Dear Community what even holds you in this game

[CCheshire]

Not much honestly, the game keeps getting harder but I'm not getting better so I keep getting gated out of content and spend more and more time just AFKing in my squadron barracks after doing society quests, hunting marks, and weekly stuff.

Stormblood really did a number on my motivation and confidence to keep playing further so I'm just kinda meandering around staring at the floor unsure of what to do anymore.

What content are you gated out of in DT? Usually, the MSQ is made so everyone can progress through it along with new dungeons. Also, the new raid series is pretty similar to the past raids in older content.

[CVXIV]

I haven't actually reached Dawntrail content (I've barely touched down in Shadowbringers), but with Stormblood it was just about everything. I can't think of a single dungeon/trial/raid from that expansion I didn't die in somewhere, and some of them I STILL die in to the point I stopped doing roulettes because I was getting tired of being carried. I even got rocked trying to do the Sightseeing Log because I can't do jumping puzzles for crap it seems, and it's the first expansion where I actually failed parts of the MSQ and had to redo them, sometimes more than once. (Apparently I REALLY suck playing as other NPCs.)

I've also come to find out I'm really not that good at other side content like the Masked Carnivale (Stage 29) or Palace of the Dead (floor 20) and the less said about my attempt at Eureka the better. I can't even like, just solo unsync most of the Extreme trials of Stormblood for the cards because nearly all of them have mechanics that can't be done alone (or at least I'm not good enough to do them alone).

So I'm stuck between all these things I can't complete and not knowing what I'm going to get stuck on next/have to give up on it partway through after trying it.

In POTD your attack and defense is determined by your aetherpool, so the less you have the weaker you are.

Masked carnivale can be difficult, but it really depends on what skills you learn and the loadout you make. It's also about practice and puzzle solving

Eureka is very much the same, you need to level and learn how to set your magia to either attack or defense for each enemy you go up against to give you a better chance

Instead of writing the content off, I'd recommend reaching out because there are plenty of people who would love to teach you and guide you through the process

It's okay to die in the game and fail, it's a natural part of learning and improving

[TheInsomniac13]

I haven't actually reached Dawntrail content (I've barely touched down in Shadowbringers), but with Stormblood it was just about everything. I can't think of a single dungeon/trial/raid from that expansion I didn't die in somewhere, and some of them I STILL die in to the point I stopped doing roulettes because I was getting tired of being carried. I even got rocked trying to do the Sightseeing Log because I can't do jumping puzzles for crap it seems, and it's the first expansion where I actually failed parts of the MSQ and had to redo them, sometimes more than once. (Apparently I REALLY suck playing as other NPCs.)

I've also come to find out I'm really not that good at other side content like the Masked Carnivale (Stage 29) or Palace of the Dead (floor 20) and the less said about my attempt at Eureka the better. I can't even like, just solo unsync most of the Extreme trials of Stormblood for the cards because nearly all of them have mechanics that can't be done alone (or at least I'm not good enough to do them alone).

So I'm stuck between all these things I can't complete and not knowing what I'm going to get stuck on next/have to give up on it partway through after trying it.

Truth of the matter is that many simply watch a guide of Dungeons and Trials because they do not want to be the ones looking bad at the game, some want the enjoyment of finding it out themself others just want to get through it without issu, decide which fits you better.
I did the sight seeing logs too, some pf the Jumping puzzle feeled less like puzzle and more like glitching at times.
Playing as other NPCs can be a problem if the game do´s not give you the time to read through what the skills they have do.

Masked Carnival is a matter I loved but still hated, I hated the fakt that the fights are rather puzzle but you have no way of knowing what spells you even will need to begin with so you go in will faile because you did not have the spell you needet to solve the problem and then have to redo it. Puzzle are not fun if the puzzle pieces are deliberetly hidden from you.
Palace of the Dead can be really mean, Traps which can kill you really fast and thow you in mob swarms that you just cannot handle, that paired with the RNG of Silver chests the only way to really get stronger in that content... well I had my fair share of deathes in there.

Eureka... yeah... Eureka is rather special contentwise, It is very much build in a way which needs you to cooperate with other players. There are leveling guides on YouTube that may make you time in Eureka easyer should you even want to do it.

[CCheshire]

I haven't actually reached Dawntrail content (I've barely touched down in Shadowbringers), but with Stormblood it was just about everything. I can't think of a single dungeon/trial/raid from that expansion I didn't die in somewhere, and some of them I STILL die in to the point I stopped doing roulettes because I was getting tired of being carried. I even got rocked trying to do the Sightseeing Log because I can't do jumping puzzles for crap it seems, and it's the first expansion where I actually failed parts of the MSQ and had to redo them, sometimes more than once. (Apparently I REALLY suck playing as other NPCs.)

I've also come to find out I'm really not that good at other side content like the Masked Carnivale (Stage 29) or Palace of the Dead (floor 20) and the less said about my attempt at Eureka the better. I can't even like, just solo unsync most of the Extreme trials of Stormblood for the cards because nearly all of them have mechanics that can't be done alone (or at least I'm not good enough to do them alone).

Also for ppl struggling with solo duties, I set it to Very Easy, no one will know, and I can see the next part of the MSQ.
So I'm stuck between all these things I can't complete and not knowing what I'm going to get stuck on next/have to give up on it partway through after trying it.

Well, it's OK to die in content, like I've died a lot in both old and new content, just that I end up looking up the YT guide later for the raid series or AR. No one really cares for normal dungeons or raids if you die a lot too.

The thing with DD or Eureka have special rules for them, they're not meant to solo'd unless for the titles, and you don't have to side content if it stresses you out too. I've never unlocked BLU since it didn't appeal to me back then, and now.

Also for solo duties they have a Very Easy setting and it works well.

[Kandraxx]

I haven't actually reached Dawntrail content (I've barely touched down in Shadowbringers), but with Stormblood it was just about everything. I can't think of a single dungeon/trial/raid from that expansion I didn't die in somewhere, and some of them I STILL die in to the point I stopped doing roulettes because I was getting tired of being carried. I even got rocked trying to do the Sightseeing Log because I can't do jumping puzzles for crap it seems, and it's the first expansion where I actually failed parts of the MSQ and had to redo them, sometimes more than once. (Apparently I REALLY suck playing as other NPCs.)

I've also come to find out I'm really not that good at other side content like the Masked Carnivale (Stage 29) or Palace of the Dead (floor 20) and the less said about my attempt at Eureka the better. I can't even like, just solo unsync most of the Extreme trials of Stormblood for the cards because nearly all of them have mechanics that can't be done alone (or at least I'm not good enough to do them alone).

So I'm stuck between all these things I can't complete and not knowing what I'm going to get stuck on next/have to give up on it partway through after trying it.

It's OK to die in this game. The way the game is designed, it's 10% player input skill and 90% knowing what will happen/where to stand.

PotD you can't really solo till you got your hands on some potsherds from higher floors for regen potions because you won't be able to survive the early floor bosses at low level with only normal potions. Unless you're ok with slogging your way through on a healer.

[Mawlzy]

What content are you gated out of in DT? Usually, the MSQ is made so everyone can progress through it along with new dungeons. Also, the new raid series is pretty similar to the past raids in older content.

I think part of the issue is that the big influx of players who came in during COVID hit endgame either in EW or DT. Up until that point, they could simply over-level and outgear MSQ dungeons and trials to the point they were not gated by them. In DT in particular, where there's a difficulty increase over EW, this has caused a lot of people to run into a brick wall.

It is of course possible to get carried in the dungeons and trials, but having to do that repeatedly has made people in my FC thoroughly despondent. The solo duties are also extremely challenging. They don't touch the optional instanced PvE like the current raids at all, so there is much less for them to do.

Again, people who are good at the very specific fight design FF14 provides will roll their eyes at this in disbelief, and trot out "by level 100, you should be able to do X,Y.Z."

But people either cannot, or find it sufficiently challenging and/or boring they simply give up.

[Mawlzy]

I know how Aetherpool works, but I'm not really sure how much I should have before trying again, and it's not terribly engaging to think I'll have to loop the first 10 floors for an unknown amount of time until I have enough, only to then loop 20 floors before I can even attempt floor 30 and so on.

I agree with most of your points, but personally enjoy PotD/HoH. Likely helped that I mostly play MCH and WAR, which along with PCT do pretty well in those dungeons.

It is a bit grindy solo, but I found the steady increase in Aetherpool to be rewarding, and the overall content to be more enjoyable than any other PvE. YMMV, of course.

[george357]

i stay because i like the game not because people who do not pay my sub ask me why i stay this is all up to me and not them.