Variant Dungeons are the real star of this content

[GypsumFantastic]

If I were to quickly summarise my feelings on V&C dungeons, I could do it really easily with a meme, so here's my visual TL;DR


(caption in case of image break or visual impaired readers: "Drake meme - Criterion Nah, Variant Yah")


Why Variant works:

• It's story rich and wholesome
• Branching paths, choices, boss modifiers and the solo/group aspect makes it a joy to replay
• It's a quick experience and the tomestone rewards reflect that (I capped on tomestones within 2 days of the content, which is super convenient)
• If 3/4 die on a boss, you can still solo it with the right variant actions
• Nanamo and Silkie <3

What i'd love to see for the next Variant dungeon:

• Removal of the random drop minions/furniture etc - add them to the currency vendor, BAM more things to spend tokens on!
• A new pool of Variant actions as Cure/Rampart feel like the only two that are necessary
• It'd be cool to "borrow" from a short list of fan favorite job spells/abilities for your variant actions

Why Criterion misses the mark:

I echo the community in my disappointment regarding the rewards.

• Materia isn't hard to obtain and should never need to be on a currency vendor other than the dedicated Materia and Scrip vendors.
• I may be speaking for myself, but I'm never sinking event currency on earrings
• The mount reward is nowhere near as cool as Silkie

The Criterion content is otherwise cool - we asked for hard content and you definitely delivered - but why would we prioritize this over other activities when the rewards are so poor? Contrary to what some others have said in their posts, I don't think we need an extra gear treadmill with this content, but some Sil'dihn combat glam would have been nice, as well as a couple of mounts/minions themed around the content.

Thanks for this new content, FFXIV team

[Blood_Blossoms]

Agree with top list. "Why Variant works:"

I don't agree so much with "What i'd love to see for the next Variant dungeon:"

Personally, I like drops in dungeons you probs just hate the RNG of it, but I agree on removing bloody diamonds -.- hate inventory bloat for sake of it.
but yeah, more rewords need adding to the vender.

"A new pool of Variant actions as Cure/Rampart feel like the only two that are necessary"
Agree and I'd like to see a horizontal progression system you unlock more crazier actions as you complete runs level up that unlock maybe new paths down the road.
just adds more reason to run it.

My added opinions
Add better puzzles and minigames within the content AKA Presher plate puzzles with rocks or people depending on if solo or not.
Seak and find, find Item in room that has a riddle attached.
Also, a maze where its pitch black and you got light a pathway up to find way through it and multiple ways out and all have their own path endings, and some paths may put you back to start the maze.
Personally get lot more creative than reading notes.

Mechanic change switches that mean something not just have switch for sake of it like the first boss mechanic switches. the end boss mechanic switch means something first boss nope, it should link into the path story and also change the ending.


Can't really say like its Fractals or Mythic+ if anything just gives me Guid Wars 2 forgotten dungeon Vibes.
Overall, its solid content just needs more creativity personally puzzle side of things.
loot tables need fixing and rewords.
A progression system.

"Criterion"
I like it but I say again just needs the loot tables need fixing and rewords and gear progression.
Also, for love of everything stop adding Materia into reword tables to make look like more there than there is.

[Rein_eon_Osborne]

I think my happiest moment is to wield Variant Spirit Dart when running as a SCH or any healers tbf. I spammed that dungeon for no particular goal just because it felt ecstatic to have 2nd DoT to throw even when they're uniformly 30s in duration.

Otherwise, I agree with all your points beside Criterion's, which I wouldn't say much as I haven't really dived into that yet. The rewards ain't looking convincing enough though...

[Blood_Blossoms]

I think my happiest moment is to wield Variant Spirit Dart when running as a SCH or any healers tbf. I spammed that dungeon for no particular goal just because it felt ecstatic to have 2nd DoT to throw even when they're uniformly 30s in duration.

HAHA yeah me 2 I had WHM run and was over moon with the extra DPS skill was like FIRE FIRE XD who cares about timer am just using it.

[Vencio]

Definitely!

I love Variant dungeons! Just feels engaging & still provides to be challenging as you progress through the mobs.

In a way, reminded me of WoW’s mythic dungeons & I wish it were that way to feel rewarding & earn good rewards of “whatever-sorts”.

I tried Criterion & was immediately turned off. May as well categorize it as any other standard savage-boss raid.

[hydralus]

Seems like the best of both worlds. The majority of the good rewards come from the easy mode and savage is largely just for fun. They even made the stuff marketable so you could always pay out the nose for your throne if you really want.

By the way do those random spoils give anything other than deceivers diamonds? I must have opened a hundred of them and haven't seen a single other item.

[Listrella]

I agree, they made criterion way too hard, it should have been on the level of extreme trials.

[Liam_Harper]

Criterion is just ...not Mythic+. At all. We do want a challenge, so some people will just automatically say "I like the challenge, you delivered SE! It's just the rewards aren't good", but honestly I think they missed the mark.

Mythic+ (At least in Legion, they butchered the system as they went) was a scaling difficulty. You just went higher until you found your comfort point where you couldn't push more. It was the sort of content where you could grab a few friends or guild members and push through a few dungeons for fun. Difficult, but nothing insane. Nice way to fill in time. Same with Challenge Mode dungeons previously.

Criterion is more like 4 man Savage progression. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it's still not dungeons, which is a shame. I don't get how SE are so bad at making standard dungeons.

[Xaruko_Nexume]

Honestly, I would have preferred (and this almost makes me nauseous to say) if they had just copy and pasted mythic dungeons. It would have been a lot easier (just use existing content and buff it) for the devs and I think more people would have been happy with it.

[Infindox]

By the way do those random spoils give anything other than deceivers diamonds? I must have opened a hundred of them and haven't seen a single other item.

On rare occasions I've gotten housing items from them.