I don’t do Savage so I can’t speak from personal experience, but surely having a mix or both hard and soft enrages with a variety of DPS checks, mechanics checks, healing checks, etc would be more fun than just having one or other?

In terms of rewards for coming close but not winning, it’s definitely a controversial topic. Maybe they could have some sort of consolation prize for parties that are in the fight for the full duration but don’t defeat the enemy? Naturally it’d have to be something that won’t give them a real advantage, like some tomestones or materia or something like that.

As an aside, I’m reminded of the FFVII Battle Square where the consolation prize was a tissue lol. Maybe they could hand out some sort of item like tissues or salt that have no used other than to be traded in if you get like 10 for one of the savage trade-in items. I feel like that just overcomplicates the loot system even more though.

I do understand what others are saying about things like that giving players an advantage where they otherwise wouldn’t have. If you keep fighting and getting a consolation prize then eventually you could end up with the same gear as those who managed to beat it, which isn’t very fair.