Critique of Endwalker Characters

[aveyond-dreams]

OP might as well have just titled the thread "Reasons why I like the Elpis trio better than the Scions" because that's all the post basically boils down to. I see no actually interesting or useful critique to be had on it.

You mean the trio who had established motivations, contrasting personalities, and actual back-and-forth besides stoic nodding were more impactful than the yes-men who we've been stuck with for the past 8 years? You bet!

I'll gladly take a 7.0 with the reincarnations of the trio instead of the scions. Thank you next!

[EgilTheStressedMage]

OP might as well have just titled the thread "Reasons why I like the Elpis trio better than the Scions" because that's all the post basically boils down to. I see no actually interesting or useful critique to be had on it.

"Muh perfect game that can do no wrong."

[Silvarer]

"Muh perfect game that can do no wrong."

Lol, where pray tell did I ever say the game was perfect? All I said was that the original post was nothing but a bunch of fannish opinions of what they preferred. But sure, put words in my mouth if it helps you feel better.

[Silvarer]

You mean the trio who had established motivations, contrasting personalities, and actual back-and-forth besides stoic nodding were more impactful than the yes-men who we've been stuck with for the past 8 years? You bet!

I'll gladly take a 7.0 with the reincarnations of the trio instead of the scions. Thank you next!

And I'll gladly take the Scions over them any day because they're far more interesting to me. I also think you're ignoring and dismissing a lot of things about the Scions solely because you don't like them, but whatever floats your boat I guess.

[Rokke]

I’d say a lot of these complaints stem from a lack of conflict between scions. I’d think a misfit band of adventures who stick together out of necessity would be more interesting than another group of super best friends.

I agree with this and think its why I enjoyed base HW so much: our travel party was WoL + Alphy (person we already know), Estinien (Ishgardian military) & Ysayle (leader of the heretics)
Everyone had to learn to work together and since folks were willing to butt heads we got some fun conversations and to see character growth as the story progresses.

Krile and Graha are newer members of our immediate circle of scions but they're not "new scions" because both had important preexisting connections to the group. In comparison, Estinien has so many fun moments in EW because he's an outsider that got wrapped up in our adventure instead of being another Sharlayan scholar.

[aveyond-dreams]

And I'll gladly take the Scions over them any day because they're far more interesting to me. I also think you're ignoring and dismissing a lot of things about the Scions solely because you don't like them, but whatever floats your boat I guess.

How can I like characters who did little to gain my sympathies, or who did only to completely exhaust my patience by sticking around far longer than necessary? Their presence was largely vestigial and they have very little in the way of long-term goals or motivations. You cannot carry us through the next 10 years with this cast unless something crazy happens during the 6.X patches.

Even some of the party members that people regard as the weakest in the entire franchise like Hope or Selphie gave us some reason to care about them or at least be entertained whenever they came on screen. Every time Thancred shows up I just roll my eyes and even Hydaelyn didn't have anything substantial to say to him besides bringing up a character arc that ended last expansion.

Right now I'm about as tired of the scions as I was way back at the end of ARR, only then I was able to celebrate when they finally exited the picture and we got to go hang out with Estinien and Ysayle instead. Now all I can do is wait to see what sort of fanfiction they've cooked up for 6.X, because that's what these characters have by and large become: support plushies with no real stakes that are immune to all danger.

[Haruka_R]

Alright. You hate the main cast. We get it.

[SugarPuff]

I like it that Y'shtola will treat my character more as a friend than a role model. Aside from G'raha (who takes it in an entirely different direction) she's the only one who knows me well and seems comfortable being genuine. Perhaps someone else would, if given the opportunity, but it makes her my favorite scion.

I'm not attached to Thancred, he's ok but I haven't much cared for his character development.

I enjoyed learning a little more about Urianger throughout the last two expansions. For a member of the inner circle, his character still holds some mystery.

G'raha is different, and although his obvious infatuation can be awkward (my character doesn't like G'raha that way) that's what I like about him. He and Y'shtola both act like I'm a regular person.

Alisae has grown on me, particularly since they've developed her character beyond just a lot of juvenile one-upmanship with Alphinaud when she was initially introduced. I wasn't a fan, at first.

I like Alphinaud, he's curious about people and (to me) the most relatable scion. I enjoy how he and Estinien play off of each other and seeing how he and his sister have mostly out their sibling rivalry behind them.

Overall, I'm not bored with the scions. Thancred's is the only character arc I've disliked because he never bounced back from Minfilia and although that's not necessarily unrealistic, it's depressing....Well, it just struck me that I was pretty luke-warm about the entire Yda\Lyse story, but that seems redundant at this point since she's not even a scion anymore.

[TheMightyMollusk]

I like the Scions for the most part, but I wouldn't object at all to a break from the main group. We've got a plot device now to justify summoning them in as Trust avatars, they don't need to actually keep following us. I'm sure at least a couple of them will hang around, because the WoL's a heroic mime and someone needs to keep up with dialogue and exposition, but we don't need the whole group 24/7.

[TaleraRistain]

Someone I'd very much like to see come back is Yugiri, I loved what we got of her in Stormblood and she has been around since ARR it was pretty disappointing imho that we didn't get any of her in Endwalker other than a view of her back in the end credits.

She features prominently in the ranged role quests. I won't spoil anything, but one particular scene hit me right in the heart. I also would not be surprised if they use her sparingly out of respect of the loss of her voice actress.

To the OP, I'm fine if we branch out our associates in future but I disagree with a lot of what you said. I also think it's fine if you want to have your own opinions, but you're using a lot of phrasing that is being insulting toward those who hold different opinions (like apparently you can't enjoy G'raha as a character in your world and must just be in his fanclub) and not really focusing on this being your own opinion but acting like the entire playerbase feels the same. Just because you did not build connections with these characters does not mean that others didn't. I also notice you mentioned skipping cutscenes, so I will put out there the idea that if you did skip cutscenes, you may have skipped some of the context that would have made that connection. Or not. We all don't have to like everyone or connect with everyone.