Revelations from Patch 4.56

**Cilia** · 03-27-2019 11:04 AM

MSQ

GOD DAMN IT!

This didn't explain anything at all! Just a little bit of chatting, a bout with Zenos-Elidibus that gets interrupted with not-maybe-probably G'raha, and some more chatting. Nothing has really been set up - not how we get to the First Shard, not why we have to go to the First Shard, not what's going to happen with the war with Garlemald, not what's going on with the Scions, not how we're supposed to become the Warrior of Darkness, no eye or ear of the Hrothgar, nothing! Nothing!

/sigh... they should have just saved the dungeon for right before the fight with Zenos-Elidibus and done it all in one package.

The fight wasn't all that challenging - it was interesting to see him mix up swordplay with Ascian trademark Dark magicks, but pretty easy even forgetting to use Bloodbath most of the time. (Third Eye! Merciful Eyes!) The RP as Hien wasn't all that challenging either.

The stingers were interesting enough. Varis possessed by Solus (Emet-Selch) and going to use Black Rose? Zenos hunting down his true body before going after us again? Interesting...

Well this was a wash, but at least I have my NP3 Okita Souji... too bad she's not at max level and a pretty poor pick for the final showdown with Moriarty in 3 days, along with Ozymandias because of the add... uhu... no more rolling except the GSSR until Christmas...

It's still early enough, so I guess I'll hop back on and finish up Hildibrand. Maybe that'll cheer me up...

**WhiteArchmage** · 03-27-2019 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by Lauront

Regarding the below...

Here you go.

Thanks a lot!

Also, it seems I miscounted, but it makes more sense now: There's 14 circles in the outer edge, 9 of them connected to ~~G'raha~~the Figure, three in a circle by themselves (although connected 2 to another two that ARE connected to the figure), and 2 on their own.

It does seem to bring some Source and Shards imagery but I'm not sure what the solar system-like lines are supposed to represent...

**Dualblade** · 03-27-2019 12:26 PM

Finally I can post again!

MSQ

So yeah not the greatest way to end off Stormblood in all honesty. I do still like it more compared to ARR's transition to HW atleast, but HW's transition to SB blows both out of the water still. The closest thing we have right now for why we will become WoD, atleast from what I've seen, come from completely optional dialogue from characters you don't even need to talk too.

Unukalhai, who wonders how we are supposed to help curb the Light of the First when we ourselves are powerful Light users, and Temulun back in Azim Steppe who still sees darkness around us even though she originally thought it was going to be about more recent events (IE things like our fights in the Ghimlyt Dark.) There might be some more but those are the ones I've seen. Also characters even as far as said Steppes know of our near-death/loss to Elidinos which could lead to some problems if the common man doesn't realize we didn't die at that time during our adventure in the First Shard. That WoL Primal is seeming much more likely now.

On the fight itself I enjoyed it myself. The RP fights weren't going to be too difficult since, as people have said, playing a job that you know nothing about could cause problems. Thus the simplification. I would love to see SHB RP fights have a bit more options to use (even a full rotation would be better than what we have even it does essentially do the same as hitting one button right now.) I also really like how it highlights the power difference between the WoL and their allies. Elidinos took down three red shirts in one hit, and while it took longer to take down important allies it was rather clear he wasn't trying as hard as he could. Meanwhile our own WoL took him on while he was much more serious AND we don't know for sure what the outcome would have been if we weren't suddenly derailed by the Voice. Yeah Elidinos was able to get back up after a beating but we also were only knocked back by an attack that once before OHKO'd us.

It also woulda been nice to have Estinien's rescue of us be a cutscene, even if it was shown after we woke up again. But ah well.

So a mixed bag for me.

Beast Tribe

Par for the course on how Allied Quests go about, I wasn't going into this expecting too much. Was enjoyable enough and I do like all the characters that were part of it, even the bad guy grows on one when they just can't quite be enough of a threat to us.

Personal theory: The shark at the end DID kill him, but it'll turn out the Voice rolled a nat 1 on trying to talk to us and ended up pulling his soul into the First Shard. At the end of the SHB Allied Quest he will once more be blown up, only to end up back in the first because someone turned his body into a cyborg. Which will proceed to blow up at the end of the 6.0 Allied Quest.

Hildibrand

Getting Greg made this whole patch worth it for me. Getting to FIGHT Greg again makes it even better. Enkidu is still alive so yayness, and somehow Greg, Hildy, Nashu, and that one bad guy have a better explanation for being in the first than we do. Also the Wolf Burgler continues to watch over Kugane, so thats nice.

One day we WILL need a trial against Godbert though.

**Cilia** · 03-27-2019 01:01 PM

Hildibrand was great.

From Gilgamesh revealing himself to have been Yojimbo all along, to his fight being a reference machine, it was great from start to finish!

And so everything is resolved. Hildibrand's reason for being in Norvrandt is given, the criminals in Kugane have been apprehended, and Shigure has learned to have some flexibility when it comes to law enforcement. So I guess this one was supposed to be Tales of Vesperia-lite?

A-anyway, I enjoyed this one a fair bit more than the MSQ this time around. Much more closure to the chapter... I know Stormblood's thematic ending was supposed to be 4.3, but it still feels like the build-up to Shadowbringers was underwhelming compared to Heavensward and Stormblood. An inconclusive duel with Zenos-Elidibus is a far cry from the debacle in Ul'dah and an Omega / Shinryu fight. I guess the point is we need to get stronger to strike down Zenos-Elidibus? Or something?

The vagueness of what we're supposed to do is what really gets me...

**Daralii** · 03-27-2019 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by Cilia

Hildibrand was great.

From Gilgamesh revealing himself to have been Yojimbo all along, to his fight being a reference machine, it was great from start to finish!

And so everything is resolved. Hildibrand's reason for being in Norvrandt is given, the criminals in Kugane have been apprehended, and Shigure has learned to have some flexibility when it comes to law enforcement. So I guess this one was supposed to be Tales of Vesperia-lite?

A-anyway, I enjoyed this one a fair bit more than the MSQ this time around. Much more closure to the chapter... I know Stormblood's thematic ending was supposed to be 4.3, but it still feels like the build-up to Shadowbringers was underwhelming compared to Heavensward and Stormblood. An inconclusive duel with Zenos-Elidibus is a far cry from the debacle in Ul'dah and an Omega / Shinryu fight. I guess the point is we need to get stronger to strike down Zenos-Elidibus? Or something?

The vagueness of what we're supposed to do is what really gets me...

Bleh bleh bleh

Tataru said that, if "Zenos" couldn't be beaten by us, we surely could if we had all our allies. I took that mostly as her trying to indirectly beg us to bring them back, but she's not wrong. Her, Enigma Tia, and our own reasons(revenge, saving our friends, etc) provide plenty of reason to go to Norvrandt if we can find the way. What sucks is that we probably won't get anything more on what Emet-Selch/Solus/Varis/whatever body he'll use in the future despite that final stinger. Hopefully we'll at least get flashes to Elezenos's solo offensive against the entire empire to reclaim his place, because damn do I wanna watch it.

As a side thing, I must've just not noticed in the HW credits that Joji Nakata is the JP voice of Varis. I kind of want to rewatch all his scenes in Japanese now.

**Kusanagi7** · 03-27-2019 03:24 PM

this was just underwhelming ive only done msq n hildibrand so far n i enjoyed hildibrand more than msq.

**HyoMinPark** · 03-27-2019 04:26 PM

Main Scenario

Underwhelming.

I’m supposed to make do until Early Access with this? Alright, I guess. Nothing really came off as exciting for me—the Zenos battle was a chore with Hien (Just 4 skills? Really???), and not really that impressive on my character. I’ll admit seeing all the SB mechanics was kind of cool, but it didn’t have much else going for it. The after-talk with G’raha (that is SO him), and then Aymeric didn’t leave much to be desired. I still wonder if the body The Real Zenos is possessing is just a random Elezen... or someone else. Those eyes are really familiar... and I actually hope I’m wrong with regards to the first thought that popped into my head when I saw them those many patches ago. I’d rather not it be true... Thankfully, I’m probably wrong. Small comfort.

Varis... please don’t make that face again. Yeesh.

All-in-all, too short and too lackluster. It definitely didn’t leave me with the same feelings of excitement that I had at the end of ARR or HW. But, for me personally, I feel like most of SB’s story has been lackluster compared to the expansion before it. At least the artwork in the credits was pretty, though. I can always appreciate that.

I can’t help but want more to go on. It’s going to be a long wait until Early Access....

Hildibrand

I enjoyed Hildibrand this expansion. Not as funny as ARR, but still really good. The trial was really fun, and I am IN LOVE with the Manderville Mambo dance. Favorite moment was at the end watching my character and the rest of the Hildi cast dancing to it. Made my night!

I was happy to see Greg (and Enkidu!) return.

Allied Beast Tribe

Cute... but lackluster. Definitely not as funny as ARR or HW. Felt about as anticlimactic as the MSQ. Maybe I was just clouded by my earlier anticlimactic feeling, but it just didn’t seem that in-depth to me...

Only funny instance was the Namazu crashing in on their mount—I was really hoping to see something more with Jaws and Nhaza’a.

**Pomelo** · 03-27-2019 05:42 PM

Oh, so that's it. Lol.

Filler arc here we come!

**ShadowMeowth** · 03-27-2019 06:26 PM

MSQ

I have to say I enjoyed the MSQ in general. Perhaps I expected more, but I am generally satisfied. But still not enough for all the hype for Shadowbringers. Welp, it is what it is.

About the Enigmatic Figure, everyone seems convinced him to be G'raha Tia, but it seems weird to me. 1) He should have shown more signs of knowing us. 2) His speech pattern is very different from G'raha, and it was not that long since he sealed himself in the Crystal Tower. 3) The trailer shows a particular chamber inside the Crystal Tower with the astral chart. 4) Would being sealed inside the Crystal Tower cause the crystallization of G'raha's body in such a way?, since Xande, Amon, Doga and Unei spent loads more time in there and show nothing of the like. 5) Kan-E-Senna mentioned the owner of the voice was possessed of a power beyond we had encountered, and even with Doga and Unei's Allagan blood, G'raha does not strike me as such an individual.

So, to summarize, if the Enigmatic Figure is G'raha, he has to have some connection with the divine crystals, as he is half crystal, and I would bet on Zodiark since granting us Darkness powers is not Hydaelyn's gift. Perhaps Zodiark chose G'raha as a conduit, if it is really him. If there is something I am rather sure of, it is that Zodiark has something to do with all of this.

I have to wonder, too, if the Enigmatic Figure is either Zodiark's physical manifestation or an unknown vessel just as Minfilia is the Word of the Mother. The Ascians' power squabbles in Garlemald kind of cements the idea of disarray amongst the alleged servants of Zodiark, so perhaps Crystal Dad decided to implicate himself, even if imprisoned and bound. It has been mentioned as well that Flooded worlds are of no use to neither Hydaelyn and Zodiark, and who truly has power to restore Darkness against the Light would be Zodiark. Perhaps he is an ancient vessel for Zodiark who has spent more time than Minfilia acting as a conduit for a crystal deity and it is why he is half-crystal himself. But for now, they are all now theories.

As for Elezenos, I am curious about him. He is such a wildcard, and he might prove both ally and enemy. We know he considers us friend and enemy, so he is hard to read. I am glad though that he intends to go back to Garlemald and wreck some mayhem. He is the crown prince, after all, and despite Varis never intending to allow him in the throne, if Varis himself has been possessed by Solus, he is neither fit to rule, if in the end Garlemald remains an empire. It is not Garlemald which is tainted, but the Garlean Empire, for Ascian machinations began with Solus' rise to power, not when Garlemald was a republic. I wonder what role Zenos will be playing here. He might even prove useful, as he is a Resonant and henceforth able to face Ascians.

Still working on the Hildibrand quests.

**AmpelioB** · 03-27-2019 06:41 PM

Enigma;figure

ok i read this thread and a lot of people is saying it's not g'hara based on the way he speak and thr fact e is supposed to know us but remembering the Fanfest, yoship mentioned the 1st shares similarities and we might even see people we may know. My point is, there is the possibility this IS g'hara but not OUR g'hara but the 1st g'hara. There's what ShadowMeowth mentioned about the person having a power beyond known but i guess that easily explainable seeing that person is able to control the Crystal Tower?

Thread: Revelations from Patch 4.56

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