Nael Van Darnus vs Shadow Lord

[Rhomagus]

I haven't beat Darnus quite yet but why I'm leaning towards the Shadow Lord His vengeance isn't only of his own accord. If you played a Galka in XI you can almost sympathize with him. It seems to me that Darnus is a "loose cannon" even to his own people while Shadow Lord's motivations for his rise to power were somewhat predictable. If you played a Galka you might be thinking, "Hmmm. 'bout time."

It caused a great deal of introspection no matter what race you were, and really set the stage for the thematic focus of the Ark Angels in The Rise of the Zilart. All of the different races "stigmas" were already being put into the forefront prior to the first expansion and the Shadow Lord's very existence is how that theme was introduced.

So far I'm leaning Shadow Lord because his motivations were beyond himself, and when you discovered his identity the pieces just seemed to fit. Seeing the post above really makes me want to beat Darnus though. I'd like to see what's considered "rational" in the eyes of this supposed power hungry madman.

[yukikaze_yanagi]

FFXI's level cap was level 50 when people first fought Shadow Lord. I'm sure FFXIV will have it's level cap raised eventually and I'm sure Darnus will become a joke character by then too.

Too bad this fight will be gone after 2.0 :P

It's a tie for me: shadow lord have a nice human story behind, while Darnus is more a psycho, even if he seems to fight for a purpose other than mere destruction

[DarthTaru]

All of the different races "stigmas" were already being put into the forefront prior to the first expansion and the Shadow Lord's very existence is what fleshed that out and made it possible.

You shall be consumed by the cowardice that binds you...

<3

[Vydos]

You shall be consumed by the cowardice that binds you...

<3

You shall be twisted by the envy that drives you...

Till this day, I still love the Ark Angels and their quotes. Gave me shivers down my spine.

I honestly can't make a decision. The both of them are complete opposites of S-E villains.
And honestly, this feels like unfair competition. Shadow Lord was more of an interlude into the zilart story line.
The story itself ended abruptly,to only be clarified once you started Rise of Zilart.

While we have Darnus who should be more compared with the zilart princes Kam'Lanaut and Eald'narche. Considering Darnus is an entire storyline on its own. Shadow lord only began to make an appearance from mission 2-3 till 6. Afterwards it switched to each nation.

Shadow lord should be compared to that sorry excuse of a final battle against that magitek and the 3 guards at the end of the nation missions. The one that ends up with the cutscene against Gaius van Baelsar.

Just my honest opinion.

[neorei]

i don't think we've seen the last of Nael Van Darnus

[DarthTaru]

i don't think we've seen the last of Nael Van Darnus

This.

I suspect the people who predicted he would be transformed into a weapon were on to something.
His story will age like a fine wine and it'll be even better for us who played XIV 1.0 who were here to see it from the beginning.

[Felis]

FFXI's level cap was level 50 when people first fought Shadow Lord. I'm sure FFXIV will have it's level cap raised eventually and I'm sure Darnus will become a joke character by then too.

Only if they raise the level cap before 2.0
If not, Darnus would never be soloable.

[Zenaku]

Story wise and how SE told the story i have to say Shadow lord but then again shadow lord= Main evil of FFXI for the first exp pack of FFXI while Nael-Van is just a side char

So really it FIRST EMPEROR OF GARLEMALD Vs Shadow Lord but for now i pick shadow lord too we fight the first emperor and see the real storyline of ffxiv.

[neorei]

This.

I suspect the people who predicted he would be transformed into a weapon were on to something.
His story will age like a fine wine and it'll be even better for us who played XIV 1.0 who were here to see it from the beginning.

also we don't have his body, he just disappeared.

[Ruisu]

I suspect the people who predicted he would be transformed into a weapon were on to something.

Well, which iconic FF entity uses Megaflare?

This is assuming SE didn't fuck up the translation of course.

It isn't the weapons.