Easing of old content for new/casual players

[Zirael_Foxfire]

http://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/commen...short_summary/

Despite the introduction of Echo and other measures, many players are still having problems clearing due to the instant death mechanics in many of these fights. Changes/modifications to these mechanics are now being considered for at least some of these contents.

Being in the situation where I would like to help few casual FC members with Titan EX and Coil T5 clear, but not being able to muster 8 competent and non-raging people to help them with training and win, I had a thought on what and how developers could resolve in regards to especially Twister, Dreadknight and Landslide insta-gibing people on PS3 or not perfectly familiar with the fight and multitasking.

My idea is a Free Company action (24h buff) that makes characters affected take damage instead of instant death (T5) or knockback (Titan Ex)

Company Action v1 would change instant death/knockback to heavy damage, Company action v2 would make that damage lower.

Why Free Company action?
At first I was thinking about a potion you buy from a NPC for gil, then use that potion when you enter fight to obtain the buff.
I also thought, that instead of just buying the buff from NPC for gil, you could craft the potion using drop from the dungeon/fight (for example http://xivdb.com/?item/6163/Crag-Heart) - this way peopleable to clear the fight would be able to help with it also by going in their spare time and farming up items for newbies (either as friends farming for friends or people getting drop to sell it).

But the problem with potion is that it would probably last for only one instance and wear off when you exit, or even wear off when you die. Also, when gathering few players needing the clear, you'd have to make a potion for every single one of them. Or make so that the potion, when used, grants the "Dodge Insta-Gib" buff to the whole party. In short, it might be difficult to implement system wise.

But Free Company Actions - they are in game already, provide 24h time of buff for the whole group of friends, require the whole Free Company to work on ranking up and earning points together.
You could even make so that in order to purchase those "Dodge Insta-Gib" buffs you need to trade in an item obtained from the fight, so that there is still purpose in doing the fight normal way.

A side effect of using the buff is that developers don't have to totally water down and nerf the fight itself, so that you can come back to it later with more experience and confidence and try it out the normal way. Also, new players in few months can still try out the full version of the fight, not the castrated afterglow. When I run Amdapor Keep and reach Demon Wall, I remember good old days of bee paralyse fest and think to myself that these guys with me might not even know they miss out and the battle was more exciting in the past.

I think working on getting buffs could bring Free Company members together, or in case of very small Free Companies, could lead to members teaming up and going in together.