Why Frontlines is a bad Gamemode

[Valence]

I don't see any clear solution for what could be done to alleviate the issue. Stuff isn't exactly balanced for FL already since it's primarily designed for CC, but the way the whole mode is thought out still works within the frame of queue syncs full of premades that know how to counter each other and use synergies offered by the system. The new role actions notably, are extremely strong for some (or outright S tier or broken), and only add up on specific job comps and combos used in the mode, which again, is fine when everybody knows how to play with it in the mode. Of course some roles like tanks are completely batshit especially since the addition of role actions, go figure when you have stuff like rampage/rampart and diabrosis while DPS roles have very little in comparison... Anyway, people will use what's meta, some oddballs like MNK/RPR/DNC can counter it here and there somewhat, and that will work out.

This whole paradigm however completely breaks at the seams when dropped into a daily roulette mode that's filled with players that have no idea how to truly capitalize on the tools at hand. Before role actions were added they were already dying to meta comps from premades of players with actual skill, and now with the addition of role actions that allow the latter to kill whole alliances even better, it's no surprise that it leads to seal clubbing. Pvp solo vets can however deal with it somewhat, and I've been in teams full of vets with no coordination that could punch back and even win at times when flanking the problematic team at the right moment, even though you're still obviously at a disadvantage there. But yes, this is essentially a skill gap issue and I don't know what SE could even do. To give a pve analogy, it's like we took the more intricate battle system of HW in daily roulettes of casual content, but had half the enemies suddenly behave like savage+ encounters (that's essentially what a good premade of players is gonna feel like in terms of difficulty to the casual player).

- Remove role actions that offer synergies to play around? Sure, but at the cost of mechanical and teamplay depth.
- Remove premades? Yeah right, forbid people to play together and have a good time in a MMO.
- Nerf supports? That'd probably be a start. They're also problematic in CC, so that's something both modes have in common. But will that be enough? Probably not.

Somewhere not only FL would really need its own balance beyond simple tweaks on innate DR and LB gen, but perhaps it could benefit from a simplified mode specifically designed for the casual experience (notably on AoE cleave abuse), but that would require to enable a custom or ranked mode for more tryhard players. How would the latter would even pop queues? Idk, probably at the mercy of queue syncing.

Let's also not forget that seal clubbing is not a new problem in FL. In every rework of pvp in XIV, it's been riddled with seal clubbing situations coming from many parameters (no freelance queue at first, full 8 man premades, etc).