Moogle Companions

[Zaireeka2025]

I love your idea, and it got me thinking of some augmentations to the proposal for you guys to ponder.

Why not make this moogle companion, an accompaniment to disciples of all types, a replacement for our companion throughout the current main story quests?
One gripe I possess with the current system is that our companion (who we name) is not playable in areas outside of story mission instances.

With major changes to the main story coming and in development already, it may be too late to suggest this. But let's think here:

Story missions 1-5 (completed from rank 10 to rank 20) are explorations to each of the three nations containing the history of moogles, the things they are capable of contributing to lore and gameplay in a "watch and learn" type of format and thus explaining multiple more in-depth features usually not explainable via beginner's tutorials. (see: valkurm dunes) The first few missions should be presented in the form of cutscenes and how-to's concerning the auction house, delivery system and more intricate features of the game.

The conclusion of these cutscenes explaining the game and giving the player incentive to travel to all 3 nations could be that there is a disruption in the moogle workforce, and one has turned up missing. He has been seen near Shposhae or a similar area. This information should lead the player to a small scale encounter with a kobold who has kidnapped and bewitched one of your main cities moogles, and it is your duty to free him by defeating a solo boss that will scale to the players level. Doing so will free the moogle, and you will escort him back to your city of origin.



story missions 6-10 (completed from 20-40):
The moogle you saved has been replaced in his absence, rendering his services to your nation on temporary halt. Grateful for your bravery, he decides to aid you in your quest. Now, you gain a "moogle" tab in the main menu, where you can equip your moogle with basic accessories (maybe apply a slot cost and use pre-existing rings/necklaces/earrings/bracelets that affect the players overall performance at a reduced rate). The moogle will also:
-serve as a universal "wide scan," in FFXI terms, or more detailed map of monster distribution of the area your map shows.
-The moogle will display crafting success rates before starting.
-The moogle will serve as a constant player to player connection, enabling the receiving of mail in the field or at specific "moogle fountains," which might exist directly outside a dungeon or far out place of interest or next to an Aetheryte in areas like Ul'Dah.
-The moogle will serve as a constant connector to the economy within a players free company, as players within a free company can link their moogles spirits after completing story mission 10 at level 40.

These capabilities should all be explained in another cutscene, or mission 6 following your moogles decision to join you.

The following missions should introduce us to the threats facing Eorzea, as observed by the moogle tribe. The council of moogles deliberates over the future of your moogle buddy, and decides that he shall legally serve you for the remainder of his contract to the Nation as penance for your bravery. In doing this, the moogles reveal a great burden facing Eorzea. We should then be led through a mid level dungeon, and eventually to mission 10. This mission 10 should be the last of 2 or 3 light party based battle-oriented missions. These missions should resemble the 2-3 dragon in FFXI in terms of difficulty. Force players to acknowledge party roles in a non stressful, story-driven manner. This really helps to solidify our bonds with our characters. Maybe add a rare/ex. weapon that is top-notch until rank 50 or so(assuming a cap raise of course) from the final mission and make it repeatable, giving the players incentive to party up. Something like the austere set, the haubergeon, the snipers ring. Something worthwhile.

missions 11-15 (level 50-??)

these missions should be the bulk of our endgame. you should incorporate:
-all primal fights,
-all instanced raids, and a reasonable amount of potential for gear progression into these missions. ------repeatable
-bosses drop something RARE and WORTHWHILE beyond mid level.

I wouldn't have minded helping my LS mates in FFXI get mission rank 10 if that fight had dropped a bloody thing, know what I mean?

I like where you guys are going with the Ifrit drop rates, we just need a whole bunch more of these types of encounters available to us presented in a similar fashion. Mission 15 could be divided up into many parts at whatever the highest level is and involve progression through the crystal tower content. Incorporating solid lore and storyline with endgame raid and gear progression in such a direct fashion wouid lead to a level of coherence that wasn't even achieved by FFXI. (which is saying something, I did all of it up to abyssea.)


tl;dr: Make missions that give us a moogle at level 20. the moogle can receive and send mail, and participate in small scale economies with members of our free companies. the moogle, aside from these perks, probably shouldnt serve as a battle/crafting/gathering companion, but might serve as a universal widescan for enemies and gathering as well as success rates for crafting and recipe storing. Make the later missions introduce us to party roles on a small scale, and then eventually on a much larger scale while gearing us.

Wow, epic post! Thank you so much for your awesome contribution to our Mooglathon! Having Moogles be our all-around tour guides for the whole realm is simply what I envision all Final Fantasy games to encompass (many times comically breaking the 4th wall). They can be heavily involved in Beginner Tutorials and conveying the situation for each City State within our first steps, being the first Main Character we meet, and being our best friends throughout the rest of our careers as Adventurers (a true Sidekick). They would be our true primal link and constant connection to the hidden mysteries of the land (and for veterans, new Era), feeding us chunks of lore along the way as we experience the missions/quests for ourselves.

I love your idea about Moogles being scanners of the environment. They could be responsible for casting Libra for instance (as long as we have them at our side/summoned). We could be traversing a cave for instance, and our Moogle would instantly detect and hover over hard to reach spots where hidden treasure chests sit. They would hold all our things, including our Journal, from which we can always "talk" to the Moogle to hear what we did last and what to do next in a conversational manner. They could also help in all other types of tutorials even in the level 30's when learning new jobs like Beastmaster and Summoner. As a constant link to the Market system, they would link adventurers to all AH information giving Adventurers abilities that only Moogles can provide (keeping lore intact).

The only thing I can't see happening is having Moogles replace what the Linkshell system already does. I don't think SE would scrap linkshells at this point (unless I misunderstood this part of your explanation). What could link players via Moogle Magick is for them to handle our Mail system; whereas we could use them to send items/gil/letters to your "mog house" or to any player from wherever you are as long as your Moogle is summoned.

In conclusion, personal Moogles should be heavily involved in our upbringing as newfound Adventurers in an unknown land as true sidekicks, handling all in-game tutorials, expanding our class in both lore and abilities, and easing the load in all side-tasks while keeping a focus on the main story.