Four expansions so far... what is your favorite capital city and why?

[XgungraveX]

ez Kugane.

[Krokov]

Hmm I guess Kugane <aesthetic wise> really well done there. For convenience I'd say Limsa Lominsa with the MB and such being right there at the aetheryte. Sharlayan is nice too.

[Raikai]

I think that, convenience wise, the only think that makes me prefer Sharlayan over Limsa is the fact that the former does have the Inn (glamour dresser/aesthetician) just a short walk away from the Aetherythe whereas the latter you have to port to the Aftcastle first and then run a bit.

[Eraden]

Mao loves Ul'dah. Is home of Sultana who Mao admires so much. Is also has wonderful brownstones architectures whats makes greeneries stand out so much. Also, Mao house has wondersful view of canyon.

[Shurrikhan]

As a pair, Kugane + Rhalgr's. I liked Idyllshire, but only really liked Ishgard during the morning hours and during winter irl, and didn't much care for Eulmore or Crystarium, while I like Old Sharlayan quite a bit, but Rahz is pretty/unique but feels weirdly... basic and especially not-fleshed-out? Back in ARR, probably Ulduh>Limsa>>Grid, but they were all pretty good, tbh. Each would feel quite a bit better without the loading screen splitting them in two, though.

[Tanis_Ebonhart]

Gridania, as it was where I started. My first job was Conjuror, and they gave me a Unicorn mount. It was my first mount after the Chocobo.

[Listrella]

crystarium for me, love the look and feel of it.

[fulminating]

Idylshire - goblins, aesthetic and music.
Revenant’s toll - being able to walk there from the start and being built on a hill make it seem more real than a lot of the others
Crystarium/eulmore I guess? - I like the green floor on the top level of eulmore and the metal walkways & aesthetic of the town at the base of the tower. That said, I think the crystal tower needs to be given a break for some time at the very least, just feels like all roads lead there now.

Dislike kugane, but it represents everything I don’t like about stormblood so whatever.

[Mr_Gyactus]

hmm.

Primary City:
Why do I go in a city? Inn, exchange scrips, grand company seals, and the less I walk from an aetherite, the better is.

- Gridania
- Sharlayan

Secondary City: for poetics/ tomestone exchange, raid/ex tokens exchange, scrips exchange, materia

- Idyllshire
- Eulmore

[Zaniel]

Design-wise? I mean any city with the market/bell next to the aetheryte which means Limsa, Eulmore & Radz at Han. Worst is Gridania.

Aesthetically? Must be a combo of looks (also, actually feels like a city not one street) and NPCs/quests which means Kugane and Ishgard, Sharlayan's also not too bad. Worst is Rhalgars maybe? Not sure.

I'm sort of biased though, if you want to see a REAL city like an honest to goodness actual city that feels like a medieval capital then Calpheon in Black Desert Online is your gold standard that everyone should be aiming for in cities in MMOs (BDO actually has multiple fully realised cities, Calpheon is just the best)