the normal content is too easy

[Novae]

The problem isn't the difficulty. It's the core game itself, pushing us, overgeared lvl 90 players, in every way possible into old content, with old rotations, old mechanics, old everything.
There is no midcore content, and in fact, no content really at 90. And it's even less for people who don't enjoy savage.
So we're stuck in this hamster wheel, doing always the same thing, without effort, fun. At this point, I just open my roulette menu, feel sick, and log out. I haven't touched alliance roulette in months. I barely do leveling, or expert. I don't play healers anymore, and I'm a healer main.
It's depressing.

[MisterNublet]

Honestly, I think the trials already ask a lot of the average player. When I did Zodiark I was grouped with several other first timers and after multiple wipes we never got him below 40%. I have similar tales for just about every trial I've queued for in the MSQ where the groups are predominantly people new to the encounter. Dungeons generally haven't been bad except for The Burn (only the tank was experienced with it), which after numerous wipes I thought I was going to have to re-queue for but we finally managed it.

Were it not for the fact that the content is mandatory for progressing through the MSQ I'd say go nuts with the difficulty. However, since it is, as far as I'm concerned some of it could stand to be toned down some. Now that they're adding trusts for (eventually) everything hopefully there can be more of a MSQ-mode for people like myself who just wanted to experience the story. Makes me wish I'd waited a year to start playing because trusts have been the best thing ever for my enjoyment of the game.

Sorry, but the average player shouldn't have any issues with MSQ trials after a couple of wipes learning some of the new mechanics. If your group wasn't able to get Zodiark below 40% after multiple wipes, then your group was ignoring mechanics and/or have no clue how to play their jobs at the bare minimum level. If they were to reduce the difficulty of MSQ content, the fights would be nothing more than training dummies.

The problem isn't the difficulty. It's the core game itself, pushing us, overgeared lvl 90 players, in every way possible into old content, with old rotations, old mechanics, old everything.
There is no midcore content, and in fact, no content really at 90. And it's even less for people who don't enjoy savage.
So we're stuck in this hamster wheel, doing always the same thing, without effort, fun. At this point, I just open my roulette menu, feel sick, and log out. I haven't touched alliance roulette in months. I barely do leveling, or expert. I don't play healers anymore, and I'm a healer main.
It's depressing.

This was the fastest I've stopped playing after a release of an expansion in any MMO. I still log on to heal for my static, but after savage I promptly log off. I refuse to heal for pugs/roulettes due to the trash state of healers, and the fact that there isn't enough caffeine to keep me awake playing as one. Also, gonna boycott the 24-man as a healer, might go in as a tank or just go play Elden Ring instead.

[Ath192]

This was the fastest I've stopped playing after a release of an expansion in any MMO. I still log on to heal for my static, but after savage I promptly log off. I refuse to heal for pugs/roulettes due to the trash state of healers, and the fact that there isn't enough caffeine to keep me awake playing as one. Also, gonna boycott the 24-man as a healer, might go in as a tank or just go play Elden Ring instead.

I legit fall asleep playing this game now. I really do and wish I didn't since I've always been a fan of FF MMOs. What wakes me up is the trailer starting up because the AFK timer kicked me out since I fell asleep. I log a lot less often now, much less than other expansions but SHB was pretty dull as well. SB was top notch imo even if the story wasn't that great according to some. Gameplay was way better.

[Rein_eon_Osborne]

Frankly they should just put ”(Easy)” into all ‘normal’ contents titles, i.e. Limitless Blue (Easy)

[Viridiana]

I just want to chime in on the ilvl cheese for Alliance Raids.

I would actually love to do Orbonne. Yet when my friend asks me to queue with him for Alliance Roulette, I ask him to ilvl cheese. Why? Because while I find Orbonne easy, and I trust him and the rest of our FC to be able to beat TG Cid, I have negative levels of trust in the rest of the player base. As a result, we never see Orbonne.

[TheMightyMollusk]

I just want to chime in on the ilvl cheese for Alliance Raids.

I would actually love to do Orbonne. Yet when my friend asks me to queue with him for Alliance Roulette, I ask him to ilvl cheese. Why? Because while I find Orbonne easy, and I trust him and the rest of our FC to be able to beat TG Cid, I have negative levels of trust in the rest of the player base. As a result, we never see Orbonne.

I haven't had a wipe in Orbonne in months, despite it coming up several times.

Meanwhile, I've had multiple wipes in World of Darkness, including a group that vote abandoned on the first boss.

Anecdotes are fun.

[Ath192]

I haven't had a wipe in Orbonne in months, despite it coming up several times.

Meanwhile, I've had multiple wipes in World of Darkness, including a group that vote abandoned on the first boss.

Anecdotes are fun.

They nerfed it big time. Before it was long and fun. Now its just long and boring. So its even less of a reason to do it.

[Viridiana]

I haven't had a wipe in Orbonne in months, despite it coming up several times.

Meanwhile, I've had multiple wipes in World of Darkness, including a group that vote abandoned on the first boss.

Anecdotes are fun.

Funny you mention that. Know why LotA and ST come up way more than WoD in Alliance Roulette? Because people cheese below the ilvl for WoD, too. Know why? Because people can't understand simple things like "Don't stand in front of the giant eye when it shoots a great big laser out of its face."

[aveyond-dreams]

I've seen people cite steam of all places for player count, despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of FFXIV players avoid using steam for this game specifically due to the way it works over there.

[KizuyaKatogami]

That is you. Can every player do it? No.

A lot of players can't manage to figure out how to avoid mechanics to the point I spend a significant amount of time during hunt trains rezzing the same players over and over (even when there's only 20-30 present so someone can't use the "I couldn't see anything because too many players are here" excuse). It's always not a lag issue - I can tell whether they're lagging based on how long they stay faded in my party frames after accepting a rez.

Not everyone comes equipped the same skill level, and years of experience do make a difference. You might have entered into Endwalker with 8 years of experience under your belt but others were entering with only 8 days.

What do you mean people entering for endwalker with only 8 days? You still have to play through 3 other expansions before you get there. That’s more than enough time for you to learn your job and the basics of your role. Unless they use a level and story skip in which case any struggling or difficulty is entirely on them and other players shouldn’t have to pay for that.