Here we go again

[deathslover]

I just want to say you're not alone in this. I struggled like hell with it - fortunately had a really patient Scholar, and a RDM, who were both willing to rez me when the mechanics got the better of my inability to react as quickly as required.

I haven't even been able to face the new Alliance Raid yet and, to be honest, I'm not certain I will engage in it. A pity to feel the need to skip over new content, but from what friends who've already played it (and are far better at the game than I am) have said it's challenging and absolutely full of DDR mechanics. In which case if I were to engage in it I'd be A: a burden, B: very much dead the majority of the time and C: miserable. And what's the point in that?

Sadly, as much as I love the game I'm starting to think it isn't for someone like me anymore - particularly considering how I'm finding I actively avoid the newer content.

this is me 100%.

i do stuff via trust cause i want to do the fights at my own pace and i want to take screenshots as i experiance them. i do not want to need to reach out to my FC to get help/carry through the dungeon and i hate being a burdon to ppl that are randoms. i have issues raiding an this is why i skip out of group content cause of bad experiences in other MMOs.

im a mid 40s femroe that has co-ordination issues besides "getting old" and i have also had moments of maybe ill just not clear the dungeons cause i just cant no matter how hard i try.

trust was designed for ppl like me but its getting to the point that even trusts arent helpful cause they dont rez and the healers like alphi dont use base healing abilities like kardia on the tanks.

[Miradelle]

They should add an endwalking mode where you just endwalk your way to the end in every dungeon instead. Maybe add some NPCs to cheer you on and clap as you walk your way to the finish line.

[Its_Kazzy_D]

I think people are hesitant for an "easy mode" on dungeons because Square made an entire expansion that was easy mode and should that option be put in, I have no doubt that would be their priority focus. Which is boring. Don't get me wrong, 2nd Meso boss still fucks me up but I just laugh because it was always my fault for either being too quick or slow with resolving things.

[MayuAmakura]

this is me 100%.

i do stuff via trust cause i want to do the fights at my own pace and i want to take screenshots as i experiance them. i do not want to need to reach out to my FC to get help/carry through the dungeon and i hate being a burdon to ppl that are randoms. i have issues raiding an this is why i skip out of group content cause of bad experiences in other MMOs.

im a mid 40s femroe that has co-ordination issues besides "getting old" and i have also had moments of maybe ill just not clear the dungeons cause i just cant no matter how hard i try.

trust was designed for ppl like me but its getting to the point that even trusts arent helpful cause they dont rez and the healers like alphi dont use base healing abilities like kardia on the tanks.

Problem derives from having to memorize patterns which is really boring already. Everything is tied to same "dance here and memorize safe spots". It's always the same. Other games did it better where even hard content could be finished because there were many other aspects that made it more fun and understandable. Here its all about puzzles and if your memory is good. Not to mention that you can get confused by clock spots, thus failing where your position is. This does happen to people frequently. Such "easy" mechanic but gets you everytime because orientation can be a mess.

So I definitely understand your point of view. They made trusts and support that way so people wouldn't "bot" these things but that didn't stop anyone from doing so.

[Kohashi]

Fun.

That's it, that's the answer. Making dungeons more complex to attempt to make it more fun for people who prefer EX up content at the expense of people who only really like MSQ for their battle content.

It's just seemingly crossed a line into not-fun difficulty for many in DT from a casual perspective, but still isn't the "make me feel like I earned that" satisfying gameplay hardcore players want.

Been in a discussion on this thread (https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...threads/521594) about another reason why DT seems to suddenly have so many issues from a technical side verses "skill issues."

TLDR: High ping is punishing even harder than ever and the systems SE implemented to help with that aren't good enough or working anymore.

Let me just say this: once you dabble in Ultimates, there is no going back. Most stuff will feel boring, and there is absolutely no reason to run dungeons, unless they are a part of a BiS for some ultimate. There is NO reason why a hardcore raider would ask for dungeons to be more complex.

The only reason why dungeons became more complex is that some people started saying they are too easy, culminating in Yoshi-P agreeing to it.

As for snapshots, while they can happen while having a higher ping, more often than not, it's people simply not understanding how and when snapshots happen. Nothing in the new dungeons is that fast. Also, if you struggle in the new dungeons, it's fine. It's not a big deal if you die.

[Raoabolic]

Let me just say this: once you dabble in Ultimates, there is no going back. Most stuff will feel boring, and there is absolutely no reason to run dungeons, unless they are a part of a BiS for some ultimate. There is NO reason why a hardcore raider would ask for dungeons to be more complex.

The only reason why dungeons became more complex is that some people started saying they are too easy, culminating in Yoshi-P agreeing to it.

As for snapshots, while they can happen while having a higher ping, more often than not, it's people simply not understanding how and when snapshots happen. Nothing in the new dungeons is that fast. Also, if you struggle in the new dungeons, it's fine. It's not a big deal if you die.

As much as I hate this snapshot system this game is built on, there ARE mods that fix the ping issue to the point the lag is acceptable at worse. Just sayin'.

[Mikuyo]

FFXIV is already one of the most accessible MMOs on the market. Compared to other titles, normal dungeons, trials, and story progression are very forgiving, and there is something for everyone: casual players, raiders, crafters, roleplayers, and everything in between. The only group that consistently lacks support is the hardcore raiding community.

Some claim Yoshi P has been catering to hardcore players, but where exactly? Savage difficulty has been gradually nerfed and streamlined every expansion. Job design has been simplified to the point where many roles feel homogenized, and distinguishing playstyles has become difficult. The truth is, the hardcore community has been pushed aside, not prioritized.

FFXIV is still an MMO, and in an MMO not all content should be a participation trophy. Rewards exist as incentives for effort, improvement, and persistence. The idea that Savage is "too hard" often comes from players who never engage with it, while those who do find it harder and harder to sustain groups because the raiding scene is shrinking. Players who want challenge are leaving because there is so little left for them.

To the OP, I am not attacking you personally or dismissing the fact that you find some mechanics difficult. But age is not a barrier to success in this game. There are plenty of players in their 40s, 50s, and older clearing Savage and even Ultimates. What it takes is patience, practice, and teamwork. Much like Dawntrail’s storyline, where Wuk Lamat is written as a protagonist who gains repeated power through emotion rather than growth or effort, the content itself is beginning to move in that same direction. Some players spend months wiping on a single phase of an Ultimate, and they keep pushing because the sense of achievement comes from the journey, not from lowering the bar.

The mentality that every piece of content should be made easier just to "get through the story" is what damages the game long term. Nobody is forcing anyone into Savage or Ultimate, but the players who do want harder content are watching their corner of the game dry up because everything is being streamlined. Meanwhile, casual content has never been more accessible.

At the end of the day, FFXIV should remain an MMO with a spectrum of challenges. Not everything needs to be easy, and not everything needs to be hard. But if all content continues to be flattened to the lowest common denominator, the players who thrive on challenge, the ones who stick around longest and sustain communities, will keep disappearing as they have since Dawntrail. And I must stress this: the game is dying. The majority of the players still around are the Limsa Lominsa afkers. Few are actually doing content, and it is because of reasons like this. If you truly love FFXIV, stop requesting easier content. It is already more accessible and easier than most successful MMOs on the market. This only ostracizes the players who see FFXIV as more than IMVU with extra steps.

[DPZ2]

I don't think regular dungeons should require an "easy" mode, but SE should, at the least, apply the Echo buff after wipes when in Duty Support.

[Shistar]

As much as I hate this snapshot system this game is built on, there ARE mods that fix the ping issue to the point the lag is acceptable at worse. Just sayin'.

Honestly, this game is much more playable than many others even at high ping without any mods needed. The higher the ping, the earlier you have to move out of the bad, but other than that it truly is exactly the same. Saying this as someone who's played with up to 500ms (shitty mobile internet), 250ms (playing from another continent) and nowadays under 70ms. It's all the same in terms of dodging. What you see on your screen is fairly reliable, you're just expected to not greed as much lol

I don't think regular dungeons should require an "easy" mode, but SE should, at the least, apply the Echo buff after wipes when in Duty Support.

Basically, this. It doesn't affect anyone except helping out those who need an extra hand. I think that if the boss is under a certain HP threshold (let's say, 15% HP or less), the NPCs could attempt to resurrect you just so you don't have to repeat the whole thing again. At that point you've likely seen all the mechs.


Again, I want to urge people who are struggling to consider asking other players for help... this is an MMO, and you're not a burden if people agree to help you, no one who isn't an asshole will judge you for struggling, we all struggle with different things. You can just make a PF asking for help and explaining that you've struggled to clear it on your own and people are bound to join. There's always someone willing to help out there and many nice players you may meet and befriend. I wish you all the best of luck with your clears ♥

[Argantaelle]

Great news to all players struggling with MSQ dungeons: In the latest Live Letter LXXXIX, Mr Yoshida said:

Y "We're adding one more feature to duty support"
Y "When the WoL themselves dies, it is counted as a wipe"
Y "But in 8 man content you have stacks that are used when you die instead of wiping"
Y "But from now on, when you die to a dungeon boss, we give you a stack that you can use on your next attempt. If you die again you get 2 stacks and so on"
Y "But when you pass the boss those stacks reset"
Y "You can think of it like a sort of Echo"
Y "This applies to all duty support dungeons"

The citation is made according to the Reddit FFXIV Discord, translated by Miuna (thank you!).