This issue surfaces every expansion with the monotonous regularity of an unloved season. The current bete noire is "Taking A Stand" in DT. This one seems particularly problematic because the "very easy" mode appears indistinguishable from "normal." It is compounded by the dislike of many to play as a different character.Old thread, but I would agree that some of us don't want a huge curve just to play the game, which is the case with the MSQ solo duties.
I am not sure if the "go simple mode" choice that comes up after you fail once is new, but I sometimes would greatly appreciate a "go even easier" option.
Have as much hard stuff as some of you want, but don't force casuals to master it to even reach higher levels! I am a very intense casual. I play far too much, but I am not great on the twitch or timing stuff. And I don't expect I ever will be. That makes things really frustrating since I can't just leave the things aside.
Also predictable is that many solo duties trigger another round in the "git gud" vs "nerf it" wars, and all the toxicity that spins up. This even extends to YouTube with the chads dropping in on solo duty guides to explain they completed it first time with one hand tied behind their back while balancing a mashie niblick on their chin. They then insult the content creator and anyone who struggled with the duty.
The solution is very simple, yet SQEX refuses to implement it and lets this toxicity fester. In solo duties that gate the MSQ, "very easy" needs to be just that. Maybe even have an option where after three fails the fight completes via cut scene.
The only solo duties that should remain somewhat tough, IMO, are job role quests. It is definitely important to compel players to become competent in jobs they are going to play in group content with other players.

They've done a lot of changes to those fights (which are a far cry from what they were) and if you fail, you can choose a difficulty that is more to your ability. This game can't get any dumber.
It could get a lot "dumber" even in that case. I am fine without the rewards or whatever flags those with great twitch skills reach, but I hate a roadblock on a key part.
I have made it through most up to about the 66 level of MSQ, but a few were extremely annoying and right on the edge. Being really hard didn't add any value to me nor did I learn to play a lot better because of them.
Some of us just don't have your twitch skills and are unlike to gain them at any point, especially since we are much older. I didn't have them when I was young, but I certainly do not now as I near retirement age!
In the case of this specific duty, the cause of failure from what I have seen is players failing to soak the towers. Three towers appear in a sequence and the player has to stand in them in the order they appear, and even on Very Easy the damage will kill them if they completely ignore the mechanic. How a player can get to level 94 without knowing how to do this, I don't know.This issue surfaces every expansion with the monotonous regularity of an unloved season. The current bete noire is "Taking A Stand" in DT. This one seems particularly problematic because the "very easy" mode appears indistinguishable from "normal." It is compounded by the dislike of many to play as a different character.
I agree with you tower soaking should be trivial for anyone who has reached this point. What I've heard in my FC is people dying just from the regular boss hits. Seems to be mostly an issue with high ping and we have some Euros playing on Aether to be with NA friends.In the case of this specific duty, the cause of failure from what I have seen is players failing to soak the towers. Three towers appear in a sequence and the player has to stand in them in the order they appear, and even on Very Easy the damage will kill them if they completely ignore the mechanic. How a player can get to level 94 without knowing how to do this, I don't know.
There was also frustration with the fact there's text that tells you to use the LB as often as possible, and it only comes up three times for most. More generally, when you get the text "in this duty you will play as X," there's a fair chunk of people who immediately shudder. It's a completely pointless duty that does nothing other than irritating casuals.
This is not correct. Reviewing the video I recorded of myself doing the duty, I used the LB at least five times. I'm pretty sure it's just generated by completing the combos repeatedly. If they weren't getting it, they probably weren't pressing buttons. I also played terribly- I used the AoE combo instead of the ST one (which does more damage and heals you) because it looked cooler. And I still had no problem on normal difficulty.I agree with you tower soaking should be trivial for anyone who has reached this point. What I've heard in my FC is people dying just from the regular boss hits. Seems to be mostly an issue with high ping and we have some Euros playing on Aether to be with NA friends.
There was also frustration with the fact there's text that tells you to use the LB as often as possible, and it only comes up three times for most. More generally, when you get the text "in this duty you will play as X," there's a fair chunk of people who immediately shudder. It's a completely pointless duty that does nothing other than irritating casuals.


Depends where you're setting the floor for "good".
Can everyone parse 90+ in ultimate? No, this requires a high degree of game/job knowledge, optimisation and practice and the overwhelming majority will not put in that much work.
Can everyone achieve a skill level that allows them to easily clear solo duties? Yes, without much effort at all. You don't need to do much beyond looking at what the game is trying to make very obvious to you, processing and reacting to that information while pressing some of your damage buttons, not necessarily in the correct order. The only real requirements are a monitor, pulse, eyes, and some kind of appendage that can be used to press buttons.
I know people with legitimate physical disabilities who are able to get through MSQ content relatively easily.
Last edited by BigCheez; 12-31-2024 at 01:48 AM.


I second this -- I also recall the LB to be back up all the time throughout the fight, certainly often enough to use its hp recovery aspect to keep my bar up.This is not correct. Reviewing the video I recorded of myself doing the duty, I used the LB at least five times. I'm pretty sure it's just generated by completing the combos repeatedly. If they weren't getting it, they probably weren't pressing buttons. I also played terribly- I used the AoE combo instead of the ST one (which does more damage and heals you) because it looked cooler. And I still had no problem on normal difficulty.
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