This story is really underwhelming - it's opened to mixed reviews.

[Themarvin]

It's not about Ascians. Vautry was ShB's villain for the most part and that whole arc was incredibly interesting even when the Ascians weren't revealed yet and the boss fight was very rewarding.
It's about stakes, pacing and the depth of the story telling.

SHB was all about Ascians as well and what they was before becoming a problem, it is facts, the biggest diversity to be had was Bozja and Eureka and similar content... else it has all been rounded up around Ascians, The Empire and Zenos x 2.

Since you saw the first Ascian dressed person in ARR up to EW... well judge for yourself, we got a new start with what we got now and that should had happened at least 2 expansions ago

[Loggos]

SHB was all about Ascians as well and what they was before becoming a problem, it is facts, the biggest diversity to be had was Bozja and Eureka and similar content... else it has all been rounded up around Ascians, The Empire and Zenos x 2.

Since you saw the first Ascian dressed person in ARR up to EW... well judge for yourself, we got a new start with what we got now and that should had happened at least 2 expansions ago

I think you completely missed what I was trying to say.

Yes, the Ascians are always in the background. But ShB was (like Stormblood or Heavensward) it's own self-contained story/episode in a bigger narrative arc. That arc is driven by the Ascians. But in ShB itself your main adversary for most of the game time is Vautry, culminating in him becoming Innocence. Only then the Ascians really become relevant in terms of actual gameplay.

And yet, all the way from lvl 70 to 79 the Vautry-centric and lightbringer-centric story is really compelling in its own right.
The premise of "light-themed horror/demons" was fascinating in itself and would not have been any less so if it has been caused by something other than the Ascians.

[Themarvin]

I think you completely missed what I was trying to say.

Yes, the Ascians are always in the background. But EW was (like Stormblood or Heavensward) it's own self-contained story/episode in a bigger narrative arc. That arc is driven by the Ascians. But in ShB itself your main adversary for most of the game time is Vautry, culminating in him becoming Innocence. Only then the Ascians really become relevant in terms of actual gameplay.

And yet, all the way from lvl 70 to 79 the Vautry-centric and lightbringer-centric story is really compelling in its own right.
The premise of "light-themed horror/demons" was fascinating in itself and would not have been any less so if it has been caused by anything else than the Ascians.

71 to 79 all about fixing Ascian problems including face off with Emet Selch, that is one of the worst mass murderes in FFXIV history.

[Kefzka]

71 to 79 all about fixing Ascian problems including face off with Emet Selch, that is one of the worst mass murderes in FFXIV history.

Kefka was my favorite FF villain of all time until Emet-Selch. What a great story that was

[Malthir]

I think you completely missed what I was trying to say.

Yes, the Ascians are always in the background. But EW was (like Stormblood or Heavensward) it's own self-contained story/episode in a bigger narrative arc. That arc is driven by the Ascians. But in ShB itself your main adversary for most of the game time is Vautry, culminating in him becoming Innocence. Only then the Ascians really become relevant in terms of actual gameplay.

And yet, all the way from lvl 70 to 79 the Vautry-centric and lightbringer-centric story is really compelling in its own right.
The premise of "light-themed horror/demons" was fascinating in itself and would not have been any less so if it has been caused by anything else than the Ascians.

You mean to say you're not finding Yawntrail an engaging delight. I'm truly shocked surely the holy one Yoshi-P didn't make an cosmic blunder in spending his budget on a mid graphics overhaul instead of engaging story and decent job design/gameplay.

[Loggos]

You mean to say you're not finding Yawntrail an engaging delight. I'm truly shocked surely the holy one Yoshi-P didn't make an cosmic blunder in spending his budget on a mid graphics overhaul instead of engaging story and decent job design/gameplay.

Huh? I'm confused by this reply because the post of mine you are quoting was about a completely different topic (somebody saying people only liked the old story bc of the Ascians).