Quote Originally Posted by Packetdancer View Post
My own stance on this notwithstanding—though I think my post above this one makes it pretty clear where I fall in this debate—I will note I think part of the reason people argue for the MSQ difficulty being raised just flat-out, rather than optional harder content, is the idea that it would provide more encouragement—and more opportunity—for people to hone their skills on the way to endgame. Because, everything else aside, people aren't wrong that the MSQ's current difficulty level does not actually require people learn how their job works to any real degree. Freestyle SAM, Ice Mage BLM... playing like that won't actually prevent anyone from getting through the MSQ.

But if people then want to try higher-end content, there's not a lot of ground between "as long as you push some buttons you'll probably be okay" and "welcome to Extreme Trials!" The closest thing we have to an intermediate difficulty between the two is stuff like critical engagements in Bozja, and even that was enough of a step up from MSQ difficulty to give some folks a hard time. Not because they couldn't do it, but because the MSQ did not prepare them to do so. And we've seen a lot of people on these forums get frustrated because they feel like there's this giant gap to jump to get from the forgiving nature of the MSQ to even something as approachable as extreme trials.

No, I don't think the MSQ difficulty should be ramped up. Even if I would really love more content in this game that has some bite to it. (Fingers crossed for the Criterion dungeons?)

But I will admit I can also see why people would argue from the standpoint that it should be.
The issue for some of us is that we CAN'T get much better than we currently are. No amount of trying to push those of us who are having difficulty with some of the content, due to our conditions, is going to make us better. Again, I have no problem with optional harder modes being implemented but if some of the people pushing for a non-optional increase in MSQ difficulty think that it is going to make us better, they simply do not understand our situations. All it will do is drive us out of the game.