I've played FFXIV extensively, including Savage and Ultimate, and love its combat. With Evercold approaching, I'd like to see more attention given to job identity, player development and the quality of repeatable content.

1. Preserve job identity

I'm all for reducing button bloat, especially for controller users. But fewer buttons should not mean shallower rotations. Jobs should feel distinct and reward mastery. PLD's flexibility, SCH's resource planning, MNK's pace, DRG's flowing combos and BLM's encounter planning are all different reasons to enjoy combat. Please preserve that depth rather than making every job repetitive filler followed by burst.

2. Raise expectations gradually

I'm not asking for Savage-level MSQ duties. But by level 100+, normal content should encourage basic competency: maintaining uptime and buffs, using mitigation and understanding job mechanics. Generous boss enrages or other achievable checks could give players a reason to improve. Accessibility should include teaching players, not simply removing every challenge.

3. Vary dungeon design

The two packs, wall, two packs, boss formula has become predictable. Allow more freedom in pull sizes and experiment with layouts, interrupts, enemy abilities and meaningful tank decisions. Normal dungeons can be approachable without being identical.

4. Rebuild Stone, Sky, Sea

The foundation is already there, but beating a stationary dummy within a time limit barely teaches anything. Add job-specific tutorials and private, actionable feedback on GCD uptime, DoT/buff maintenance, cooldown drift and resource usage. Offer movement and downtime challenges so players can practise real encounter skills.

Better yet, reward progress: job mastery milestones granting unique glamours, titles, weapons or currency. Give players a reason to learn their jobs beyond gaining access to harder content.

5. Improve roulettes

At endgame, repeatedly getting ARR alliance raids and losing most of your toolkit to level sync is demotivating. Encourage players to unlock later alliance and normal raids, improve variety, and consider a higher-level roulette. Keep helping new players, but make daily content worthwhile for veterans too.

6. Reform mentorship

Duty counts and commendations don't prove someone can teach. Introduce practical competency checks, teaching resources and accountability so the mentor crown means something.

7. Listen to unmet needs

Third-party tools can reveal weaknesses in combat feedback, UI and quality of life. SE needn't endorse prohibited tools to learn why players seek those functions. Invest in improving the game's existing systems, not only adding more content.

I want casual players to feel welcome and experienced players to stay engaged outside Savage and Ultimate. FFXIV doesn't need to be brutally difficult. It needs to teach, challenge and reward improvement while preserving the distinct jobs that make its combat worth mastering.