Why are NPC parties so bad?

[Esmoire]

I did Grand Cosmos the first time with NPCs and it went well enough. Slow, as expected, but got the job done.

Think the system is perfect where it is? Less efficient than playing with players, which is good because it encourages you to play with others instead.

[Averax]

I just wish they did more damage in the MSQ version that you get for free the first time you do it. I like doing it with the NPCs the first time so i can read their banter/observations about the dungeon, and also have the freedom to look around. I prefer doing repeats with players 100%. I just wish the trusts sucked less. Especially when you're doing it as a healer...ugh...

[CelestiCer]

Was leveling my Alt on another server to help Decorate for someone... Got into Satasha and had a " Bot " that teleported to certain spots running in circles endlessly... Great way to introduce the game to new adventurers I suppose and somehow a positive to using Duty Support with lesser worse Bots that... aren't AFK.

I also used the Duty Support in the Ktisis Dungeon where Emet is the best tank ever that just magically revives faster then any WOL every time he dies its really great for Farming that darn Snake minion that took 117 runs, mhm.

[Thangil]

if you do trust party and try to pull more then 1 group at once, well, you bet, healer can't keep up with healing, tank isn't tanky enough to deal with them, and DPS doesn't use aoe, that why trust party only for people that enjoy lore or just want to afk through most dungeon, if you search a fast way to level up better do it with real player

I don't pull multiple groups with NPCs.

[Thangil]

Because squadrons aren't meant for helping you clear dungeons. They are meant as a mini-game to command a squadron with only a limited few dungeons part of it.

Then why have them at all? If they cannot help with the quests, they're irrelevant, imo.

Btw, I'm NOT talking about squadrons, I'm talking about NPC parties.

[Thangil]

I did Grand Cosmos the first time with NPCs and it went well enough. Slow, as expected, but got the job done.

Think the system is perfect where it is? Less efficient than playing with players, which is good because it encourages you to play with others instead.

Then you didn't have the issue I had, where Alphinaud got one-shotted all the time.

[Astronis]

I will admit I have laughed myself silly when Alphinaud has stood in tankbusters, Estinien pulls packs ahead of me like a proper greedy dragoon, or when two certain guest NPCs both triggered their Limit Break at the same time but one was a hair faster. Generally, my experience has been that Alphinaud and Urianger are very competent healers and can heal me through all kinds of tank shenanigans...though neither of them seem to recognize how Living Dead works. I went into the Aetherfont as a Gladiator once for giggles and Urianger still managed while I pulled everything, though I had to do a lot of work on my end too.

Buuuuut...yeah, they do dumb stuff too. In the Grand Cosmos specifically, I watched Alisaie head for the same stuff I was to transfer the mortal flame but I reached it first, so...she just kind of ran around screaming until she died. In Babil, on the last stretch before the last boss, ALL OF THEM will stand in every AoE they can find. They aren't optimal companions.

[Jeeqbit]

Then why have them at all? If they cannot help with the quests, they're irrelevant, imo.

Because in order to increase our Grand Company rank, SE wanted to make it feel like we were actually a commander/captain of something. So they took a long time and developed an NPC system where we "recruit" and "command" a squadron and tackle dungeons with them, commanding to stand/follow/attack.

That's all it was ever intended to be. The reason Duty Support does not work the same way is because it has a different purpose and we don't "command" the NPCs, so they act independently.

Btw, I'm NOT talking about squadrons, I'm talking about NPC parties.

You mentioned squadrons, that's all.

[Naraku_Diabolos]

Am I the only player who hasn’t had any issues with Trust NPCs? I’ve had no glitches on my end.

[AmiableApkallu]

Doing dungeons with my squadron is COMPLETELY different. Everything runs smoothly, like it's a group of real players, good players, and everyone is doing their job perfectly. The only issue is that they doesn't seem to take much damage if they don't move away from red areas, which is ridiculous.

In my experience: Squadron members lack individual personalities and are not scripted to do mechanics, hence why they sometimes seem to take no damage from failing them. Trust members do have individual personalities and are scripted to do mechanics, but they tend to follow a pre-set plan to which you must adapt -- and occasionally, that plan includes standing in the bad (it'd be awfully boring if they never, ever made a mistake).