Difficulty of normal content.

[Seraphii]

The content in Dawntrail has been refreshing. I could literally do gacha dailies or watch a movie in most content in Endwalker.

Golbez EX is probably the only fight in the entire expansion that I thought was actually difficult and needed practice (aside from obvious ones like Criterion dungeons/ultimates/savages).

You're having difficulty and that's good. It's a challenge but the mechanics in *any* of the content you're required to do such as MSQ dungeons and normal trials are not hard. They're mechanics you've seen before, just stacked together in easily noticeable patterns. Dying a few times sure, being *unable* to progress? No shot. They are not to that level of difficulty.

The actual problem here is that EARLY game content that used to teach easier variants of more difficult content got dumbed down. Things like Thornmarch EX which is actual brain dead content now used to have mechanics that taught sprouts what to expect in harder content.

Also, the new raids are fantastic. The first raid is incredibly easy and almost braindead in difficulty but it's still fun. The second one took me a few tries to not die but the third and fourth one? Chefs kiss. Beautiful fight.

The optional dungeons? First few runs of those were a bit rough, they had some more difficult mechanics. But once you've done them 2 or 3 times, they're cake walks too. Fun ones. Mob packs hit hard again and have actual mechanics. AOE Frontal cleaves, heal checks, etc. Thank god lol.

The content doesn't need to be lowered in difficulty. It needs to possibly increase a bit more. You need more practice.

[PercibelTheren]

I sympathize with the anxiety. I have anxiety, too. But one thing to keep in mind is that failing is fine. Dying is fine, wiping is fine. There is barely any punishment for it besides having to start the fight over. I'm also a slow learner. Some mechanics take me ages to comprehend. Sometimes I have to ask either my friends or the party for clarification. That and I'm sure there are video guides out there. I know I watched them all the way up till Endwalker because I was so scared I would drag the party down by being bad. But then I finally realised that there's nothing to be afraid of.

Mistakes and failures are a natural part of learning. For everyone. Some people get things faster and make fewer mistakes, some people need more time and help. But giving up won't help you progress.

[Rox_Unlimited]

Some of yall wouldn’t be happy if a striking dummy was a boss. Holy shit. God forbid the optional content isn’t braindead and allow you to watch Netflix. 90% of the mechanics have been in the game forever. Most of the actual new stuff kills people first few times around and you know what most people even causal do? Try and understand and not die to it again.

[Skyleira]

This reads like a roulette champion being mad that not every fight in the game is ARR orange pizzas slices and danger plates telegraphed 5-10 seconds ahead like in most dungeons. Honey B fight is hectic but nothing showcased in the normals is all that crazy compared to previous normal raid tiers. Open your eyes, breathe, and use your intuition. Don't blame the fight for you spending it on the floor. Its optional content.

[thatparkerguy]

I sympathize with the more casual player but the game should be designed around what the median player desires. For a fairly long time the dev team's read seemed to be that the median player wanted something on the easier side for normal mode content but the reaction to ShB and EW told the dev team that hey, maybe the median player is actually a bit closer to this opposing side. So they're trying that out. The total aggregation of everyone's opinions on this level of difficulty for normal mode content will be taken in when it is time to design the next expansion's content. It's important to have these conversations to direct the future of the game. For my part I am sincerely hopeful they continue on the current trajectory. DT's normals are a great spot for normals to be, and I'm hoping that the silent majority who have long been kind of coddled by normal mode content are finding this new normal to be rather enticing are considering dipping their toes into the Savage or Ultimate pool for the first time. Experiencing that kind of content and finding some enjoyment in it can only be a good thing, can only increase your love of the game.

[greed_]

God forbid the video game challenges its players because it is a *game*.
Use your brain for even half a second and you can clear normal level content.

[Shikiseki]

funny thing is that this is "somewhat" close to the difficulty we had back in ARR - wipes weren't uncommon but content wasn't impossibly difficult either.
It all started when they actively babied the playerbase to only wipe if you actively tried to (and I did try to stand into every single aoe in prae and was still fine)

My DF runs haven't wiped to a single new fight but we were bit sweating here and there - I think the difficulty is fine for level 100 content that's supposed to be between dungeons and extremes

[Chipoltle]

I really wonder how people who say its too hard would survive back in HW when some normal fights had enrage or Mach when it was new. Failure and wipes are not the end of the world. Pick your feet up and keep trying. If you can’t do that then perhaps your skill levels ends at msq and you can simply enjoy the story.

[soliquidsnake]

Ahhh the day 1 Ozma wipes and disbands were GLORIOUS. Truly, I miss those days sometimes.

[tilznit]

As an older casual player, I went in without prior knowledge of the fights and thought the raids were fun. Will be farming for gear. Nothing needs to be changed IMO.