[Suggestion] AI-Assisted Job Mentor System to Support New Players & Improve Training

[Tharris465]

Hello Square Enix Team,

I would like to propose a feature idea for future consideration, one that supports new players, improves training accessibility, and modernizes non-MSQ NPC interactions without affecting core storytelling or voice acting.

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AI-Assisted Job Mentor System (Training Hall Integration)

As FFXIV continues to grow, new players face increasing challenges with job fundamentals, mitigation timing, and role responsibilities. While the Novice Network and Mentor system are helpful, they can be inconsistent depending on availability, experience, and community behavior.

A dedicated AI Job Mentor System, accessible through a training hall or expanded Hall of the Novice, could offer:
• Personalized feedback based on a player’s performance
• Guidance on basic rotations, cooldown usage, AoE vs single-target decisions
• Role-specific coaching for tanks, healers, and DPS
• Optional training modules ranging from beginner to advanced
• Judgment-free learning at each player’s own pace

This system would not affect live duty performance unless the player chooses to engage with it. It simply provides an optional, consistent resource for onboarding and long-term skill development.

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Optional AI Voice Lines for Non-MSQ Dialogue

To enhance immersion without altering major story content or replacing voice actors, limited AI-generated voice lines could be used exclusively for:
• Side quests and role quests
• Basic NPC dialogue
• Training hall feedback
• Duty Support and Trust companions’ non-cinematic lines

This approach preserves the MSQ’s artistic integrity while allowing the world to feel more alive in smaller interactions. Voice actors would still voice all major story scenes; AI would only supplement minor or repetitive lines that currently go unvoiced.

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Closing Thoughts

These features would greatly benefit new players, improve the learning curve, and enrich the game’s everyday interactions while respecting FFXIV’s narrative standards. Thank you for your continued work and for considering ideas that support the community’s long-term

[NecroprincessCleo]

Do I think its a great idea 100%, but alot of people ignore it already even with the exp reward ring.. I mean guildheist in the past were suppose be teaching people and all that but today they are all pointless and out of date. The game seems to punish those who do those things with effort to try to get better at the game, the game overall rewards not caring and watching netflix as you play unless your in the 2% of the game aka savage/ultimates the rest of it is a joke

[Tharris465]

Thank you for the thoughtful response. I completely understand where you’re coming from. A lot of the current teaching tools (Guildhests, Hall of the Novice, Novice Network, etc.) are often ignored or feel outdated, and many newer players rely on Netflix-mode leveling because the game doesn’t reinforce fundamentals outside of high-end content.

That’s actually a big part of why I suggested an updated system.
Not to force players into “tryhard mode,” but to provide optional, modern tools that help those who do want to learn — without punishing or overwhelming those who don’t.

Right now, the teaching gap looks something like this:
• New players have almost no guidance on cooldown usage, mitigation timing, or role responsibilities.
• Leveling content rarely requires learning your job.
• The existing tutorials haven’t kept up with how complex jobs have become.
• Players who want to improve often don’t know where to start unless they look outside the game.

An AI-assisted mentor system would simply give players a better in-game option instead of forcing them to depend on third-party guides or external communities. It wouldn’t punish casual players, and it wouldn’t reward only hardcore ones, it would just bridge the gap.

Think of it as:
• A modern version of Hall of the Novice
• Optional job-specific training guidance
• Available anytime a player wants help
• No pressure for those who don’t want it
• A tool to reduce anxiety for new tanks/healers entering group content

This lets players choose how they want to play, while giving those who want to improve a smoother path.

I really appreciate your input, your concerns highlight exactly why the system needs to be optional, modern, and helpful without being intrusive. That’s the direction I hope the dev team considers.

[Veritas-Ancora]

There should 100% be a training on 2 minute cooldowns at higher levels.

The fact that the 2-minute cooldown is hidden as it is in the game's rotations is maddening. People don't realize that everyone is using an ability at the same time to maximize DPS.

This can't be taught in Sea-Stone-Sky, it has to be explained to players.

[Celliera]

No thanks, keep AI generated garbage out of this game please.

[Immut]

Man you can't even post obvious ragebait on this forum without someone unironically saying "yes, that's a great idea".

[HyperiusUltima]

Sorry, but as much as AI can be an assistive tool, I would not implement it into this game. For one, having it as a personal trainer focused on numbers can only cause frustration.

Secondly, getting it to even be helpful and provide immersion isn't something I'd enjoy seeing. Leave that to the VAs who shouldn't lose their jobs to AI. Some scenes are alright without the voice acting as nice as it would be to have it.

Thirdly, the AI can completely be Judgmental even in its text since it's looking at a bar compared to other players, something that I really don't want to see because Yoshida already has a thing about people utilizing 3rd Party Tools as a gatekeeping tactic(i.e. The Site That Shall Not Be Named).

At best, an actual person can do a better job in NN than an AI can do if you ask the right person.

[Tharris465]

Thanks for all the responses so far. I appreciate everyone’s perspectives.

Just to clarify the intention behind my post: the goal wasn’t to replace voice actors, add judgmental systems, or automate gameplay. The heart of the idea was simply to explore better training support for new and returning players, since modern job design relies heavily on burst windows, cooldown alignment, and role fundamentals that the game doesn’t explicitly teach beyond level 15–20 content.

Even if the AI portion isn’t the community’s preference, the underlying concept still stands: clearer tools, tutorials, or job-specific training modules would make a huge difference in helping players understand rotations, tank mitigation timing, healer triage, and 2-minute burst structure.

I’m completely open to any implementation, updated Hall of the Novice, expanded job quests, NPC role trainers, Stone-Sky-Sea improvements, or other methods. My main goal was simply to start a discussion about strengthening onboarding as the game’s complexity continues to rise.

Thanks again for the feedback. I value the discussion and just want to see new players better supported.

[Jeeqbit]

As much as I would support the AI voicing of side quests, realistically, most of the FFXIV community is against AI and many voice actors are against it to the point they would take it to court where possible. They could use Microsoft Sam though.

They could even go further if they used AI and have the Scions respond to /say chat in character, with lines relevant to the current MSQ, but SE isn't known for keeping up with technology so they won't do it.

As for AI mentoring, that would defeat the whole point of social interaction. I believe that most people with an FC or access to discord or a novice network that contains a veteran player learn most things that they need to when they ask about it.

There is actually role coaching and feedback via Hall of the Novice (which you are guided to via MSQ) and to an extent via role quests, and you are required to complete a role quest for the Shadowbringers MSQ, so it has the effect of teaching tanks interrupts and cooldowns for example. Role quests do actually require that you utilize basic things like Esuna, healing, or damage checks on a DPS, or it results in failure. Not to mention they can read the tooltips (am I alone in actually reading things like tooltips to gain a full understanding of any game?)

A more advanced version of Hall of the Novice was recently released as well to teach common mechanic indicators and it includes this information in a help UI.

As for guidance on the rest of the game, there are two systems for that. First is called Active Help, which comes up whenever you first interact with a feature and explains how it works. For example, it explains what FATEs are, what tomestones are, etc. They recently added a bigger UI that appears when interacting with certain quest features such as picking up items or having NPCs follow you, to explain how it works, and I noticed on my alts it's retroactive.

[Underscore]

How about no?