The fate of the scions.... (SPOILER 6.0/6.1)

[TaleraRistain]

Edit: I just wanna add that I used to love this game so much but I’ve noticed that I seem to mostly complain about it now. It’s like part of me is still trying to hold on because I want that same feeling I had back in HW and StB. But some things are just for a season and then it’s time to move on I guess. Not sure how much longer I can hold on to the few things that keep me coming back…

I've played MMOs for over 20 years and been gaming for over 30. I've definitely gotten to the point where I had to leave some series because they just weren't my cup of tea anymore. Most recently has been the Assassin's Creed series. And I left EverQuest after over 10 years and WoW after almost 10 years and I forget how many years in EverQuest II. There's no shame in doing something healthy for yourself. If you're unhappy, is forcing yourself to participate going to make you happy or just even unhappier? This isn't a "Go play something else if you don't like it" comment. It's advice from someone who's been there that you may just need to step away.

That's also not to say it has to be forever. You can still keep up on news. You can still see if something might pique your interest. There's a proposed more stealth-focused game coming for AC so I'm keeping my eye on it. Just not planning to get the next big one. So you may not do these patches, step away for a bit, but then hear about something in 7.0 that really makes you excited again. And the beautiful part of XIV is you can come back like you were never away.

[PaulH]

I love me some G'raha in all of his forms, Jonathan Bailey *sigh* has that voice for me also. I suspect if we had a break for an expansion then people would potentially be a little less fedup and some new faces would always go down well and seeing an old friend again would always be a bit more heart warming i do get people have fatigue.

EQ and EQ2 aww the memories.

[TaleraRistain]

I love me some G'raha in all of his forms, Jonathan Bailey *sigh* has that voice for me also. I suspect if we had a break for an expansion then people would potentially be a little less fedup and some new faces would always go down well and seeing an old friend again would always be a bit more heart warming i do get people have fatigue.

EQ and EQ2 aww the memories.

When XIV is down for maintenance, I have a new human warlock I've started fresh in EQII that I poke around with solo. With mercenaries even the group dungeons are mostly doable and there is a dungeon finder now. I was doing some Velious stuff last I played. I was a few expansions ahead of that when I quit playing full time with my froglok ranger main.

I'm super curious about what Mayong is doing this latest EQ expansion but I don't think that one had the same measures put in so you can catch up or progress on your own. Maybe I'll poke my head just to check since my sub gives access to both. I have a friend I got into EQ back in the day who's still raiding with his guild on his dwarven cleric.

[MoofiaBossVal]

The way i see it is that we will probably still call on them but a patch is not the place to just sweep the board and replace with a new cast. Its going to take time

These patch MSQs are 3-4 hours long and they can't even introduce 1 brand new party member? How much more time do they need? I remember Guild Wars 2 was able to introduce a new cast of original characters to replace the old one in a single patch story that was only 2-3 hours long.

[Anvaire]

These patch MSQs are 3-4 hours long and they can't even introduce 1 brand new party member? How much more time do they need? I remember Guild Wars 2 was able to introduce a new cast of original characters to replace the old one in a single patch story that was only 2-3 hours long.

I believe i said "sweep the board" i.e replace them all.

I think Adding characters can and should be done, but given the narritive of 6.1 im not sure where they could add them? Then again they did develop Vashaan more then he was at the end of Endwalker and add 5 potential antagonists. 6.1 MSQ was an epilogue and a restart all wrapped up together. It makes absolute sense that at this stage WOL would go to the scions because beyond the organisations they are the WOL's closest friends. I fully expect 6.2 to continue wiht developing existing cast added in EW and then 6.3 start the move towards 7.0 and the introduction of characters.

Honestly, I think the thing about the Scions is that the 6.1 story gave them reasons to not be involved going forward (bar G'raha and Estinien) I fully suspect Y'shtola will go into retirement on the first at the end of this story arc, urianger will be busy on the moon and Thancred, will go to the first with yshtola.

Depending on where 7.0 takes place and the story there, we will likely see a motley crew come together bofore, or during 7.0 while the older scions retire into secondary roles for the time being. I understand why people want change, but i honestly think, even if the scions do retire somewhat, that its unreasonable to think they wont keep popping up now and then, as required. Or that every scion will suddenly be removed from the story or trust. Yes this is a new story arc, but i doubt that means completely throwing away everything that occured before. More likely we will see scions slowly recede inot the background while newer characters rise to take their role. In some Respects, Graha is already doing this with Yshtola / Urianger.

[aveyond-dreams]

If I had to add in multiple characters at once the easiest place to have done it was at the bar in Thavnair. A group of adventurers are discussing their next quest, they notice you, and convince you to tag along. Short sweet and to the point.

I don't know what their plan moving forward is but for now it seems at the very least we have retained Estinien as our muscle, Y'shtola for lore exposition and general magic use, along with Varshahn...who I suppose might be a healer if they added him to Trusts? They could also just make a new adult body for him for fighting purposes. I'm not opposed to having Vrtra around, and presently I'd rather go to the void than Meracydia, land of kangaroos.

[Rulakir]

While I can understand the perspective of a new player who may have started recently being quite attached to Scions, you must understand that these characters have been here for a *decade.* As someone who has started in ARR, I am begging for a new cast because the development of the Scions happens at too slow of a pace nor does anything of interest happen to them.

I started playing in summer of last year and I'm tired of the Scions. They're too homogeneous, there's no spice. I would've gladly traded all of them to keep Emet and Hythlodaeus. I'm not even particularly a fan of Fordola, but at least she'd shake things up provided she could free herself from Arenvald.

[Anvaire]

If I had to add in multiple characters at once the easiest place to have done it was at the bar in Thavnair. A group of adventurers are discussing their next quest, they notice you, and convince you to tag along. Short sweet and to the point.

I don't know what their plan moving forward is but for now it seems at the very least we have retained Estinien as our muscle, Y'shtola for lore exposition and general magic use, along with Varshahn...who I suppose might be a healer if they added him to Trusts? They could also just make a new adult body for him for fighting purposes. I'm not opposed to having Vrtra around, and presently I'd rather go to the void than Meracydia, land of kangaroos.

True they could just add a bunch of random NPCs with no back story and have the WOL just tag along as an adventurer. But the issue with this is that most people know who the WOL is. We saw this in parts of the questline itself. You could add a single character and could possible give enough scope to get a sense of who they were, but i think, WOL is too well known to just "drop in" and join another team of adventurers. If said characters joined as part of a expedition, then yes i could see that happening, but ultimately, i still think 6.1 and 6.2 is about wrapping up loose ends while also laying the stones for the next story. Thavnair's problems were neatly dealt with. 6.2 will probably do something similiar with Garlemald. Sharlayan does not have anything to "wrap up" so to speak, but i wouldn't be surprised if it doesnt serve a purpose in 6.3. This would leave 6.4 and 6.5 to set up and include the initial characters for 7.0 with more being introduced later. Again i honestly dont think they will replace all of the scions and those we get, we likely already know, (such as jullas or Sicard).

Yes it isnt impossible for them to have added new characters in 6.1 - but moving on wasnt the entire point of the 6.1 story, the focus was wrapping up Thavnair, providing hooks for the new story going forward, Provide some light comic releif to balance the overly emotive and heavy Endwalker MSQ and provide a thread into 6.2 - it did all of these well and honestly, i dont think they had adequate scope to plausibly add another character to focus on in 6.1 - When the trajectory is set, then yes i could plausibly see one added them, but currently it does IMO feel like they are wrapping up the scions for Retirement prior to adding any new characters who will follow us on our next journey. Besies if they are going to add a character will it really be a random adventurer from the bar in Thavnair or will it be someone central to the story of 7.0? I honestly think the latter is more likely.

[TaleraRistain]

I think Adding characters can and should be done, but given the narritive of 6.1 im not sure where they could add them? Then again they did develop Vashaan more then he was at the end of Endwalker and add 5 potential antagonists. 6.1 MSQ was an epilogue and a restart all wrapped up together. It makes absolute sense that at this stage WOL would go to the scions because beyond the organisations they are the WOL's closest friends. I fully expect 6.2 to continue wiht developing existing cast added in EW and then 6.3 start the move towards 7.0 and the introduction of characters.

The role quests have left a LOT of strings for future Trusts. They're people we already know and have history with so it's not us having to build relationships and trust with strangers, but they haven't been in our main crew all the time. I could see them developing those angles up a lot more than completely new and unknown characters.

[Brynne]

I'm very pleased that we're not getting a whole new cast. I'm attached to the Scions and want to keep going on adventures with them. On this forum, I know that's a fairly unpopular opinion, but you can find other FFXIV spaces where people are still enthusiastic about the Scions and don't want them replaced.