Combat will be what kills this game [end of days! redeem! blah blah!]

[Steeled]

It won't be the death of the game, the lack of content will be.

Though I will say the combat is very sluggish when compared to other MMOs, but it's to be expected and I don't fault the game for it.

The problem is that there are other places you can go with similar combat that is better programmed.

You don't care about your animations.

I've got used to the animation-first system and there's nothing inherently wrong about it.

There are people who like turn based combat. There are people who like full action.
There are people who like first person camera. There are people who like third person.

There's nothing wrong with FFXIV's animation-first system. It's a design choice.

To use your example, there are those that like both camera systems, but third person camera, in the mmo environment is superior if you want to be remotely situationally aware, which is something any remotely difficult fight requires.

Don't use Rage of Halone when you think you'll need a cooldown. You don't have to press it because the button lightened up.

RoH was an example and merely that. Every ability has an animation lock.

"Don't use any ability when you think you'll need a cooldown", sounds really really fun. Wait, not fun, the other thing.

Combat isn't to bad, I like it. But lack of content is going to be the downfall of this game.

On paper, I like the combat, but it hasn't been programmed very well.

Before someone asks "Well, if you think you could do better.." You know what? I couldn't. I'm not a professional game programmer working for a AAA gaming company either.