The Next Set of "Relic Weapons" in Heavensward

[Xerius]

Greetings,

As I was grinding through my Skyfire books today to upgrade my relic I had an epiphany as this poor U'Ghamaro bedesman desperately tried to heal himself while I was killing him, his friends and family and that epiphany was, I am an absolute monster.

Is it really any surprise that the beast-tribes are summoning their gods to try and kill us when we're out committing acts of mass genocide against entire populations of beastmen. In certain instances I'm even tasked with going out and hunting other people. Now I know it's only a game and none of these things are real (hence why I put this in the lore section) but how can I be a force for good when I'm committing absolute acts of pure evil?

I was thinking that maybe for the next set of "Relic Weapons" or whatever they're going to be called, perhaps we can have a little more narrative and a little less mind-less slaughter.

[Cilia]

While it would be cool for Relic Weapons to be less grindy, it's either that or tying them to high-end raiding content... raiders already bitch and moan when their raid-earned weapons aren't the best available. If they just made it part of the narrative everyone would have one and they'd end up... y'know, less special.

Either way, yes, we're all monsters for going around and slaughtering sentient beings to power up a weapon, then have the gall to complain about beastmen summoning Primals to lay waste to our civilizations. Sig.

[Viridiana]

While it would be cool for Relic Weapons to be less grindy, it's either that or tying them to high-end raiding content... raiders already bitch and moan when their raid-earned weapons aren't the best available. If they just made it part of the narrative everyone would have one and they'd end up... y'know, less special..

False dichotomy, though. I mean, the first stage of the relic had us defeating killing machines and primals (though Gerolt also had us go kill 24 beastmen, too). They could easily have cut the 24 beastmen out and had the first stage be entirely good deeds, essentially. I think it's possible to collect all 24 atma while only killing hazardous wildlife or beating up, but not killing, humanoids. But then you have the books. The books have you specifically targeting lots of humanoids, many of them beastmen or Garleans. Even at places where it could substitute a voidsent, it still only credits killing the Lalafell (Halatali HM). If they'd handled the books differently, we would be able to claim them without committing genocide against sentient races. . .

[Cilia]

Snip

OK but what about the materia for the Novus step, the unmitigated rampage you have to go on for the Nexus step, and the dozens (if not hundreds) of lives necessary to get a Zodiac Zeta?

No matter how you slice it, we've committed atrocities for our Relics. But hey, whatever helps reduce your cognitive dissonance...

[Fenral]

No matter how you slice it, we've committed atrocities for our Relics. But hey, whatever helps reduce your cognitive dissonance...

All the people we've killed and souls we've taken are grateful to have a profound new purpose given to their lives. We all need to do our part for the greater good, right?

[Cilia]

All the people we've killed and souls we've taken are grateful to have a profound new purpose given to their lives. We all need to do our part for the greater good, right?

Whatever helps W'fharl Tia (you) sleep at night.

[Viridiana]

OK but what about the materia for the Novus step, the unmitigated rampage you have to go on for the Nexus step, and the dozens (if not hundreds) of lives necessary to get a Zodiac Zeta?

No matter how you slice it, we've committed atrocities for our Relics. But hey, whatever helps reduce your cognitive dissonance...

I can get materia from killing pretty much anything, for the Novus; or, more likely, buy it from others without ever spiritbinding personally. For the Nexus step pretty much everyone grinds Primals or T4. The Primals need to be destroyed and T4 is nothing but machines. The Zodiac step is iffy again, just because of some of the things we have to kill; but the Zeta stage is back to Primals and T4.

I'm not saying that we're innocent, but I'm saying they could easily have changed some of the requirements to prevent the need for genocides of beastmen or hapless creatures we don't really have good reason to kill. . .

[lololink]

Also our weapons eat their souls and we force them to synchronize with us and trap them for all eternity !

But they are bad guys souls so it's okay right ?

[Jonnycbad]

Well to us, we're replicating the "deeds" of the 12 zodiac braves. But there's two sides to every coin, and perhaps to the beastmen, the "zodiac braves" were the Lucavi. Malicious, genocidal war criminals that slaughtered them in droves. I'm sure the human race's "Twelve" are akin to Primals to the beast tribes. The overarching "theme" of FFXIV seems about everyone thinking their god is tje true god, including the player characters. And i think the message the writers are trying to instill in us is to break away from religious dogma and all mortals to live in peace. And to worship "gods" is folly because how can an immortal being relate to the struggles and pain us mortals have.

[Caraway]

And i think the message the writers are trying to instill in us is to break away from religious dogma and all mortals to live in peace. And to worship "gods" is folly because how can an immortal being relate to the struggles and pain us mortals have.

This is actually a really common subplot in Final Fantasy games throughout the series.

Also... Adventurers are generally assholes to the common man while being saviours of the world. It's an interesting mix (see Zelda as an example of a klepto property destroying force for good!).