Idea for new dungeon content

[SapphireLenfar]

I have a thought on how endgame dungeons might be made more interesting:

Imagine a dungeon with only 2 bosses--a mid-dungeon boss and final boss--and instead of the standard trash, there were more random enemy encounters such as when Arges spawns in Aquapolis, dropping additional rewards like Gil or Materia; and the dungeon layout could be a little different each time, similar to the random floor patterns of Palace of the Dead--perhaps floor traps or party debuffs could even play a factor in certain areas.

My favorite aspect of dungeons are the boss encounters. I think for most people, it's the trash pulls that make Expert Roulette a bit of a hassle, and adding random elements could spice things up. Reducing boss encounters from 3 to 2 would ensure that total dungeon times (and development time) did not run too long.

Curious to hear what other people think! How can the endgame dungeon formula but tweaked to be a little more fresh?

[Mirakumi]

Heres my batshit crazy raid idea:

I've personally always wanted a raid where the 3 raid teams get split up and have to come together at one point for the ultimate baddie. Similar to WC where one team stays uptop on spider boss - but different where in the distance you can see through the window to the other raid members fighting but not really having access to them.

The only way to get to them being:
+You clear your path and then have group that wiped, path open up to you. But have some sort of penalty happening because their team is dead. (Such as a sustainable dot that cannot be removed until your group pulls their add/kills their add. )

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-Which team goes where is always randomized. That way people can experience all three and learn from each fight readily.

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The last baddie should have a breakpoint and then shit hits the fan.

OR

if you want to make it hardcore, instead of allowing access to the add that did not get pulled. Have it have some sort time clock where that the add will leave and stand behind the big bad boss with some sort of color pillar = where the add that was unkilled is channeling a dot that will add effects to the raid. It cannot be killed and has to be dealt with. A Raid with all 3 pillar colors up will obviously wipe and cannot win the fight.

I cray cray.

I dunno but I've always wanted something crazy like this. lol

[Shurrikhan]

Since this post and many threads like it have gotten pitifully little attention (though perhaps due in part to their not being as consolidated as they could be into a single thread)...

Anything that would provide at least some turn away from the linear trash, boss, trash, boss, trash, boss formula without tossing in unnecessary annoyances (an issue entirely separate from any of these styles are layouts, due only to particulars in execution), would be welcome additions.

I've personally been wanting dungeons that would have more dynamic, more progressive music, and gameplay that would fit that, even if that means being less lenient in terms of timing. I'd also love to see more interactables, used through more means than just the right click or "interact" button and a vague psychically-empowering-this-item-on-the-floor-with-my-palm-mmmmrrrrm gesture. Key items and strategize-able use thereof would be pretty great imo, as much as it might lead to DF hell for others...

For some crazier examples of either (less lenient timing and some interactables):
- Chase (you're the prey). Complete with a variation on a "Run" or "Hurry" theme. The players must clear obstacles in their path and/or drop obstacles in front of enemies as they run or risk being overwhelmed. There may be breakable ramparts, etc., that can cut off an entry path and kill a large number of mobs in the process, but using too soon or too late will either waste a lot of its potential devastation or have you surrounded, respectively.
- Chase (you're the hunters, and time is of the essence), in a large open-ish area complete with launch pads (that do not cause animation lock / stuns) or the like, stream currents, and dungeon mechanics for mobile casting and drawing oneself towards allies or allies towards you (to be used for rapid re-direction in mid-air from said launch pads), etc.
- Aether traps. Spell-damage dealt to these traps will save the damage as a later AoE bomb to be triggered later by physical attacks. Friendly fire may be a concern, so blow it and dash out asap, or use a physical ranged.
- Dungeon-specific items, kept in the key-items section of your inventory but equipable to your hotbar. These can be alike to magitech armaments and magitech cores, to be used in enlarging your spell arsenal temporarily, scavenging or repurposing turrets, walkers, or batteries, etc., or such things as demonic growths, with which to distract or bait away certain mobs or enlarge environmental dangers (that work at least as well on enemies, too).