Quote Originally Posted by HyperiusUltima View Post
I've never used a skip potion since I've been here since 2.4. Also, as said above, Leviathan/Good King Moggle Mog XII/Ramuh/Shiva were all accessible up until you hit the MSQ "Good Intentions", which requires you to have done those 3 HMs for continuity's sake later on in HW. I've only just had a gripe with it since I've tried an alt and it feels like they shoved their foot in the door when you're trying to move on to the next MSQ.
I am not so sure it is for the sake of continuity, although I suppose it could be. The requirement to do those to proceed with the 2.x MSQ was added long before the relevant HW quest was added.

But anyway I am pretty sure you are expected to have done the HM trials long before the 2.x MSQ requires them - you can unlock them much earlier, and they are required for several other things as well. Skipping all the optional stuff and concentrating on just the MSQ is not really how you are supposed to play, even though it certainly is possible to do it that way.