Required to read Guides?

[TaleraRistain]

Thanks for all your opinions on this. Thankfully i recorded the fight and was able to analyse what went wrong.

First of all, to clarify some things: It was Haukke manor, Boss Manor Claviger. It was not a single mechanic that killed me... the healer went afk before the fight and i didnt notice, so i started the fight. On top of that i got hit by his big aoe which i thought i had interrupted, but that wasnt the case. 2 things i learned in that fight:

1) Wait for afk players
2) Move out of big aoe attacks

I know my death was absolutely my fault, that was not the point of ths thread. Its just about that other player telling me to read guides... i dont want to read guides, especially for story content. However I will read them for harder endgame content though, just to not be a burden for others.

Been a minute since I tanked that one, but if it's a big glowing red bar for the cast, then you'll interrupt instead of stun. Interrupt is Interject and stun is Low Blow. Low Blow will work on most normal non-red cast bars.

Don't read guides for story content. The only reason it's a thing for Extremes and Savage and stuff is that those fights are harder versions of the originals so you already have seen the mechanics in the original. But you'll still find completely blind PFs because people like to figure things out. You're a ways off from having to worry about that, so just enjoy the MSQ for now.

[Connor]

The thing about most content is that, particularly the later ones, they use consistent icons / mechanics / telegraphs. So rather than having to read a guide about the content, it’s about learning to recognise these icons, what they telegraph and how to react. Like the big yellow arrow above your character that tells you to stack with the party. Or a tether between players usually meaning ‘run away from them to snap it’. As long as you get used to recognising the mechanics, you won’t generally need to worry about the guide, which I think is the idea behind having so many consistencies with the mechanics

Edit: as with any rule there are of course exceptions to this one, but still they do generally use consistent telephraphs for specific mechanics

[ronibosch]

Honestly, I think it depends on the person.

Guides can help if you'd like to get a summary of what to expect, but they're not absolutely necessary.

I'm a nervous wreck, so I usually read guides more than once before doing a new dungeon/trial/raid. However, one time I felt more daring than usual, and went into Paradigm's Breach blind. It was a whole lot of fun (although I somewhat "cheated" by going in as a DPS instead of my usual Tank role. ).

If you have any questions about what to expect during an instance, don't be afraid to ask. I know people (usually mentors) are wary of offering advice (because some players don't take criticism well), so I'm sure they'd absolutely love it if someone asked them for help instead!

[Carin-Eri]

Hello there, i just wanted to tell you a recent story and ask your opinion about it.

I am a new player in FFXIV and wanted to play a Marauder, because i like beefy guys with big weapons. Thats means i have to tank in dungeons, which is quite the responsibility. And so it happens that i got caught off guard by some unknown boss mechanic and died. One of the dps instantly mocked me for it... i wrote down our conversation and would like to hear your thoughts on it:



DPS: wtf how can you die to this?

Me: Sorry, i never did this dungeon before... i didnt know that ability

DPS: Dont you read guides???

Me: Why would i? Im a casual player and just want to play the game... am i required to know every boss mechanic beforehand?

DPS: You waste everyones time by not reading guides and dying to shit like this

Me: Arguments like this waste peoples time... i died to that and now i try to avoid it in the future

DPS: Just read the damn guides and stop crying

Me: I think people should be allowed to make mistakes and learn from them. If you expect everyone to play perfectly, maybe you should not do dungeons with random people



He then responded with some nasty insults and then left the group

What do you think? Am i required to read guides for every dungeon to avoid unessessary deaths? Or am i allowed to learn by making mistakes? Personally i think people like him are the reason why there are so few tanks, because they are afraid of making mistakes...

I've tried reading/watching guides. Numerous times. I don't seem to be able to retain the information and, even if I did, I don't think I'd be able to mimic what the player in the guide did as I lack their skill.

And, if I'm honest, as a polar opposite the majority of forumites, I don't find the game easy. And I'm still pretty rubbish at it overall (though not for lack of trying to improve) - but, thankfully, the in-game community are pretty forgiving of it.

[Darkobra]

I don't read guides, walkthroughs, read videos or anything. People are afraid to make mistakes and actually play the game. Death is SUCH a minor inconvenience in this game. You don't lose gear, exp, money, anything. You don't even get set back a few hours. You lose MINUTES!

Getting to the stage people won't even fight the fights anymore and just see someone else do it on YouTube.

[Connor]

And, if I'm honest, as a polar opposite the majority of forumites, I don't find the game easy. And I'm still pretty rubbish at it overall (though not for lack of trying to improve) - but, thankfully, the in-game community are pretty forgiving of it.

I remember something Yoshi-P said a while ago (though I can’t remember where or when lol), about how longer time players have become so accustomed to the game that even when the content actually is ‘difficult’, it ends up feeling simplistic because of that familiarity.

I know I’m guilty of it myself; I don’t do savage content despite having played for quite a while, so I do often think to myself ‘this feels way too easy’, even after doing content for the first time. But then I have to take a step back and remind myself that the reason it feels so easy is because I’m so familiar with the game. If I had been playing for less time, my experience of it would’ve been completely different.

I think this could contribute to why people are much more forgiving about mistakes (generally) than in other MMOs. There’s an understanding that part of the reason for content seeming much easier to some than others is familiarity with the content and not solely the difficulty of the content in and of itself.

Honestly, I think particularly in FFXIV, there isn’t actually anything that inherently separates ‘good’ and ‘bad’ players. It’s more about familiarity, willingness to engage with the content and willingness to persevere when making mistakes. Not to say that someone ‘less skilled’ is lacking in those things, simply that they’re the most important ingredients to doing well in content.

[Avatre]

The only time I watch videos, is when it's for an extreme trial that has been out for a bit and I haven't even started yet. Otherwise, you don't need the guides, but sometimes they do come in handy. For regular casual content...100% do NOT need a guide.

[ZephyrMenodora]

On normal content if you are late to the party, the 3/7/23 other people who know the fight can carry a new player who hasn't looked at any guides and is going blind. In exchange they will get free stuff for someone being brand new.

On more advanced content, standards will probably be higher.

I personally review guides even before normal content just so I'm less likely to die, particularly if I'm one of the healers - but it's not really a requirement for easier stuff. I feel healers probably have the most responsibility to make sure they don't die even on normal content since we can't rely others rezzing us all the time. Ending up with healers who are clueless and die early with no DPS-rez is a fast track to frustration.

For Tanks, they can probably just eat a ton of stacks and still live through many mistakes since they are overtuned at the moment.

[Snorky]

The answer is No you don't have to read guides as a new player. Ask yourself this the very first person to step foot in this encounter never had a guide. You should absolutely experience it naturally and anyone who acts like that person who insulted you should be reported.

[Jeeqbit]

DPS: wtf how can you die to this?
Me: Sorry, i never did this dungeon before... i didnt know that ability
DPS: Dont you read guides???
Me: Why would i? Im a casual player and just want to play the game... am i required to know every boss mechanic beforehand?
DPS: You waste everyones time by not reading guides and dying to shit like this
Me: Arguments like this waste peoples time... i died to that and now i try to avoid it in the future
DPS: Just read the damn guides and stop crying
Me: I think people should be allowed to make mistakes and learn from them. If you expect everyone to play perfectly, maybe you should not do dungeons with random people
He then responded with some nasty insults and then left the group

Yeah ok, that is a textbook harassment report to SE. Go to the system menu, open the support desk, then click the contact us tab and report harassment.

Tell them the date and time (timezone), copy the chat log if you can, the duty name and the player's name@homeworld. If you can't find their name, go to the social menu and click contacts to see people you recently played with. SE will almost certainly pay a visit to that person.

You absolutely do not need to watch a guide for a story dungeon or trial. You may die to a few mechanics occasionally, but usually a healer will just resurrect you or you'll get it on the second try.

Reading a guide is only expected for the (optional) high-end content such as extreme, savage and ultimate. Even then, you can find extreme and savage parties that don't ask for a guide where someone will just set markers, explain mechanics as you go and link a raid planner timeline anyway.