SE demonstrating yet again they have no idea how to create midcore content, it goes from "braindead easy" to "savage equivalent" when you go from variant to criterion. Then to add salt to the wound, the main reward from it you can just buy on the market board and save yourself the trouble and effort. 33 runs for a crap mount no thanks.

And if you do savage? Your choice of materia X (easier to get elsewhere) an earring nobody will see or care about or a household furnishing that nobody will use.The thought that this is what they believe players want from a m+ equivalent system is laughable. No gearing rewards (like it matters anyway outside of w1 savage and ultimates), no alternate progression routes, sub-par rewards you can purchase on the market board instead of actually interacting with the content lmao. I guess they couldnt make the rewards good because then the great community would have a meltdown

That being said I did enjoy variant dungeons, for the two evenings they entertained me for.