Please repair the first Ifrit fight for new players !

[Grann-Goro]

Hello,

For several years now, I have occasionally taken the time to come with new players randomly through the first areas of the game, and I have come to think that the first battle against Ifrit really deserves to be corrected, because its current balance isn't what it was anymore.

From what I have observed with our dear beginners, the first three dungeons are still quite well-calibrated, I think, to assimilate multi-target combat and to train players in targeting, which is often the main issue for new players.

However, most of the new players I have played with tell me they were disappointed with the battle against Ifrit.

I think this fight is simply way too short right now, and Ifrit deserves to have more health points.

Even with groups made up entirely of players without job crystals equiped (myself included), who don’t necessarily have optimal gear, AND with the "minimum level" option activated (so the conditions the fight was technicaly designed for), the fight lasts about 2 minutes.
That's WAY too short for the first climax in the game !
We only see about half of the fight, and players didn't even have the time to have fun.

In fact, even with those "minimal" conditions, we rarely even reach the stage where the first four large aoes appear on the ground.
So imagine what it is for new players who use the dungeon finder and end up with experienced players, fully geared, and with the stat bonuses from their job crystals !
They simply never see them !

Plus, maybe Ifrit could hit a bit harder on the tank, as the latter takes very few damage. Nowadays tanks have their "increased defense" passive trait at level 1, whereas back during ARR, their increased defense was gained at level 40 with the tank stance, so way after Ifrit !


One last thing: I understand the benefit of having the cutscene before the fight inside the instance, because for a new player, it would be weird to have a "climatic" cutscene like that, and then have to wait for a group. (that wouldn’t be great)
However, I think it would be better if the final cutscene (the one with Thancred, Livia, and Nero) only triggers after leaving the instance - not inside of it as it is now - so new players can say goodbye to others, like it is for any other dungeon in the game.


For me, this fight against Ifrit marks the end of the game's tutorial and should be much more memorable.
Of course, this is just my opinion.

[Arohk]

when the cutscene is longer than the fight, you know there is a problem xD

[Mesarthim]

I remember in the olden days when I got paired with an arcanist (who only healed) we were failing the dps check on the nail.

Now low level potencies are so high that is failproof.

[PorxiesRCute]

when the cutscene is longer than the fight, you know there is a problem xD

Exactly... Why haven't those cutscenes been moved out of the duty by this point?