Maybe it's time for a casual "strike" if not complete departure.

[Voidmage]

So, I don't think this criticism is unfair. I personally thought that anabaseios was also quite easy, though I didn't take it as seriously since there was no ulti unlock/bis tied to it. So that would be two tiers, in my opinion. Bonds 3 might have been the hardest thing in the while tier and all you had to do was look and move on time.

Abysos I think qualifies as hard enough (again these are opinions though) but also a lot of that came from the check requiring you to be not making not just mechanical but also rotational mistakes or you wouldn't clear, but the dev team is on record as saying that was too hard and further they nerfed it immediately which I don't think they've ever done before. If you start looking older than that, it was years ago (and I can't really comment because we quickly get to where I didn't play). The point though is that of the last three tiers, each new one has been easier, which I do see as a downward trend.

I can see your viewpoint but I don’t see any trend tbh and (apologies if I sound rude) would say you just became a better player and got used to it.

Savage always had a mix in hard and not quite as hard fights even back in SB and if we break it down every fight is more or less what you described nowadays. Look, move, keep uptime.
Then there is also individual bias or opinions where I agree with you.
You said Abysos counts as hard whereas minus P3S I saw it as quite easy with P4S being even a fight I did on dps AND tank because it was so comfy to do and has a nice flow.

There is also the fact of the jobs getting better to tackle that content.
For example BLM (what I raid on) with its lv 100 kit and abilities would have a far easier time on P3S with its movement abilities and instant casts in Paradox and Despair.
Maybe we are at a point where the jobs are starting to get TOO good for the content but that doesn’t change that savage is still a challenge.

As I said. I can understand the feeling behind it (yes the newest savage was easier) but till now there isn’t really a trend to be seen and before I think that Savage is becoming easier overall to the point of not being considered hard anymore I would like to see the next tier first.
Till then I would not call it midcore personally (even though the whole term stuff is a grey areas anyway) because it sounds like “look there is your content you say doesn’t exist” to the casuals and midcores who mean things like field zones.
Kinda like “if you have no bread just eat cake”.
I know that’s not what you mean but tbh that’s how it might sound.

[Gurgeh]

I think your case is unique. In a different thread, you said you took off 2 weeks when DT launched and by week 4 (when Savage came out) you still weren't done with EX. If all you want to do is battle content, I'm not sure how after 4 weeks you were not ready if all you want to do is battle content.

Savage gear has nothing to do with crafting except for being able to meld and repair, and there are NPC's that can do that for you.

I'm not sure either. But I was playing a lot. Maybe, I just struggling with MSQ and I didn't realise it. Finding ways to flesh things out and mix things up. A couple of weeks for MSQ doesn't sound wrong though? You farm a few glams along the way. FATES, one crafter to 100. Then there are Normals to farn for a bit of gear. And Extreemes to prog. Its about a week per extreme.
I was not alone in taking that long. It was just the savage raiders who were done.
I still think you all must just crazy rushing things to be ready for savage in four weeks. Doing nothing that doesn't work towards savage, not playing with your sports etc.
Four weeks just seems nuts. I don't get it.

[CaedemSanguis]

if you think savage is hardcore, then every EX is also hardcore content

[Collin_Sky]

I'm not sure either. But I was playing a lot. Maybe, I just struggling with MSQ and I didn't realise it. Finding ways to flesh things out and mix things up. A couple of weeks for MSQ doesn't sound wrong though? You farm a few glams along the way. FATES, one crafter to 100. Then there are Normals to farn for a bit of gear. And Extreemes to prog. Its about a week per extreme.
I was not alone in taking that long. It was just the savage raiders who were done.
I still think you all must just crazy rushing things to be ready for savage in four weeks. Doing nothing that doesn't work towards savage, not playing with your sports etc.
Four weeks just seems nuts. I don't get it.

I work in a busy hospital, one of the largest trauma centres in my country, and I also have professional development quotas to meet alongside a very demanding work schedule. Despite this, I completed the MSQ within a week, cleared both extremes the following week, and had all my crafters and gatherers leveled the week after.

It's all about efficiency, and this does not mean skipping content, rather managing your time wisely. For example, farming normal raid gear is unnecessary since it becomes obsolete as soon as savage releases, which coincides with crafting gear being available. This crafting gear is what you'll use to progress in savage, and it can either be crafted or purchased. Personally, I spent my free time gathering materials I anticipated needing for the savage patch ahead of time, minimizing prep work once the patch launched.

It's entirely achievable, and I managed all this while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. It's less about rushing and more about being prepared and organized.

[ForteNightshade]

I'm not sure either. But I was playing a lot. Maybe, I just struggling with MSQ and I didn't realise it. Finding ways to flesh things out and mix things up. A couple of weeks for MSQ doesn't sound wrong though? You farm a few glams along the way. FATES, one crafter to 100. Then there are Normals to farn for a bit of gear. And Extreemes to prog. Its about a week per extreme.
I was not alone in taking that long. It was just the savage raiders who were done.
I still think you all must just crazy rushing things to be ready for savage in four weeks. Doing nothing that doesn't work towards savage, not playing with your sports etc.
Four weeks just seems nuts. I don't get it.

A week?! My guy, most people interested in doing EX have them down in a few hours, perhaps a day at most if they're particularly busy. Anyone taking a week is extremely (no pun intended) casual, which this content isn't designed for.

For Savage, the only real prep you're doing outside of week 1/HC groups is crafting gear. That takes a couple hours tops on the day of. Heck, I spent a full day gearing my whole static. Four weeks is nutty to me from the opposite perspective haha.

[Fawkes]

if you think savage is hardcore, then every EX is also hardcore content

Yep, everything EX and up is hardcore content. PF content is hardcore, DF content is casual.

[Capstone]

I can see your viewpoint but I don’t see any trend tbh and (apologies if I sound rude) would say you just became a better player and got used to it.

Savage always had a mix in hard and not quite as hard fights even back in SB and if we break it down every fight is more or less what you described nowadays. Look, move, keep uptime.
Then there is also individual bias or opinions where I agree with you.
You said Abysos counts as hard whereas minus P3S I saw it as quite easy with P4S being even a fight I did on dps AND tank because it was so comfy to do and has a nice flow.

There is also the fact of the jobs getting better to tackle that content.
For example BLM (what I raid on) with its lv 100 kit and abilities would have a far easier time on P3S with its movement abilities and instant casts in Paradox and Despair.
Maybe we are at a point where the jobs are starting to get TOO good for the content but that doesn’t change that savage is still a challenge.

As I said. I can understand the feeling behind it (yes the newest savage was easier) but till now there isn’t really a trend to be seen and before I think that Savage is becoming easier overall to the point of not being considered hard anymore I would like to see the next tier first.
Till then I would not call it midcore personally (even though the whole term stuff is a grey areas anyway) because it sounds like “look there is your content you say doesn’t exist” to the casuals and midcores who mean things like field zones.
Kinda like “if you have no bread just eat cake”.
I know that’s not what you mean but tbh that’s how it might sound.

FWIW those examples are from asphodelos, I'm more thinking about P5-8 where P8s had the strict check. But I'm not here to split hairs. Otherwise, your points are well taken.

I'm as interested as anyone to see if we get good field content.

[CaedemSanguis]

Yep, everything EX and up is hardcore content. PF content is hardcore, DF content is casual.

good to know !

[Lilapop]

Raid content and hardcore content are not the same thing.
The only "hardcore" content listed here were the ultimates. Savage has been midcore for a while, and the rest is self-explanatory.

Savage is considered midcore/casual content now? When on earth did this happen?

[Lilapop]

I work in a busy hospital, one of the largest trauma centres in my country, and I also have professional development quotas to meet alongside a very demanding work schedule. Despite this, I completed the MSQ within a week, cleared both extremes the following week, and had all my crafters and gatherers leveled the week after.

It's all about efficiency, and this does not mean skipping content, rather managing your time wisely. For example, farming normal raid gear is unnecessary since it becomes obsolete as soon as savage releases, which coincides with crafting gear being available. This crafting gear is what you'll use to progress in savage, and it can either be crafted or purchased. Personally, I spent my free time gathering materials I anticipated needing for the savage patch ahead of time, minimizing prep work once the patch launched.

It's entirely achievable, and I managed all this while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. It's less about rushing and more about being prepared and organized.

"I did this, so naturally everyone else who isn't me can do this too."

I'll use a tried and true method you like to use when an opposing viewpoint is offered! You have to be trolling now.