Thread: 3.4 new content

Overall, I'd say 3.4 has a good blend of stuff to sate people's appetite, yet is plagued by a few reoccurring issues. To borrow, Kaurie's format



Raids/Sophia
This is, perhaps, the most active I have ever seen Savage in Party Finder. I cannot speak for servers outside Balmung, but I never once saw any groups attempting to learn or clear earlier tiers of Gordias or Midas. That alone is a definite improvement for the raid scene. I still have small reservations phases are being pushed already, but I'll reserve any definitive judgment for one I get better practice in. My one complaint is actually towards Normal, which remains a complete joke. Yes, it may be story, however I don't think you should be able to push Alexander to 10% despite 5-6-7-8 deaths. This wouldn't be so bad in 260+ gear, but we're mostly rocking a sub 250 overall ilvl.

Raid Difficulty (Savage): Great
Raid Difficulty (Normal): Below Average
Raid Mechanics: Fair (Better from A11 onward)
Sophia Difficulty (Extreme): Average
Sophia Difficulty (Normal): Poor
Sophia Mechanics: Good

MSQ
Although I did enjoy the story, it felt a tad rushed. The WoD subplot seemed like wasted potential when the patch itself hinted at being wholly dedicated to their involvement. Gu Ba's story arc may have single-handily solid a great detail of the story. Frankly, I'm not opposed to increased cut scenes, though I would prefer more voice acting. Aesthetically, I had no qualms with Xelphatol, and was under the impression we simply invaded a garrison. Which does lineup with how the story present it as only a small exertion force. My larger complaint is yet again: difficulty, or a lack thereof. For a brand new dungeon, we shouldn't be capable of mowing things down like it were a sporting event.

MSQ Story: Great
MSQ Execution: Above Average
MSQ length: Decent
Xelphatol Aesthetics: Decent
Xelphatol Difficulty: Poor
Boss mechanics: Poor

Wondrous Tails
Something of a mixed bag. I actually enjoy the reinvigoration its brought to old content, however the reward structure seems a bit... odd. I suppose the intent is to help gear up another job without relying on weekly caps, however the RNG nature not only severely limits that potential, it also only benefits those who like the job showcased for the week. On the one hand, I get why they made this gear rare; it would utterly destroy the crafting market if it were easily obtainable. But an improvement here would be awarding a token to redeem an armour of your choosing. Retry should also be tweaked as it is essentially worthless.
Rating: Fair

Squadrons
Obviously a work in progress; the current implementation of Squadrons is... fine. There is nothing overly compelling about it nor do I find myself seeing it a complete waste of time. Judging only what is available now, I wish our recruits actually had some character. Even if it were minor fluff. If squadrons evolved into our own Crystal Braves, I might actually grow to enjoy the feature. At the moment, it just exists. I neither dislike nor like it, but it is better than expected.
Rating: Average

Aquarium
I like silly glamour-esque additions, however they still spent far too much time building a whole system around something we put fish in. Nonetheless, it's cute for what it is.

Gubal Hard
Suffers a similar issue Xelphtol does: far too easy. The interactive boss mechanics and silly stories spread along the way made it feel more enjoyable though. So kudos for distracting my attention.

Story: Decent
Aesthetics: Decent
Difficulty: Poor
Boss Mechanics: Decent