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

[Teno]

Beyond savage, I like that valigarmanda was a comparatively more engaging fight for healers for once. At least when everyone was running around in 690 gear.

[Raikai]

Beyond savage, I like that valigarmanda was a comparatively more engaging fight for healers for once. At least when everyone was running around in 690 gear.

I agree. I'm actually perfectly fine with EX keeping the approach they have now, being more standard for a possible High End introduction to new players. Currently I personally feel they have a similar level of difficulty than of Savage, but the difference is that they have less mechanics to solve.

[Ardeth]

I felt like on normal they took so long it made me not want to do them again. Plus, the loot structure sucks. I don't want to do them multiple times and collect multiple trinkets to get the gear. I just didn't find the experience fun. The fights were fine. The mechanics made sense. It just took way too long to kill. And given the groups failed multiple times, it took even longer. It was something I wasn't going to do twice.

[Jeeqbit]

I felt like on normal they took so long it made me not want to do them again.

They get faster with gear. Plus, the people who took ages were probably still learning mechanics and will be better at them now. The timeframe now is the same as any previous raids we've had, but eventually it will be as quick as P1-P4 by the end of the expansion.

[TheRealQuah]

Edit: Just a disclaimer since this is not in the thread title, but this is about Savage fights in case it's not clear

I'm a Party Finder raider (for logistic reasons), and as I'm slowly going through the new Arcadion fights, almost done with M2S clear, I can't help but feel a bit... disappointed?

Not to the fights themselves! They are well made, I don't take that away, but they are literally more of their 'safe formula' of symmetrical cleaves, mirrored, clockspot based mechanics, or events that are either X > Y or Y > X. Many elements are just things we already know but slightly dressed up. We still need 4 melees and 4 ranged units to resolve mechanics perfectly.

I did take a peek on M3S and M4S guides and it didn't really change what I think either. As I cleared this week's worth of M1S I kept thinking to myself how interesting would be if the Black Cat's clones were actual priority adds to micromanage instead of just animations?

The reason why I feel disappointed is because, based on the key notes, I thought we'd see an actual shake up on that formula, maybe taking more risks more out-of-the-box elements, or even paving the way for new types of job utilities to debut in the future.

I wonder if I got that feel totally wrong or delusional from the Fanfest? But if not, based on the extent of what we got, I kinda fear for the "job identity focus" in 8.0.

M2S is the least FF14 feeling fight we've had even. In fact it feels like it's straight out of WoW. What game are you playing?

[Raikai]

M2S is the least FF14 feeling fight we've had even. In fact it feels like it's straight out of WoW. What game are you playing?

Idk... The mechanics that are actually really interesting and refreshing to me is Alarm Pheromones 1 and the Beat 1's random heart evasion (which also feels like stuff we had in Barbariccia). The rest of the mechanics are all stuff we know. Circle or Line aoE, then repeat the opposite one, 2 patterns of honey blobs aoes, stack with partner or spread, group movement mechanic around boss to lay down puddles, a tether bait similar to the last mech on Rubicante, etc...

I think it's a very well made fight and I do enjoy... But not the expectation of something very unique that I had based on the Keynotes.

[angienessyo]

Idk... The mechanics that are actually really interesting and refreshing to me is Alarm Pheromones 1 and the Beat 1's random heart evasion (which also feels like stuff we had in Barbariccia). The rest of the mechanics are all stuff we know. Circle or Line aoE, then repeat the opposite one, 2 patterns of honey blobs aoes, stack with partner or spread, group movement mechanic around boss to lay down puddles, a tether bait similar to the last mech on Rubicante, etc...

I think it's a very well made fight and I do enjoy... But not the expectation of something very unique that I had based on the Keynotes.

Funnily enough, Alarm Pheromones is the one mechanic I keep seeing tons of complaints about specifically because it's so different/more reactive. I love that mechanic as well.

[CaedemSanguis]

Funnily enough, Alarm Pheromones is the one mechanic I keep seeing tons of complaints about specifically because it's so different/more reactive. I love that mechanic as well.

those kind of mechanics are "wow style" mechanics (look out and adjust)

[Raikai]

those kind of mechanics are "wow style" mechanics (look out and adjust)

Not saying the grass is greener there because I quit around BfA, so Idk how WoW is nowadays, but I personally think that those mechanics are more interesting because they encourage thinking on the go and reward good improvisation skills, as opposed to the very cemented way that the usual mechanics are solved.

Puzzle like mechanics also have such a short shelf life, because once solved all that matters is remembering what goes where, and then after a few rounds, it becomes autopilot because there's usually just a few set patterns that stuff can go (many times just 2 patterns tbh)... ln a reclear scope, it gets either stale or annoying (in a PF setting) when somebody else fails repeatedly on stuff they shouldn't.

[Hanayumi]

Yeah, Yoshida mentioned he more or less gave the battle devs the greenlight to look into new/interesting mechanics... BUT theyll likely stick with the broad already known stuff when it comes to general/everyday content just to play it safe. If we're to see any shake up it'll more likely come in the more "Optional" kinds of content so Ults and prolly Field Operations.