Building a better Alphinaud

[Rulakir]

I don't want to delve too deeply into some of the other topics mentioned other than to say some of y'all have a lot more faith in the writers to pull off more serious/delicate subjects than I do, especially after EW.

Look, you can workout as much as you want at the gym, but without the correct regiment; training/eating and cutting every single bad stuf like alcohol and sugar also add 8 hours quality sleep every single day you won't ever look toned and lean.

Oh good, somebody already said it. You can't out-exercise a bad diet. If the WoL ate at Last Stand every day they'd realistically probably have a 'dad bod' despite everything else they do.

At least Alphinaud has been growing throughout our journey. Alisaie I've always had an issue with. Her core character though just irritates me to no end.

Alphinaud's character development seems to have stopped in HW and outright regressed in EW. Alisaie I've felt has been a constant, which works for her because she's driven by emotions rather than ideals, but based on Garlemald it seems like they're wanting to make her Alphinaud 2.0 which I am not interested in at all. One Alphinaud is more than enough.

[Theodric]

Alphinaud's character development seems to have stopped in HW and outright regressed in EW. Alisaie I've felt has been a constant, which works for her because she's driven by emotions rather than ideals, but based on Garlemald it seems like they're wanting to make her Alphinaud 2.0 which I am not interested in at all. One Alphinaud is more than enough.

Yeah, it does seem like the major characters sort of go through the exact same story arc that they've already gone through. Or something negative will happen to them - such as Y'shtola losing her eyesight - but it might as well have not happened at all given that it doesn't hold the character back in any major capacity and she didn't really react to it like a realistic, regular person would if they suddenly lost their ability to see through conventional means...

[MoofiaBossVal]

I quite liked ARR-HW Alphinaud, where he was well meaning and sometimes put his foot in his mouth. He was a little in over his head and didn't want to accept the reality of the situation (ie, wanted to believe that Merlwyb would aid the refugees but the fact is that Merlwyb just doesn't have unlimited power and resources and has responsibilities to her people first, or being too trusting of the Crystal Brave recruits). From Stormblood on he becomes less interesting but is still a decent friend character to journey with. I dislike when he is used to speechify.

I think one of the bigger problems that often goes unmentioned is that Alphinaud becomes overshadowed and redundant in ShB and EW with the introduction of the new writer's favorite character, G'raha Tia. He usurps Alphinaud's role as the WoL's young, bookish best friend with the plan. It's telling that G'raha and Alphinaud hardly ever talk together in the same scene because they would just say the exact same lines and the audience would realize that they are just the same character with different voice actors and character designs. I could tell during the ShB patches that Alphinaud was doomed to always live in G'raha's shadow and his best chance for getting anything decent was a death scene. Alphinaud only relevance in EW was his connection to his father and the plot devices he brings along, not Alphinaud the character himself.

If I could rewrite FFXIV to improve Alphinaud, then I would just do the easy fix of merging G'raha into Alphinaud. Have Alphinaud detained in the East for longer so he isn't around when the WoL is gassed and the city states are bombed. He works with the Ironworks to travel to the First and becomes the Crystal Exarch. He crystalizes in 5.3 and that is the end of him. The story isn't dependent on needing a "deuteragonist". The story of the ARR patches and HW focused a lot on Alphinaud but after that it became either very group centric (Stormblood, Endwalker), or on a new character (Crystal Exarch in ShB). So him getting written out of the story isn't the end of the world.

[Renalt]

Frankly after the disbandment of the Scions at the end of EW...that should have been it. New Adventure means new groups to roam with. But no...less than 5 minutes later it's "Hey we should get the gang back together again".

Delete them all I say. Maybe not Estinien. He keeps it real.

[TaleraRistain]

Frankly after the disbandment of the Scions at the end of EW...that should have been it. New Adventure means new groups to roam with. But no...less than 5 minutes later it's "Hey we should get the gang back together again".

Delete them all I say. Maybe not Estinien. He keeps it real.

This is a misconception but it's understandable since 6.1 didn't make this more clear. It's been several months after 6.0 before 6.1 happens. We've been away from our friends and they've been off doing their own things. Unfortunately, they only made this clear in Live Letters and interviews so it's one piece I think 6.1 could have portrayed a lot more effectively. The Scions were outwardly disbanding as far as the world knew, but they were all ready at a moment's notice to come together again if an issue came up that needed them. Telling the world they disbanded just means they won't be automatically called upon as an organization and everyone's got to solve their own issues for once.

[SannaR]

This is a misconception but it's understandable since 6.1 didn't make this more clear. It's been several months after 6.0 before 6.1 happens. We've been away from our friends and they've been off doing their own things. Unfortunately, they only made this clear in Live Letters and interviews so it's one piece I think 6.1 could have portrayed a lot more effectively. The Scions were outwardly disbanding as far as the world knew, but they were all ready at a moment's notice to come together again if an issue came up that needed them. Telling the world they disbanded just means they won't be automatically called upon as an organization and everyone's got to solve their own issues for once.

They understand that and accept it. What they and some others wanted was for us to do all of 6.1 + with all new people. Or some of the new people we met in 6.0 even if it wouldn't make sense. Estinien bought the map, we promised G'Raha an adventure, knew Y'shtola was looking into a way to shard travel and Krile told us Urianger was interested. I'm not sure who they'd want to replace those or how you'd get new never been seen people to go with us. I know many are tired of the Scions, but to expect most likely out of the blue all new companions is kind of silly.

[ameliaw]

Alphinaud peaked in Heavensward for me, I really liked his character back then - he was my favorite character, in fact. Nowadays I find him bland at best and grating at worst.

[Limecat]

We already have one, she's called an Alisae.

[AlyaNimfa]

When I started I remember being told off by multiple people in my FC for hating him right from ARR. It's kinda refreshing to see not everyone is into accepting everything spoon fed to them and loving every single thing.

He's a wuss, he's flakey, he's whiney, he's an all round bad character. I've been hoping he gets written out soon, but I guess the devs love him too much for that.

[JisKing98]

Naw id rather he just die. Keep his sister though cause shes fine as is.