What's wrong with FFXIV's PVP?

[Snowborn]

So how do we fix this?

I don't know. Things are actually worse off than they initially seemed in my view. Before everyone knew the "right way" to play Crystalline Conflict things seemed vibrant and fun. Low skill level players are stuck in that moment. They're hung up on class balance with some legitimate views but often waste their time complaining about things like SAM's LB, which has a number of obvious easy counterplays when you understand it.

Square is not good at balancing PVP modes when they come out; they generally listen to low skill players who haven't actually invested enough time into things to understand what's actually going on. I am sympathetic here though, because they're trying to make the mode more palatable, but it almost never works.

In my view, Crystalline Conflict needs a dramatic rework. The biggest issues I see are: the common pool of defensive abilities, the power of CC, the frantic pace, and the difficulty of targeting.

In my view:

• The number of abilities need to be further reduced and each should do more damage.
• Movement speeds need to be lowered.
• Everything should be a skillshot.
• Replace guard with a shorter window parry or dodge or self-heal, based on class.
• Get rid of recuperate & purify.
• Reduce the amount of CC.

Basically I am suggesting that they keep going in the direction they've been moving. Further reduce the amount of ability bloat and the complexity. Make every individual action count more and shift around where the difficulty is in play away from targeting being a major struggle.