When are the Scions gonna get the memo...

[Maeka]

... about the Warrior of Light?

I mean, seriously, I think people would know by now, that the Warrior of Light simply cannot die. Well, ok, they can but they just get back up at whatever Aetheryte they deem as their "favorite".

But wouldn't you know it, if the Scions... you know, the people who know you the best, and who know what kind of powers you have and what you are capable of, are still saying things like "Be careful!" "Don't get killed!" "I was worried you might not make it!"

Uh.

I'm the Warrior of Light. I literally cannot die. What are you so worried about!? If I "die", I feel pain for a bit, see a bright flash of light, and whoosh. I'm back in town. I'll be back in a few, though with some lost gil for teleporting. Now, I don't enjoy needlessly wasting Haedalyn's energies, so I'm not going to go on suicide missions, but still. No need to worry, I'll be fine.

EDIT: Also it's kinda funny that Garlemald hasn't released a huge PSA to all of their commanders about what the WoL is and what kind of threat they pose, and what they are known to be capable of. lol. You'd think with the fact that several Imperials have seen the WoL's face they would at least have rough sketches that they'd pass out or something. It's kinda funny running into yet more Imperial commanders who think that you're a pushover and you mop the floor with them. Even Zenos... you'd think that guy by now would realize that no matter how hard he hits you, he can't kill you. But I suppose he's a case of pride and hubris so I'll hand-wave that.

[Legion88]

You are talking about a game feature, perhaps Anonymoose can explain it in detail but even the WoL can die.

[SlayerOmega]

I dont believe you ever die lore wise. Pretty sure when you die its considered an alternate outcome to the encounter. Which the "real" you is aware of through the echo which is what makes the WoL so powerful. They can see alternate timelines as well as events of a person's pass. This also explains the echo buff you get in trials and such.

Pretty sure Ethys on Youtube covered this at some point.

[Anonymoose]

perhaps Anonymoose can explain it in detail but even the WoL can die.

I can kind of explain it; I just can't put it in a box. I'm actually kind of a buzzkill on these topics.

It's a video game, you must be capable of losing. It's a story, you can't actually be allowed to die (before your time...?)

One one hand, Gameplay / Story Segregation is a thing. On the other, you'll succeed in stopping time before stopping attempts to circumvent that by conjuring up excuses to explain everything from whose houses your retainers are robbing to how you can carry thousands of ponzes of items in your hammerspace knapsack to why enemies are weaker than the lore implies because they showed up at a certain level in a certain context to the fact I've been paid for killing the Garlock a hundred times and they don't even question it when I show up to claim the reward again.

When your HP reaches zero, you pass out; "defeated" / "knocked out". Sensing danger, you subconsciously return to the nearest or most familiar beacon of safety. That's as much as the game deems worthy of lore ... and that's yet to really come up in terms of the story itself.

More often, Hydaelyn Herself steps in when she feels like something might actually threaten us. Seven hells, you could probably blame Her for the whole lot of it, right? Maybe She whispers to your psyche the subconscious spark that allows you to ride the aetherial rivers to safety and give it another go. Maybe She senses the power discrepancy and tips her aetherial foot on the scales.

But without you being capable of being defeated or dying or being saved by Hydaelyn until she weakens Herself enough to lose the war, the story is more or less moot. Midgardsormr thought all of that was possible, which infuriated him to no end when he thought we were just riding Her power-ups to fame and glory we didn't deserve while she flickered in the darkness.

Or maybe that's what Yoshida meant when he referred to "the secret behind Hydaelyn and who the Warrior of Light actually is." /trollface /potstir

Pretty sure when you die its considered an alternate outcome to the encounter. Which the "real" you is aware of through the echo which is what makes the WoL so powerful. They can see alternate timelines as well as events of a person's pass. This also explains the echo buff you get in trials and such.

Pretty sure Ethys on Youtube covered this at some point.

While the "knocked out, returned to safety, tried again" approach seems adequate for those driven to make wipes canon, I admittedly still just point to the "Gameplay / Story Segregation" poster.

It's similar to the blaming of the Echo for being able to see enemy telegraphs ... even when you're up against something without a soul to resonate with ... or something lacking even consciousness ... or a regular old machine ... or literally just a falling rock.

The major theme of Hydaelyn's blessing is that you transcend mortal limits. Gaining extra [HP, MP, Attack Power, Healing Power] you don't normally have is precisely that, transcending your usual limits ... so they named the buff The Echo.

It's lore-consistent flavor, for sure, but I can't say I've found a compelling reason to consider a party wipe or enemy telegraph any more a part of the official storyline than, say, Expert Roulette, or the in-game clock's suggestion that I spent 4 straight days logging a hundred crates of loquats and then stat there for another 4 straight days smashing them into juice with my trusty pocket-knife.

[Heliantheae]

I don't know if we can. I broke this guys katana on my boob.

[Kallera]

That line kinda worries me...If it becomes clear that it is impossible for us to die because we are somehow either Hydaelyn incarnate or not our mortal identities to begin with, then that just throws the baby out with the bathwater. None of us are really playing a 'character' in a story...I'm not sure how to put this, but its that feeling where nothing is at stake anymore and , victory is only a matter of when, not if, even if you fail, you don't actually lose anything, unlike everyone else you meet.

That I think, is kinda what the OP is getting at. The character is, or rather becomes, unassailable. They cannot die because we play them is one thing, but they cannot die because they are immortal ascians is quite another.

[Draginhikari]

I think it's just one of those thing that is basically 'this is a video game and we have to ignore reason in order to make the game functional'.

[Kyran-Varlsen]

That I think, is kinda what the OP is getting at. The character is, or rather becomes, unassailable, because they are "special".

For us players, this is a plausible realization. For our characters, the one's whose blood, sweat and tears are used idly to purchase every level up - I would say something different. Maybe we aren't religious, but if there is a plan, some manifestation of destiny, for us to follow which involves protecting our homes and friends then why fight it?


Our character seemingly comes from nowhere, whether it is on a cart or on a ship. I for one believe my elezan character hailed from southern lands where his family settled after being exiled from Ishgard some 200 years past. But for all I know, we could literally have popped out of thin air as manifestations of Hydaelyn herself and everything we think we know about our character is a lie. For a Legacy Warrior of Light, maybe you did die on the fields of Carteneau and you are playing someone who thinks they are your prior character.

We are like a hero from the Elder Scrolls games: tough, determined, accepted by many factions and really good at whatever we put our minds to. And like the Hero of the Elder Scrolls, we are here when we are most needed. But what lies at the end of our road? Victory... or worse? The Warriors of Darkness found nothing but despair - what will you find?

[Kallera]

I think it's just one of those thing that is basically 'this is a video game and we have to ignore reason in order to make the game functional'.

Well, yes, but if it is a matter of character identity, If the player's existence is being questioned, that is a problem, isn't it? I've spend a fair amount of time convinced my character was an Elezen that moved to Gridania during the events of 1.0, In an RP setting, she lives in the Black Shroud before that, the parents of some parents with a less than legal life. But never mind the rp bits If that most basic part of identity(I am a duskwight elezen from Gridania) goes "poof! Nope, your the avatar of the planet set to right the wrongs of all the pesky mortals upon your being." or "you're a immortal spirit that popped out of the hopes and dreams of people!" There a sense of scope and morality that gets lost. People, friends, enemies, random passerbys looking for a quest, the whole setting is diminished.

[Anonymoose]

For us players, this is a plausible realization. For our characters, the one's whose blood, sweat and tears are used idly to purchase every level up - I would say something different.

From the strictly in-world perspective, this is at the heart of it, for me.

We can make assumptions about our character's plot armor with much more certainty than our allied NPCs. Yes, we're quite powerful. Yes, that power led to us being chosen as the would-soul's champion. Yes, the world-soul's blessing is nothing to shake a stick at. But myths and legends have been around for ages. The gods wage wars. Calamities wipes out civilizations. Immortal wraiths sent by the exiled dark world-soul bound in the moon possess people and have access to unfathomable magicks that can destroy the fabric of reality.

Who knows where the powers of a strong rando with the Light's favor hit their limit. You can't take them for granted, especially when they're your friend. You see this idea taking root in Alphinaud throughout Heavensward, especially once Estinien chews him out for throwing you at every inconvenience and assuming everything will be fine. It has been so far... but what if?

Archons die. Hydaelyn hasn't been winning. Even Midgardsormr lost once, and unlike him, you-as-you is probably bound for a one-way trip into the Lifestream to be torn apart and born anew one day. Even if the legends of The Gifted being reborn on the cusp of every Calamity are true, you clearly don't remember your last identity.

When the world and your friends are on the line, you try your best not to screw it up or take things for granted.