Can we have an honest conversation about the Scions? Dawn Trail

[Ath192]

I thought we were done with them. Here is the thing, one of the reasons I'm less excited about dawntrail is because I was seriously under the impression that they were going to phase out the scions and introduce a new cast. It was the perfect opportunity to do so. For example, the scions disband and go about their desires and they can even make the occasional cameo.

Like, is it just me or wouldn't the story be much more exciting if we took the trip to the new world with just Erenville and that hrothgal and the trailers showed mysterious new characters we will meet along the way? That would be so much better...

There is nothing remarkable about the scions... I don't hate them, but TBH they are just not characters that I couldn't live without. A bunch of them have the personality of a wet mop and are all just about doing good... and yeah, cuz being good is good and what not.

Ugh, I don't know if SE believes this cast is more marketable than it actually is.. I feel like at least in my social circles, the scions are just people players put up with to play the game, they don't look forward to seeing what they're up to next. I could also be wrong, but idk, maybe a discussion forms around this. I am firmly in the new cast territory. Seeing the scions be a major part in Dawn Trail made me roll my eyes.

This just doesn't feel like a new beginning. And a lot of it is because of them.

[Wasselin]

I definitely disagree and it's hard for me to understand people who want the Scions, who are basically the main characters of the story and the game at this point, to go away. Especially people who want ALL of them to go away.

In the places I hang out the scions are immensely popular. They are introducing new characters in Dawntrail though, and it sounds like they are trying to let us see the scions from different angles with the whole "rivalry" plot.

[Yegu]

Yeah that's true. Pretty much all of their personal arcs were finished in Endwalker, with the exception of Y'shtola trying to find a way to other shards. With their personal stories wrapped up, the characters aren't that exciting on their own or sometimes like in Graha's case, worse off than before. We've been with them for 10 years or so and it's time to get fresh faces into the story. Erenville and the new female Hrothgar are good but the question is, will they actually stay with us once the story is wrapped up? Or are they going to get the Lyse treatment and pretty much never show up again.

Get the old Scions out and replace them with like, Hoary Boulder and Coultenet or something.

[NekoMataMata]

Did they not straight up tell us earlier on that the scions would be coming with us? Pretty sure that one of the first reveals of Dawntrail told us about the whole plot of the scions being divided on the succession issue.

I agree though. Also, I see a lot of people in discords mention feeling this way so I also believe that perhaps the cast isn't quite that marketable. The main XIV subreddit and many players might be incredibly fond of the main cast of scions, but they aren't the entire playerbase.

Obviously there would be growing pains with a new main cast. New characters would fill in the various roles that the scions used to fulfil, and there would be complaints about some characters not being as good as the ones we left behind, but that's natural. What isn't natural is retaining the same main cast as forcefully as they are. Let some of them move on, let them add to the rest of the world.

[DrForester]

Yeah that's true. Pretty much all of their personal arcs were finished in Endwalker, with the exception of Y'shtola trying to find a way to other shards. With their personal stories wrapped up, the characters aren't that exciting on their own or sometimes like in Graha's case, worse off than before. We've been with them for 10 years or so and it's time to get fresh faces into the story. Erenville and the new female Hrothgar are good but the question is, will they actually stay with us once the story is wrapped up? Or are they going to get the Lyse treatment and pretty much never show up again.

Get the old Scions out and replace them with like, Hoary Boulder and Coultenet or something.

They'd lose their T rating if they made Aenor a main character.

[Somnolence]

mysterious new characters we will meet along the way

Given reaction to Zero its good this is not the direction they are going

[Ath192]

I definitely disagree and it's hard for me to understand people who want the Scions, who are basically the main characters of the story and the game at this point, to go away. Especially people who want ALL of them to go away.

In the places I hang out the scions are immensely popular. They are introducing new characters in Dawntrail though, and it sounds like they are trying to let us see the scions from different angles with the whole "rivalry" plot.

I would like to know why if I'm being honest. I've been seeing the scions story play out for 10 years and.... Well basically I can sum up their entire reasoning and philosophy in single sentence.

"For the good of everyone and the star!"

This... pretty much sums them up after 10 years. None of them have complexity and this is not how real people behave. People have way more depth to them than uncompromising and unyielding altruism behind them. It's extremely unrelatable because it feels like we're in a room with a bunch of billionaire philanthropists that have no worries whatsoever, than just doing good for the people.

How can one even empathize or relate to this is beyond me. There is no ambition in any of them, except to sacrifice their entire lives for the good of the world, and I mean while this messaging is good and all it feels like a bunch of cardboard people and marketing slogans really...

Given reaction to Zero its good this is not the direction they are going

Zero was an awful character. It was a blank slate character and they didn't even know what they wanted or how to interact appropriately which is why the scions had no problem brain washing them into being another supporter of the world economic forum. Emet Selch was a good character, there was a lot of complexity within that one. I'm asking for people who show a wide variety of emotions, motivations and actions. Some good, some bad, some selfish.

[Musashidon]

we definitely aren't ever getting rid of the scions they are our friends and pivotal characters, now we can slowly phase out a few or switch who comes with us and who joins us on journeys as we are always getting new companions and friends. i mean krile is now officially joining us on at least this one adventure if not more to come after.

secondly there is a very large fan base behind all the scions getting rid of all of them basically completely would be a huge blow to SE if they just dropped them and players were forced into a whole new cast of characters suddenly.

[TheMightyMollusk]

The "Scions disband" thing didn't even last through the very next sentence in the same cutscene, and yet people still take it as some kind of shock that they in fact did not permanently split up. I get that there are plenty of people who don't like the Scions (and plenty who, like me, do like the Scions but still would've appreciated a break from having the whole crew around all the time after two expansions of it), but treating it like it's a big surprise just reeks of deliberate denial.

[Saraide]

I'm glad the dork brigade is in it with the wol.