Dedicated Thread for Patch 2.55 Story Discussion/Spoilers

[RyuDragnier]

I have a serious recomendation to those who have finished: Return to Uldah, talk to the npcs that train you, Swift, and the few npcs scattered about that don't have much purpose normally. There is a little extra information that both explains why you can still go there, and the current post-credits situation.

This is of course fairly common for MSQ areas, but... Not all that many people seem to notice that the NPCs remember you.

Very interesting indeed. It does indeed explain a bit.

[Ryuko]

All of my opinions!

1) There were ample hints that she'd be stepping down, and ample hints that the monetarists wanted her dead. Yet, her eyes going wide when she drank from that cup... still got me. All of that said... Nanamo looked pretty dead, but we don't know this for absolute sure. Maybe she was poisoned to knock her out, similar to whatever drug is used in Romeo and Juliet (remember that story)? My initial thought was not that she was still alive, and I'm not even really 'hoping' for it (in fact, I'd be pretty mad if they didn't commit to her death)... but it would line up with the fact that they wouldn't let anyone see her. Also, there are hints toward a 'bigger plot'. Maybe she's still alive and will serve another purpose.

2) Hell yeah, Raubahn. Love it, love it, love it. I loved his reaction, and I'm surprised it took him that long to flip out... given the situation. I'm sad he's in jail, and that he lost his arm... he already has so many battle scars. But, at least he's not dead!

3) I'm also bothered by the PC's lack of action or input. Being tossed to the ground can be explained by the loss of the blessing of light, but you'd think we'd still TRY to help. All those times they show the scions 'teaming up' and doing a limit-break type animation... we could have easily participated. It wouldn't have been too hard to come up with animations for each class. Simply raising our weapon, like you do when you are using limit break in a party, would have at least made us seem like we were doing something. Speaking of all of this, our character is generally pretty lackluster about everything. Besides fights, we simply 'nod' and run in cutscenes. It's implied we explain things, sometimes, but we don't have many opinions besides agreeing to whatever we're asked to do. We're like obedient, thoughtless soldiers.

4) I'm also bothered by the lack of 'change' in Ul'Dah. They make a huuuuuge deal out of what just happened, and escaping, and not being able to go back. Yet, there really isn't much that's changed about the areas. I would have guessed at least some areas would have been instanced, and periodic battles or just general chaos (to set the mood) would have made sense. I understand NPCs give an 'explanation' for why you aren't chased down... but you'd think there would be more chaos.

5) Bringing back ANOTHER teaser regarding the Ascians made it kind of stale for me. I was hoping they'd wrap up the Ascian storyline in ARR, but I guess not. For a while, it felt like it was generally going in that direction, in addition to transitioning to Heavensward.

6) A LOT OF QUESTIONS are left unanswered. I understand that they want there to be a lot of cliffhangers, but I feel like I'm overwhelmed with them. Like, the fate of basically every Scion? How did the battles end? And what is the 'deeper plot' everyone keeps mentioning? Why is Raubahn alive and not dead? How was he captured after that rampage? He didn't seem to have any other injuries... besides the lost arm.

7) I didn't like how the end was basically a long, long movie. We had no input, no traveling, no small battles to even TRY to escape. I feel like more interaction may have been intended, but was removed. As a result, all of these cutscenes were thrust together, with no input from the PC. One of the things I noticed, that makes me suspicious of this, is the fact that some of the cutscenes lacked voiceacting... but ONLY a few. As in, those cutscenes felt like they were thrown in later to act as a transition between other cutscenes, because user interaction was removed. The PC is a warrior of light; they make choices, and do things. The lack of control was maddening.

8) I don't want to seem like I'm trashing the story too much. I really enjoyed the thought that was put into it. The cutscenes and animations were amazing. I definitely became emotional over it. A lot of effort was clearly put into this, and I think it is a WONDERFUL transition to Heavensward. Very few MMOs make such a clean transition from one 'expansion' to another. I feel satisfied with the ending. I just wish there was more closure. I understand there needs to be cliffhangers... but when EVERYTHING is a cliffhanger and we're forced to wait basically three months to find out?

[Cedane]

Well...

I know I screamed "NO!" at Nanamo and then being stuck on a feel train. I had no idea they had the balls to go through with it. They did it. They really did it. I was impressed. But did no one caught the strangely evil smile from Tataru at all? Because I don't trust her either.

Also, so everyone can have nightmares. Here's a screenshot to carry away that captures that one scene in full.

[QuinceTaru]

inb4 Raubahn gets a mechanical arm and is leader of machinist guild!

[myahele]

Kinda confused. Was that vial we found used as evidence against us?

Or could've been very sneeky way for Alianne and co. to hide the antidote to give to an unconscious Sultana. Such a thing has been used in many stories.

[Rbstr]

Urianger kinda surprised me, although alot of people thought a long time ago that he was secretly working with the asciens. I don't think he's a traitor. As far as I know he was the closest to Loisioux's right hand compared to the other scions. I think he also somehow had a prophecy (and still do) regarding the calamity in 1.0

The way they addressed each other it seemed like a meeting of enemy factions for negotiation or something. Not some kind of secret cooperative thing.

Estinien actually is a huge gaping plot hole in this patch if you've finished the DRG job questline. He's apparently back to part of the Ishgardian forces again and being an Azure Dragoon, and even references the conclusion of the final job quest... but then if you talk to Alberic then he says that Estinien is still missing and that the post of the Azure Dragoon is vacant. Not to mention the... repercussions if it got around that Estinien decided to give into the dragons.
Make up your mind SE! :P

Remember that Alberic kept the theft a secret. Estinien's actions and dialog appears to be in-line with what you experience in the Dragoon quests..I just did them last week
The only real issue is that Alberic's dialog didn't get updated.

[OMEGA_HACK]

Last Cutscene talk, viewer bewares!

The entire time Teledji spoke I was just saying in my head "Just kill him, just him now dammit!"
Also in those last escape sequences I really wanted at least the option to say "But I took down a Dragonlord!"
And I wish Yugiri left her mask on.
Finally, I wish we could've gotten a cool reward for completing the storyline...

[Fenral]

Kinda confused. Was that vial we found used as evidence against us?

The vial was all-but-empty: the poisoner's equivalent of a smoking gun. Even if the person holding the gun almost never actually did it in most mystery novels, detaining them is still standard protocol.

I think they pulled the frame-job off pretty well, actually. In slightly different circumstances, the traces left in the bottle could have been useful evidence, so you couldn't just toss it. All the perps really needed to do was forge some kind of verifiable connection between the WoL and the vial, and that was accomplished by the staged callout. After the meeting with Momodi, who was probably under surveillance, anything that happened to the vial could be traced back to the WoL.

[Vespar]

I must admit I was a little unimpressed with Yugiri's face, She wasnt what I'd call pretty. And it seems she's still using the Miqote models? That walk looked very Miqote

[myahele]

The politics were really annoying.

I hated how Alphinaud pretty much said that everything is going according to his plan. and that for those who won't listed to him he can always call upon "his warrior of light" to convince them.