ARR Trusts are boring

[Gararr]

All trusts are boring. Please make them less god aweful and dont have them penalize good players to use them.

[ReynTime]

So it's souless because the models that follow you aren't based on characters you met? That's really superficial.

Shadowbringers and Endwalker Trusts are just as boring despite being based on Scions.

[Hasrat]

I don't have any solid data on how either of them did but it certainly felt like the LNC did a much better job than the THM. Probably because at those levels LNC really only has a single target rotation and since that's all the Trust does (*eyerolls*) it outshines the THM by a noticeable margin.

Thing is, you really can't/shouldn't compare Trust rotations to actual player skills. For example, the trust THM looks like he's casting Thunder. It's called Thunder. But it's not actual-THM Thunder. There's no damage over time applied.

To reiterate, their damage scales to yours. (presumably) Neither of them are going to perform "better," they're all simply designed to ensure any given fight is cleared in a reasonable-ish amount of time. If you do nothing but auto attack, their damage jacks up. If you're perfectly executing your rotations, their damage is 1.

Admittedly, I haven't gone in with tanks, there could be some bit of variation there. But the end result will remain the same: they all do as much damage as necessary to ensure a fight lasts no longer than programmed.

Di they run dungeons better thsn Squadrons?

Squadrons will always be better because they are mindless killing machines impervious to all mechanics. Additionally, to the point above, Squadrons aren't forced to scale down if you're putting effort into fighting, and several Squadron classes actually utilize AoE.

[GeminiReed]

Di they run dungeons better thsn Squadrons?

Yes and no. Squad AI is really dumb. So dumb that they've been made immune to most mechanics. With all squad members at the top rank in offense they'll just blaze through a dungeon. Trusts perform mechanics. On the other hand they're programmed to make mistakes. While Trusts can AOE they will only single target unless the live human's damage output is absolutely in the toilet. If that wasn't irksome enough you don't even have the limited control over Trusts like you do Squads (attack, disengage, limit break).

Trusts' are limited by design to encourage using DF,

[kaynide]

It wouldn't work to have Edda's team for all three early dungeons since they "wipe and disband for real" only halfway through the second, but we could definitely have had a mix of the three teams we meet during that early phase.

Sastasha could have been with Edda's team, since they're right there.

Tam-Tara with the team who later die in Copperbell: E'manafa, Dolorous Bear and Kikina. These guys only get one cutscene with us very early on, die off-screen (only reported to us by another group), and turn up much later in the Palace of the Dead, so it would be good to feature them at least once.

By the time we reach Copperbell the only other team alive and intact is Alianne and Isildaure, who can't fill a party on their own, but perhaps we could get Liavinne and/or Paiyo Reiyo from Edda's team.

This is a good way to go with it. It would add some teeth to the story to have early friends get killed and really show that not just anyone can go about the business of adventuring.

[vetch]

Yes and no. Squad AI is really dumb. So dumb that they've been made immune to most mechanics. With all squad members at the top rank in offense they'll just blaze through a dungeon. Trusts perform mechanics. On the other hand they're programmed to make mistakes. While Trusts can AOE they will only single target unless the live human's damage output is absolutely in the toilet. If that wasn't irksome enough you don't even have the limited control over Trusts like you do Squads (attack, disengage, limit break).

Trusts' are limited by design to encourage using DF,

Trusties 'perform mechanics' by moving to preprogrammed positions. This necessitates that mechanics in Trust dungeons be resolvable with simple instructions, like 'go to X:Y at __ timestamp' or 'increment X position by 0.5' or 'enter boss's hitbox'. You can already see the unattractive knock-on effects of their programming limitations: any mechanics that require objects be interacted with or hit is being deleted, bosses lose any variability in their overlapping AoEs, and they move to center of room while casting anything complicated so that player tanks can't endanger the Trusties' ability to dodge.

Rather than "Trusts perform mechanics" it's more appropriate to say "mechanics perform for Trusts".

[ReynTime]

Trusties 'perform mechanics' by moving to preprogrammed positions. This necessitates that mechanics in Trust dungeons be resolvable with simple instructions, like 'go to X:Y at __ timestamp' or 'increment X position by 0.5' or 'enter boss's hitbox'. You can already see the unattractive knock-on effects of their programming limitations: any mechanics that require objects be interacted with or hit is being deleted, bosses lose any variability in their overlapping AoEs, and they move to center of room while casting anything complicated so that player tanks can't endanger the Trusties' ability to dodge.

Rather than "Trusts perform mechanics" it's more appropriate to say "mechanics perform for Trusts".

Still a little shocked they make changes to MSQ dungeon design to adequate to the AI rather than the player. Or rather, to the AI and the average netflix-watching semi-afk player.
If you find yourself redesigning your content so that players semi-afk through it with comfort... maybe your content is just not engaging enough. Content that isn't engaging is the opposite of fun. And gameplay that isn't fun is one thing only: Bad.

[Boblawblah]

Oddly enough, I enjoy the squadron more because I can actually level them up, and improve them but trusts is just a static experience everytime. If I suck, they'll do better, if I do better, they'll suck. At least with squadrons, I could control them a bit, and the tactics dramatically change their effectiveness. It'd be awesome to mix the two systems. A group that you could improve, but also do the mechanics like the Trust members do.