FFXIV Dungeons

I’ve done six or seven FFXIV dungeons now.  They’re interesting.  Dungeons in FFXIV are instanced, linear, and very similar to WoW in that you progress through them killing bosses and getting loot.

FFXIV Dungeons are better than most of WoW’s dungeons.  Totally my opinion, of course, but I think they can be considered “really good” but not “great” or “excellent” yet.  Compared to GW2.. heck, most other MMOs, they are infinitely better.

I think one of the biggest gripes I have is that they have been a little on the long and generic side for the lack of event-like scripting.  They all look visually appealing, and I think the difficulty on some of them has been ‘just right’ (mainly because of awful tanks), but a bit more challenge and “stuff happening” could take them up a notch.

The dungeon finder has been surprisingly… okay.  I know I was completely against the idea — like vehemently against it — but given how the dungeons (so far) aren’t about running them over and over for exp or loot… I’m okay with that.  It works that they are doable as part of the story.

In the end, these dungeons are content you can do to help you level.  I think the way they’ve been worked into the storyline (main quest series) so far has been great for getting people to do them — it also justifies their nature as more of a mob killing experience.

Do the dungeons in the later levels or ‘end-game’ change?  Hopefully they don’t become about gear grinding and repetition.  I like the idea of dozens and dozens of dungeons used for progression over a few that are done for gear.

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  • I’ve heard so far that the biggest issue with these is also their being part of the main story. If you are a dps you will need a healer or at least tank friend to queue with. On Behemoth the healer queue is instant. Of course with the class system you can just change to a healer and go but people don’t want to be forced to do that.

    Basically a dps has to fight the meta-game system to progress the story. I can understand that being frustrating for those people.

  • From what I’ve been hearing, the later dungeons and especially the 8-man ones get much more interesting and fun to do multiple times. At least, the streamers I’ve seen all seem to like the level 30+ dungeons more than the early ones.

  • I also liked the dungeons. I play as a tank and first time I enjoy tanking so much cause it involves lot of strategy…knowing that you cannot cast a spell the next 2,5 – 3 sec it is vital to chose the correct spell to do. Should I execute single target threat to keep aggro from dps? Should I now use the aoe threat for my healer?should I use a defensive cd? Should I make a combo to get mp back so I can use more aoe threat?

    Anticipation/Decision instead of button smashing is a nice change and one that I missed so much. As for the awful tanks you said keen, you have to understand that we can only execute 1 attack every 2,5 sec and this is not enough to get aggro for everything…As a gladiator this is what I can do in a pull..

    Shield Lob: range pull + threat (Single target)
    Flash: aoe little threat (for healer don’t aggro on mobs)
    Flash: again, 2 flash seem enough for my healer to not get aggro in about 10-12 sec
    Fast Blade: Combo starter (single target but does not have +threat bonus)

    after that I continue the combo with Savage Blade and Rage of Halone, which they have excellent single target threat.

    So, sort story, if DPS have no patient to give a few precious seconds to the tank, or if the dps is hitting the un-marked target, then the tank is not awful but the group is. This is an old argument that if something goes wrong is always the fault of tank/healer…this is so old as MMOs are.

    I always mark targets and do so very fast cause I have it on keybinds, yet still see many dps hitting whatever they want or even pull mobs before I do and then people wonder why there is a lack of tanks and healers

  • I’ve only just reached Level 14 so no dungeons for me yet, but I had no idea there were so many. What level are you at to have access to six or seven already?

    I absolutely loathe scripted boss fights so the idea that FFXIV dungeons might be something like the glorious heyday of Everquest with gameplay amounting to pull-and-clear makes them sound far more appealing than I expected. I generally avoid dungeons these days and was planning on only doing the minimum required by the storyline but maybe that could change.

    Also, am I right in thinking Yoshi P said that after the game has been out for a while the dungeons (for storyline at least) will be down-tuned to make them easier, and that you’ll be able to do them with your Chocobo fighting companion standing in for another player in the group?

  • I’m wondering, are you playing a Conjurer Keen? I know you want to go White Mage eventually.

    Just curious about your ability to level through quests and soloing. I usually like to heal in dungeons, but have been playing a thaumaturge so I can dps while questing. Can you do enough damage to survive out on your own, or do you usually have others with you?

  • I heard the 30+ dungeons, especially 8 mans are way better then the lower level ones. Harder and more fun

  • I rolled an Arcanist in order to play as both a Summoner and Scholar. That said, it is incredibly weird that I can’t queue up as a Healer! I main healed dungeons at least 3 times with absolutely no problem, and have also seen some excellent Arcanists using Topaz Carbuncle to Tank for their party! So far, I’ve found the Duty Finder to be restrictive in that regard. I find parties faster by either shouting in the zone that I can Heal than the 20+ minutes it takes for the Duty Finder to make me DPS. I’m thinking I’ll probably pick up Scholar first, and then Summoner. I’ll mostly use Summoner to solo and then queue up for instances as Scholar.

    I haven’t played Conjurer just yet, but here’s my two cents: It’ll be a long hard road to White Mage. I talked to a level 25 Conjurer the other day trying to do a story quest that was pretty difficult for me (I have Carbuncle tank everything pretty easily, and still got wiped. This guy rezzed me outside the Story Quest), and the poor guy failed it at least 3 or 4 times. He basically had to sit there and heal the NPCs and wait for them to clear everything out, but absolutely avoid getting any aggro, as the NPCs will not taunt it back off of you! He did finally clear it, but it took him quite some time, and a few rezzes from me. I don’t look forward to leveling that class…

  • @Fidjit: Yes I am a conjuror — have been since level 1 and I do not have any other classes right now. I have two primary damage abilities: Stone (nuke + slow) and Aero (DoT). I do fine. It’s slower than most, I’m sure, but I will never die.

    @Cyprus: Aside from instant queues, I find it quite easy to do mission quests. I just nuke nuke nuke heal nuke nuke nuke heal.

  • If I was a Conjurer I’d either get a mate to do the content with or queue perpetually for dungeons.