Why I have no interest in Coils more specifically, T9.

[Krr]

Ehhnn. All right, serious post here, I'll bite.

Full disclosure: I eat dreadwyrm gear for breakfast so don't even try pulling that crap on me.

The problem with T9 is that it is basically as complex as T12 or T13, but T10 and T11 are far less complex than T9, feature less mechanics that are hard-coded instant death, and are only really "harder" in that they require either a higher item level or stricter DPS/Heal/Tank checks than post-Echo T9.

As i130 becomes accessible to even casual players though, that "difficulty" in FCOB rapidly deteriorates, while T9 continues to be a maze of instant-kill mechanics that are hopeless to pug without basically getting a carry. Especially now that nobody wants any of the loot in T9 but the 100 sol isn't quite worth carrying people like it is in T5.

Meanwhile, pretty much anyone with two braincells to rub together and IW/Zeta weapons could scrap out T10 or T11 in their sleep, as almost all of the phases are symmetrical with each other (boss->adds->boss with the same pattern + new gimmick) and only a couple of the mechanics are binary instant kills (some of which you have to almost deliberately trigger, like walking into Kaliya's killfield during T11 adds).

What does T9 as a gatekeeper in April 2015 do? Nothing. There is one mechanic set that you learn there that you take into FCOB - basically every boss asks you to do some variant of Meteor Stream/Thermionic Beam, that other boss fights also teach. T10 and T11 have bosses that, while having way higher numbers, are actually *far* less mechanically complex than the entirety of pre-nerf SCOB. Even Bahamut Prime, frankly, is less complex than Nael, because his "distinct phases" actually repeat a lot of mechanics.

Now, do I think Nael is a bad fight? No it's freaking awesome as something you'd use to end a content cycle. But as a gatekeeper it's terrible because it prepares you for absolutely nothing in FCOB.