Mentor system needs an overhaul

[Rehayem]

Hello everyone.

I come here to express my frustration with the current Mentor system in the game. I've been playing FFXIV since September 2019 or so, and having played many MMORPGs for the past 15 years, I believe this system in the game as it works now is probably the worst of them all.

When I started the game as a sprout, I've come across Mentors who had no knowledge about the game whatsoever. Whenever I asked a question, I was told "just google it lol". Since I come from already a toxic environment from another game, I wasn't bothered too much, yet it was rather weird a person showing themselves as Mentors, aka the golden crown, had no idea about the game they're playing. At times I felt like I was talking to a newbie player hidden behind that crown.

Once I lost my sprout status, I was playing AST and going through Eden for the first time. Having used Diurnal stance with a WHM in group, I had no idea Nocturnal stance at that time would've been better for mitigation. Our dps was slow but manageable, and we wiped 2-3 times, until the Mentor in our group began to berate me for my use of Diurnal stance for 10-15 minutes. This was back during my time on Chaos data center. I was rather hurt and the group disbanded. I even had to take a 2-3 week break from the game, just because of that moment.

I've moved to Crystal data center last year, and come to realization that Mentors here are far more worse, very aggressive, hostile and unhelpful. Running Stormblood raids for my Memories (Resistance relic weapon), we had a Dancer Mentor in our group who never avoided any AoE's, which ultimately caused them to die plenty of times during every single boss fight. They even complained to us (the healers), about the heals to which I had to retort and make them understand, standing in AoE's is deadly.

You see, having this system based on commendations is rather absurd, in fact, it's the worst idea ever. My friend, while on Free Trial, has amassed a total of 3,576 commendations mainly because she mains WHM. I reached 3k commends myself in no time while leveling my healers yet I hide my crown. Doing those role quests is in fact just as easy, and the system needs an overhaul -- immediately.

- Mentor system shouldn't be based on commendations alone. It should be removed.
- Players who wish to become Mentors should have all classes maxed out
- There should be a requirement for grinding low-level content, ARR specially.
- Mentors should have all relic quests completed from all expansions. The grind in ARR is real challenge for that.
- More focus on FATEs. I've seen too many Mentors not understand how Fates work.
- Harsher punishment for players abusing the Mentor system to berate players that are non-sprouts. I see it happen almost daily at this rate.

Either way, whether SE does something or not, this whole system will ultimately be seen in a negative light over time.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

[LianaThorne]

Here we go again.
*gets the popcorn ready*

[ZedxKayn]

Wanna know something funny?
That mentor was wrong, even with a WHM, diurnal is still better mathematically. Hell it's better to have double diurnal AST coordinating their heals than different sects in a double AST setting.

[Rehayem]

Wanna know something funny?
That mentor was wrong, even with a WHM, diurnal is still better mathematically. Hell it's better to have double diurnal AST coordinating their heals than different sects in a double AST setting.

Sure, but do you see the issue here? While I don't expect perfection, I would at least expect them to have some knowledge about the class. Just as now while doing Malikah's Well, the mentor in our group didn't know how SCH worked because they expected pro heals from a recent sprout, that lost its sprout icon.

[SturmChurro]

Unfortunately, a thread like this is only too common around here. I don't think the mentor system needs an overhaul, I think it needs to retired. Gotten rid of. It's a great idea in theory, but in practice.. not so much. It would just be healthier for the game as a whole, and better for new players as well.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

The only change that needs to happen with the mentor system is its removal.

The best thing to do when you see a mentor crown is generally the opposite of what they do or say.


Very few actually know what they are talking about. Very very few.

[Rein_eon_Osborne]

Not this kind of thread again...
... No, I'm not trying to dismiss your sentiment, but it would be nice if the older thread with same topic can be bumped up because larger thread tend to get more 'actual attention' rather than having multiple but fragmented threads like this.

[Derio]

Just because they are a mentor doesnt mean they know everything about the game. It means they have a general grasp or higher of the game mechanics and features. Far too many people assume that mentors know everything.

The mentor system is simply a system in place that allows people to help new players with questions, content, etc through mentor roulette or novice network.

Also there are crafter mentors as well. Two different crowns but many people and new players see it as the same thing. The Mentor system works well in well driven communities because it is a community driven tool. If your world has a poor community then the system probably works poorly.

They should leave the mentor system as is. While you may have had a negative experience from it. On Famfrit I have seen many sprouts get the help they need in both random instances and novice network.

[Starshower]

Look, I was agreeing with everything you were saying. (most) Mentors are indeed random players that use the crown for looks.

But when you listed your proposed overhaul I couldn't help but laugh-- this is a bit extreme isn't it? I mean, how relics and fates will help anyone know more about the game?

[Rehayem]

Look, I was agreeing with everything you were saying. (most) Mentors are indeed random players that use the crown for looks.

But when you listed your proposed overhaul I couldn't help but laugh-- this is a bit extreme isn't it? I mean, how relics and fates will help anyone know more about the game?

Playing through low content forces players to remember and understand specific mechanics that can benefit sprouts. Yes, they are extreme, but being a Mentor should be earned with effort, rather than some commendations and role quests. Overall the current system is absurd.