Xelphatol is a dungeon

[Frederick22]

Well, they said at the beginning of 2.0 that they have story planned until the end of 4.0. So by that time we will be done with mother-crystal, primals, warriors of light/darkness, garleans and stuff. 5.0 will be completly new story and place.

Well at this point, is obiously that is not that.

[Vantol]

Well at this point, is obiously that is not that.

Why? They made this region "just" story dungeon. They can easily make Ala Mhigo and Garlemald dungeons too with Garlean Emperor being dungeon boss and be done with it. Which is actually most likely what is going to happen (or blow them up in cut-scene and say we can't enter them, because they were destroyed).

[bass9020]

We also have the Black Boar gate next to the Lancers guild in Gridania. So I wonder if that will be used for accessing G.A. region?

[Nestama]

If anything, Xelphatol is the optional 'let's go crazy and break stuff' dungeon and the Hard Mode Library is the story dungeon.

[Frederick22]

If anything, Xelphatol is the optional 'let's go crazy and break stuff' dungeon and the Hard Mode Library is the story dungeon.

doubt that a hard mode dungeon becomes an MSQ one, but yea first time for everything.

[Nestama]

doubt that a hard mode dungeon becomes an MSQ one, but yea first time for everything.

Well the Library is pretty much the go to place to learn things. Perhaps we return to something something Soul Surrender?

[Nalien]

Well the Library is pretty much the go to place to learn things. Perhaps we return to something something Soul Surrender?

Derplanders group has been slaying Primals (we've seen them take out Ravana, the recent short story implies they've been taking out plenty more), it makes more sense to me that we're going to Xelphatol for something related to that; Either they've taken out Garuda, or they're going to. We then go into Xelphatol to investigate or stop Derplanders group...

Gumball Library (Hard) strikes me as something similar to the Arboretum; Folks in Idyllshire want something from it. Yes Urianger, Elidiboo and Derplander had a fun little meeting there, but why would we need to go back in for that reason? Urianger/Alisaie can tell us anything important... If the MSQ goes "They were talking about this book, that we left in the Library!", then I'm just going to be annoyed... That's a lazy reason to go back there for the MSQ... Makes far more sense to me that the Ixali have had/will have some encounter with Derplander, and we're going there to get information from them/warn them/etc. "There is an important book in the Library and we left it there so go get it!" isn't going to work for the MSQ IMO, works fine for an Idyllshire sidequest, just like Arboretum...

pre 2.0 concept art strongly inferred Xelphatol is an un-traverseable mountain range above ground, and a sprawling subterranean area controlled by the Ixal, deep within .

Think floating balloon city interconnected by rope bridges, plus all of that underground in a massive cave.

I'd love to have this as a sort of open world dungeon, personally... SE needs to bring back Hamlet Defense and double down on the Besieged inspired aspects... Imagine defending Lily Hills from the Ixali and failing, then traveling into Xelphatol Subterrain in order save NPCs/reclaim the Astral Candycane... Why is Hamlet Defense still not a thing?! What the hell Yoshida...

[Nestama]

snip

Well in one of the screenshots we've seen, Alisae is knocked out. What with is anyone's guess, but the library might have some answers (we probably meet Matoya, she goes "yeah, that's some advanced form of crotchsoul rot. I recall seeing a recipe for a cure in the library. I'd tell you, but I can't remember if it needed toad oil, or Malboro oil...").

[KarstenS]

doubt that a hard mode dungeon becomes an MSQ one, but yea first time for everything.

Well the Library is pretty much the go to place to learn things. Perhaps we return to something something Soul Surrender?

Another idea: Both dungeons are part of the MSQ. It don't have to be the one or the other.

[SaitoHikari]

Crackpot theory: The very last patch before 4.0 introduces a new field for everyone to play around in, as an introduction/preview of the expansion.

That'd be one heck of a way to hook people into buying the expansion, since doing something like the 2.55 story cliffhanger wouldn't have the same effect anymore. It wouldn't be a predictable thing...