So... This is the "improved encounter design"?

[Xelanar]

I find the encounters to be very much improved.
I have yet to do M4S but the other three are awesome.
Easy to understand, some of the mechanics require to actually pay attention, and an amount of downtime I can live with.

I was growing tired of mechanics that superficially look complex because of 4834854 debuffs being slapped on everyone, but once you get used to them it's only 2-3 easily recognizable patterns.
Honey B. is my favorite encounter design-wise. And I'm not only saying that because she forces me to.

[CaedemSanguis]

I find the encounters to be very much improved.
I have yet to do M4S but the other three are awesome.
Easy to understand, some of the mechanics require to actually pay attention, and an amount of downtime I can live with.

I was growing tired of mechanics that superficially look complex because of 4834854 debuffs being slapped on everyone, but once you get used to them it's only 2-3 easily recognizable patterns.
Honey B. is my favorite encounter design-wise. And I'm not only saying that because she forces me to.

the tier is cool, but there is nothing really innovative in it's design, except for alarm pheromones (m2s)

[Xelanar]

the tier is cool, but there is nothing really innovative in it's design, except for alarm pheromones (m2s)

exactly, right? Mechanics are mostly recycled, but fights do feel better. At least to me they do, even after clearing them multiple times on different characters. Maybe it's the tiny memory games they added, or the way you need to pay attention to things other than your debuffs. It's honestly hard for me to pinpoint exact reasons. All I know is that I'm having more fun than I had in Eden or Pandaemonium while learning or once reclear routine kicks in.

[Raikai]

the tier is cool, but there is nothing really innovative in it's design, except for alarm pheromones (m2s)

Ironically, so far from what I experienced of half of the tier, Alarm Pheromones is the most exciting mechanic they added exactly because it allows some sort of free form. I know people go for this "Mario Kart" strat for that part (th is that name...), but as a ranged unit I feel much more safe by doing the mech on my own instead of following the group.

[AvoSturmfaust]

It has actually a improved encounter design, compare it with the last expansion and you see it, one of the most complains was the hitbox which had the size as the moon, now melees have to fight a bit again for full uptime, and dont forget its the first tier and with picto and the buffs so many dds had the tier was just a bit underwhelming, square already said they know it and it wont happen with the next tier

[Tizzy_Tormentor]

Man, I wonder if the next tier will have fights that take place on a flat circular or square arena, maybe they will even feel daring and make it rectangular.

Jokes aside, I think for regular content like dungeons and story trials, the pace of the fights is drastically improved from Endwalker, where it felt like there were long periods where the boss does absolutely nothing and just waits for death until the remember "oh yeah, mechanics" and teleports to perform it. In Dawntrail, there is less time where the boss just sits there and does nothing, which is nice, the mechanics themselves also have a bit more teeth to em, often resolving much quicker and being a bit more punishing, which is a nice change from EW as a whole.

I don't Savage raid anymore, so I will refrain from making comments about that, but in general, the first tier is always the easiest, usually so new/returning players get a feel for any job changes, 2nd and 3rd tiers are usually given a bit more oomph.

[Alice_Rivers]

Man, I wonder if the next tier will have fights that take place on a flat circular or square arena, maybe they will even feel daring and make it rectangular.

You know that's actually a cool sounding idea - Have multi-level arenas with different mechanics for each level, sort of like one of the Omega raids back in SB.

[Ardeth]

You know that's actually a cool sounding idea - Have multi-level arenas with different mechanics for each level, sort of like one of the Omega raids back in SB.

To chime in on this, I really liked the Ultima, I think, was its name from Orbonne. The one where you start in a big rectangular area that then becomes a maze and then a small flat cicle and then back to the open area. I like fights like that.

But that's kinda towing the line that Stormblood had good content, which to me at least it did.

[Alice_Rivers]

To chime in on this, I really liked the Ultima, I think, was its name from Orbonne. The one where you start in a big rectangular area that then becomes a maze and then a small flat cicle and then back to the open area. I like fights like that.

But that's kinda towing the line that Stormblood had good content, which to me at least it did.

Stormblood definitely had better content than EW, I still think in terms of dungeon enemies and bosses it was a step down from what came before but yeah, it was still more than just dodging aoes which is good for all that bar is low.

[Raikai]

Stormblood definitely had better content than EW, I still think in terms of dungeon enemies and bosses it was a step down from what came before but yeah, it was still more than just dodging aoes which is good for all that bar is low.

Eureka by itself puts Stormblood patch content in A tier list. I think it's generally considered a weak baseline expansion, but great patch content, story included. Also needless to say that Heavens on High was more refreshing after PotD than Eureka Orthos being HoH's successor.