Variant/Criterion's direction is worrying

[Absurdity]

That's the issue with current Criterion though for me. It's not Savage-lite, it's quite punishing, and the rewards aren't quite worth it. It's created two problems:
1. People who wanted this as "somewhat challenging content with friends" get stuck with the normal Criterion and don't get the rewards that Savage gets. They do it maybe once then never touch again.
2. People who can do Savage also do it once and leave because the rewards aren't really worth it. They made all the cool stuff buyable on the MB and they tried on the weapon skins, but they honestly don't really look all that great, and you're certainly not getting them for ilevel.

I love the "easy" mode but I hope they work on the rest of it before we get another one in Dawntrail.

For me there's a 3rd problem, it doesn't actually fulfill the niche I personally wanted, harder 4-man dungeons.

Criterion is really just 3 extreme/savage bosses with a corridor in-between, a very similar formula to the 8-man high-end content we've had for years.
To me it doesn't even qualify as a dungeon.

[Zumi]

I think people wanted something like M+ from wow which is really popular but variant and crieterion isn't that. V/C is all bosses the bosses have puzzle mechanics where its not obvious what is going on to someone that is watching the game, most people rely on videos to do these after the puzzle has been solved by other players that are good at puzzle solving. V/C difficulty comes from executing the puzzle correctly and less on dps/healing/tanking. M+ however all the bosses have very simple mechanics you can figure out what to do just by playing the game no need to watch a video or guide to figure it out the difficulty comes from higher boss hp and damage. So you have harder and harder dps/healing checks and they have a timer in order to get a higher keystone to do i higher level dungeon you have to beat the timer.

I would personally like it if FF14 had something else for difficulty besides puzzle bosses. Take the regular dungeons and start to scale up those bosses and mobs with more HP and damage taken.

[HeyMcFly]

I think people wanted something like M+ from wow which is really popular but variant and crieterion isn't that. V/C is all bosses the bosses have puzzle mechanics where its not obvious what is going on to someone that is watching the game, most people rely on videos to do these after the puzzle has been solved by other players that are good at puzzle solving. V/C difficulty comes from executing the puzzle correctly and less on dps/healing/tanking. M+ however all the bosses have very simple mechanics you can figure out what to do just by playing the game no need to watch a video or guide to figure it out the difficulty comes from higher boss hp and damage. So you have harder and harder dps/healing checks and they have a timer in order to get a higher keystone to do i higher level dungeon you have to beat the timer.

I would personally like it if FF14 had something else for difficulty besides puzzle bosses. Take the regular dungeons and start to scale up those bosses and mobs with more HP and damage taken.

^^^^^ This to the highest degree

[Valence]

For me there's a 3rd problem, it doesn't actually fulfill the niche I personally wanted, harder 4-man dungeons.

Criterion is really just 3 extreme/savage bosses with a corridor in-between, a very similar formula to the 8-man high-end content we've had for years.
To me it doesn't even qualify as a dungeon.

Word.

I think people wanted something like M+ from wow which is really popular but variant and crieterion isn't that. V/C is all bosses the bosses have puzzle mechanics where its not obvious what is going on to someone that is watching the game, most people rely on videos to do these after the puzzle has been solved by other players that are good at puzzle solving. V/C difficulty comes from executing the puzzle correctly and less on dps/healing/tanking. M+ however all the bosses have very simple mechanics you can figure out what to do just by playing the game no need to watch a video or guide to figure it out the difficulty comes from higher boss hp and damage. So you have harder and harder dps/healing checks and they have a timer in order to get a higher keystone to do i higher level dungeon you have to beat the timer.

I would personally like it if FF14 had something else for difficulty besides puzzle bosses. Take the regular dungeons and start to scale up those bosses and mobs with more HP and damage taken.

I'd like that a lot too, but unfortunately there is nothing remaining in this game that would actually support such content. :c

And then we loop back on how encounters are literally the alpha and omega in this game with little else besides.

[HeyMcFly]

I had hoped for a WoW mythic style dungeon- something where you get tokens or keys that allow you to progress to harder and harder difficulties that have floor affixes/debuffs players have to work around and the rewards are better gear and cosmetics. Basically, Similar to how in ffxiv HoH or PotD works, just in a more cinematic/dungeon style way but requires 4 people due to mechanics.
Even if it wasn't that exact formula; it needs to be something that encourages group play and not soloable as well as is challenging but also very rewarding.
I am really tired of 8 man savage content and want 4 man savage content that is rewarding.

Criterion/ Variant is not very rewarding, or worth repeating. (unless you just want to farm cosmetics which is all this place is for, just pick 1 path and do it over and over)
While the devs showed they finally started getting the hint with Aloalo savage, and rewarding players with a weapon upgrade that also gives them a cool effect, it still falls short.
It doesn't need so many paths unless the paths get more difficult and offer worthwhile rewards.
4-man savage content rewards should be near 8-man savage raid equivalent gear that isn't tomestone bound- As well as this savage mode ((that should offer near raid equivalent gear/weapons and cosmetics that aren't tomestone bound)) should also release after 8-man savage raids have been out for sometime.
The roles should be traditional; healer, 2 dps 1 tank and the fights not soloable due to mechanics that should require all 4 people. It should be unsync'd a long, long time after everyone has moved onto other expansions.
I do enjoy the cinematic aspect of these dungeons, the amount of paths though doesn't need to be a thing if it's only going to be the same boss each time.
Just increase the difficulty by putting in dps/heal checks and tank specific mechanics that need to be done in a specific allotted time.