Can we have an honest conversation about the Scions? Dawn Trail

[Rekh]

Early on i noticed that they played this new expansion super safe where i would have liked a timeskip to get a Adult Twins, still a great symbol for a new age, and the retirement of a few scions. I mostly think of the old guard with Yshtola, Thancred and Uriange.
And refill it with new Characters. A few of my FC Mates wanted Zero as new Scion but predicted back then that while the chance is there its unlikely, my prediction was right.

There was no time skip or anything, all the scions are back on board, no gameplay shake ups in general super safe and sadly rather bland impression of the first expansion after the finished Saga.

Just to be clear i like the Scions but "Everything stays the same" and "new beginning" doesnt go hand in hand.

Would hate to see old Y'shtola; keep time skips to anime.
Just dismiss half of the scions and introduce new characters and that's already a "new beginning." Instead we get them all back; a lot of us could care less about them at this point. Square enix doesn't seem to understand the words nuance, balance, and variety. When they go for something it's either one extreme or the other.

[Carin-Eri]

Would hate to see old Y'shtola; keep time skips to anime.
Just dismiss half of the scions and introduce new characters and that's already a "new beginning." Instead we get them all back; a lot of us could care less about them at this point. Square enix doesn't seem to understand the words nuance, balance, and variety. When they go for something it's either one extreme or the other.

I doubt we'd notice much difference in Y'shtola's case. I mean, she's given the approximate age of 32 in lore, which makes her younger than F'lhaminn, who is 37 and certainly doesn't look* much older than Y'stola.

*not counting the fact that she dresses in a way that gives the impression that she's older than she actually is.

[Galvuu]

Judgments and opinions on the scions returning notwithstanding, it's a bit puzzling to see the "they're our dear friends!" argument so often. Distance doesn't sever bonds or a shared past- but, sometimes, people just have less time to spend together for multiple reasons.
Sometimes it's professional reasons (you have a great job offer or career opportunity abroad, or get a grant to do research on a far away institute), sometimes it's just your personal life or goals (you decide to settle down to have a family in another region, or you're a professional athlete who's hyper focused on his goals). Sometimes it's a shorter break- you take a month to do a road trip alone or just with one or two people for the fun of it.
I lived with my brother for a decade, but a few years ago got married, moved to my wife's home country and had a child. I used to be with my brother every day- now I can only be with him every few months and while we still try to make some time on the weekend to play some ttrpgs together online, I obviously cannot spend as much time with him. This doesn't mean I love him less or that the bond we have is severed. It's just how life goes sometimes.
Of course, the opposite might also be true- you might spend time with a small group every odd day until you die.

I think this is applicable to the scions. Narratively, the WoL is so powerful that, realistically, nothing in the new World is going to be much of an obstacle. So the WoL taking a few months to explore this new region alone, or just with one or two scions, seems perfectly acceptable. Some other members appearing less frequently because they decided to pursue a personal goal is also very valid.
I'm not saying with this that the scions should be cut (although, subjectively, I'd prefer for them to take a backseat), I'm saying that it's perfectly natural for that to happen- most relationships grow that way. You're unlikely to live daily with the same people until you get married (even your children will, one day, move out and live their lives).
Regardless of what SE does, I do wish they'd write the scions more interestingly if they intend on keeping them around. I already felt they were recycling story beats and dialogue for the scions in EW almost constantly (to the point it was easy to guess what the next scene or dialogue would be).

[Bright-Flower]

The WOL is still going to need allies. Be it the scions or random adventurers summoned with azem's crystal. And imo the scions are much more narratively compelling than randos summoned by a crystal for a fight that then immediately vanish. The WOL did not defeat the Endsinger in some 1 on 1 duel of individual power. They ahd a dragon as their ride, 7 random powerful adventurers, and the scions' prayers turning the dynamus of Ultima Thule against the Endsinger and in the WOL's favor. So on its face I reject this idea that the WOL should be single handed stomping anything in their path.

Narratively, we'll have to see how it plays out. As othesr have said, the Scions didn't really disband and the notion that they were was dispelled after like 10 seconds. And then 6.X had us working with a mix of SOME of the scions and a mix of new characters. Bringing in Estinien, Y'sthola and Graha etc but then also giving Vtra a more active role and introducing Zero.

I suspect this is more or less how DT will go. We won't know for another week and som change, but at least at the start of the expansion, Estinein is doing his own thing, with only Krile and the Twins with us, with Erenval and Wuk Lamat as major non scion characters traveling with us. And two of the scions, at least temporarily, having an antagonistic role to shake things up. While some others (Graha, Ysthola) at least at the start of the expansion are not there anyway.

If it was all of the scions coming with us right away on the boat that would be a bit much but so far from what we've seen, I don't have a problem with it. But it will ultimately depend on how the expansion plays out.

[ZephyrMenodora]

I like the Scions, but it would have been nice after 11 years of them if they actually did go there own ways for the most part. It would have made more sense for maybe one or two of them to come along for some story continuity or maybe making a guest appearance, but I'm ready for some new characters to fall in love with.

[PintyMcEars]

I thought we were done with them. Here is the thing, one of the reasons I'm less excited about dawntrail is because I was seriously under the impression that they were going to phase out the scions and introduce a new cast. It was the perfect opportunity to do so. For example, the scions disband and go about their desires and they can even make the occasional cameo.

Like, is it just me or wouldn't the story be much more exciting if we took the trip to the new world with just Erenville and that hrothgal and the trailers showed mysterious new characters we will meet along the way? That would be so much better...

There is nothing remarkable about the scions... I don't hate them, but TBH they are just not characters that I couldn't live without. A bunch of them have the personality of a wet mop and are all just about doing good... and yeah, cuz being good is good and what not.

Ugh, I don't know if SE believes this cast is more marketable than it actually is.. I feel like at least in my social circles, the scions are just people players put up with to play the game, they don't look forward to seeing what they're up to next. I could also be wrong, but idk, maybe a discussion forms around this. I am firmly in the new cast territory. Seeing the scions be a major part in Dawn Trail made me roll my eyes.

This just doesn't feel like a new beginning. And a lot of it is because of them.

So your best friends you saved the world with every time would just not show up anymore? That would be a pretty darn weird narrative. Im all for you expressing you dont like em, but them suddenly disappearing would be weird as hell.

[Turnintino]

First, let's have an honest conversation about your lack of media literacy and general inability to pay any amount of attention to what's in front of you.

[PintyMcEars]

Would hate to see old Y'shtola; keep time skips to anime.
Just dismiss half of the scions and introduce new characters and that's already a "new beginning." Instead we get them all back; a lot of us could care less about them at this point. Square enix doesn't seem to understand the words nuance, balance, and variety. When they go for something it's either one extreme or the other.

couldn't care less, you mean.

[DPZ2]

doesn't seem to understand the words nuance, balance, and variety. When they go for something it's either one extreme or the other.

Welcome to MMORPGs! Persistent worlds, with continuing characters are part of the plan. It took WoW nearly 20 years to finally sideline one of its major characters (she's gone, right? not just 'redeemed'?)

In an MMORPG, you get introduced to new characters every expansion. Some stick around forever, some are gone after only, what, three expansions (*cough*Zenos*cough*). In other cases, you'll run into the same NPCs, with the same questlines for eternity [New game+ anyone?].

[Ayalu]

I didnt meant a huge time skip. Maybe a 2 years enough to for the twins to get a growth spurt and some time passing.
Outside of the twins i doubt anyone actualy would change visibly within the scions.