Raiding is becoming less and less optional

[RVallant]

Assuming they're opting for cohesion, it'll probably take place after the 1-50 MSQ and before the patch content.

I hope they stagger it in-between the other MSQ's, but I only say that cos it's pretty fun reading the dialogue referencing recent story events if you do them in order of patch release. (At least, I think the dialogue changes depending on where you are in the MSQ anyway...)

[Crushnight]

i wonder how some of these raiders would feel if an activity that they didn't enjoy was forced in order to do the MSQ. "in order to complete 5.4 you must have 3 crafters and 2 gather classes raised to max level"

but its easy so its not a big deal amirite?

Have they advised anyone to level their crafters/gatherers for enhancement of msq? have they added an npc in that is tied to any of these jobs? Has it been a year since their announcement of said advice?

I think it's a no to all 3 don't you, so that ain't happening for a long time if it even happens at all, as crafter/gathering rarely interact with msq just look at the ending to ARR and the lv 50 cul quest for proof of that.

And FYI a fair few raiders level crafters to cap ready for the next expansion so they can repair their own gear mid instance saves time and if SE ever do a Neo/Godka/Final Omega and you have to kill the gatekeeper to get to the second half of the fight you can actually stay in instance longer.

The reason this is treated like such a non issue is because of how absurdly easy CT raids are if you have anything level 80 you are more than prepared for anything these raids throw at you.

I swear if the people complaining about this just entered LoTA once they would realise why it is such a non issue.

If they ever ask people to do Extreme trials/savage/ultimates I and many others posting here saying this isn't that bad would be wielding pitchforks and torches asking what the hell you can't ask your entire playerbase to do stuff of that level of difficulty but CT nope we'll wield our weapons to get people through as it barely takes any time at all.

[Delis]

i wonder how some of these raiders would feel if an activity that they didn't enjoy was forced in order to do the MSQ. "in order to complete 5.4 you must have 3 crafters and 2 gather classes raised to max level"

but its easy so its not a big deal amirite?

You know the 24 man raids are pretty easy right? I can que up and set my dog down at my desk and have her go through and she would be okay. Heck I would wager she would be in the top five dps wise... But on a serious note. Anyone that might be nervous about doing 24 man raids, don't be, as people have said they are pretty easy and pretty fun to do as well. If you mess up, oh well you messed up, learn from your mistake and push on. No one is going to be yelling at you or calling you out or anything.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

i wonder how some of these raiders would feel if an activity that they didn't enjoy was forced in order to do the MSQ. "in order to complete 5.4 you must have 3 crafters and 2 gather classes raised to max level"

but its easy so its not a big deal amirite?

Already done. Have been for a while.

[Fynlar]

i wonder how some of these raiders would feel if an activity that they didn't enjoy was forced in order to do the MSQ. "in order to complete 5.4 you must have 3 crafters and 2 gather classes raised to max level"

Raiders are more likely to complain about the other way around, honestly -- needing to do MSQ before they can do the latest raids.

Anyway, if it didn't make sense for the story progression to require those things, people would probably (rightfully) complain.

But the Crystal Tower is an aspect of SB2's story, and presumably will play an integral role in the finale (5.3). It gets acknowledged at the end of 5.0 if you've already completed it. It isn't nonsensical to require the completion of those raids. Honestly, the only real flaw is that it wasn't already required to begin with, because it does seem a little bit strange to suddenly require it now, but I think the devs/Yoshi were already aware of this from SB2's beginning and they were just trying to be lenient about it until getting to this point where the ongoing story really wouldn't work without its completion.

[Avidria]

i wonder how some of these raiders would feel if an activity that they didn't enjoy was forced in order to do the MSQ. "in order to complete 5.4 you must have 3 crafters and 2 gather classes raised to max level"

but its easy so its not a big deal amirite?

Activities I don't enjoy are already part of the MSQ, but I like the story and it's required to do other things I do like so I deal with it. If they were asking people to do challenging or time consuming content, yeah I'd be annoyed, but a 15 minute facerolly joke of a "raid" that you can literally afk your way through if you hate it that much? Not a huge concern for me.

[Iscah]

We don't know at what point CT will be mandatory, whether during ARR or pre-shB.
With the ARR reworking, I assume the former

Assuming they're opting for cohesion, it'll probably take place after the 1-50 MSQ and before the patch content.

I think it could possibly have a gate in both places: one in post-ARR (if it's not simply made part of the MSQ itself) to ensure new players do the quests at their proper place in the story, and a second gate at the start of 5.3 to catch anyone who is already past the point where they set up the first gate.

i wonder how some of these raiders would feel if an activity that they didn't enjoy was forced in order to do the MSQ. "in order to complete 5.4 you must have 3 crafters and 2 gather classes raised to max level"

but its easy so its not a big deal amirite?

I'm not "a raider". I haven't even unlocked most of the recent EX/Savage stuff because it just clogs up my party finder list.

I can only assume that anyone complaining about doing these raid hasn't actually done them, and is simply assuming they are difficult because of the "raid" label.

Like it or not, they're going to be mandatory. Your choices are:

1. Play them once to clear the story and get on with enjoying the rest of the game

2. Refuse to play them and be unable to make further MSQ progress

3. Quit the game rather than be forced to play them

And if you are going to take the second or third option on the sheer assumption that they will be difficult and unenjoyable, without at very least playing the lead-in quests and attempting the Labyrinth, then it is very much your loss.

This isn't upcoming content where you can only speculate on how much you think you won't enjoy it. It's there in the game and it only takes a few hours to get through the entire thing, and half of it is run-around quests and cutscenes.

[Rosenstrauch]

All this hemming and hawing about having to do the Crystal Tower raids is reminding me of my first time playing this game. I leveled all the way to 30 or so on multiple classes without pushing very far in the Main Scenario because I was afraid Sastasha would be too hardcore for me. Not a 24-man raid, not an 8-man trial, Sastasha.

Abandon your preconceptions entirely, do the Crystal Tower questline, pop right into Labyrinth of the Ancients synced down to item level 130 or so when the raid is balanced around you being closer to fresh off of Praetorium, and realize that you have completely overblown how difficult it was going to be. It's nothing more than a dungeon with a higher than normal headcount. Syrcus Tower is even easier, and the World of Darkness, while better tuned, can still be cleared with half the party sleeping at the wheel.

[AnimaAnimus]

i wonder how some of these raiders would feel if an activity that they didn't enjoy was forced in order to do the MSQ. "in order to complete 5.4 you must have 3 crafters and 2 gather classes raised to max level"

but its easy so its not a big deal amirite?

If I could level up 3 DoH and 2 DoL by doing about an hour, at most, of things I didn't like and never had to do again, to advance in the story. I would totally be ok with it. Comparing leveling 5 jobs from 1 to 80 with 3 of the fastest and easiest 24 man raids in the game is both cringy and hilarious at the same time.

[MrThinker]

Assuming they're opting for cohesion, it'll probably take place after the 1-50 MSQ and before the patch content.

I think the recent digest for the Last Live Letter actually answers this to a degree. For new Players going through the story, once they finish the quests in 2.55, they will get a notification to complete the Crystal Tower story if they have not already. It was not specified if players would be blocked from entering Heavensward, or that block would be in place for only 5.3 quests, but with the way it is worded I believe it is in fact the latter.

Before you begin the Patch 5.3 main scenario quests, you’ll need to have completed the Crystal Tower quest series and “My Little Chocobo” quest. With the Crystal Tower series’ relevance to the main scenario, we decided to make it a requirement.

Players will be notified of these progression requirements at certain points during the main scenario. For instance, if you recently started FFXIV and are progressing through A Realm Reborn, a popup asking you to complete the Crystal Tower quests will be displayed before you begin the Heavensward main scenario.