteringly difficult, which I think is a given. But what is your difficulty? AR-level difficulty? A bit beyond? Extreme difficulty without enrages? Or just the current difficulty except rewarding you for potentially utilizing your full toolkit? (e.g. stun, silence), and beyond that could you really see the community not being torn by it? Harder content ultimately comes at the expense of people being more woefully underprepared or ill-equipped for it <- This is personally why I don't advocate for it to be the new norm, versus a separate, optional system entirely at endgame. Sorry for the lengthy reply. Seemed like an interesting and reasonable topic of discussion.