Intro

Everything is next level.

MSQ

WoD heads back to the First and is informed that a new crystal vessel storing soul is invented to help Scions go back to the Source.

After WoD cleaned Warriors of Light’s name by telling the truth behind the Floor, Elidibus possessed Ardbert’s body to encourage everyone to become a Warrior of Light. He also created an illusion of the meteor shower to invoke many people’s Echo. It turned out every sundered soul of ancient has remaining Echo inside. Seeing the Final Days will awake such power and make them hear Hydaelyn’s calling.

Many citizens in Crystarium decide to start their adventure and left their job and duty behind. To reveal Elidibus' true intention on creating more Warrior of Light, WoD and Scions explored Anamnesis Anyder and discovered that Venat and Elidibus both sacrificed to become the heart Hydaelyn and Zodiark’s heart.

Eden’s Verse

It’s time to restore the rest of the elements in the Empty. Gaia, the Oracle of Darkness, woke up from the coma and claimed she remembers nothing. She only knew that a “faerie” sometimes whispering to her and gave her magical power.

Ramuh is mixed with Ixion; Garuda and Ifrit become Raktapaksa; Ryne summoned Shiva.

The Battle music is a new version of the original primal music. It worth to mention that the normal dungeon boss music is recomposed too.

Ice element is very close to light element. In the battle, Ryne/Shiva will redress to become more light aspected. I would say she manifest the form of Hydaelyn’s herself. Sophia is also an image of Hydaelyn, so the theme and design referenced Sophia too.

I was expecting to see Ysayle. Now I think it is better to keep her away and stop presenting her in the game. Keeping using Ysyale in the current story will abuse his role. Same as Haurchefant. They both died to save WoL. We saw them again in the Dragonsong War’s end. In Dark Knight’s Lv.60-70 class quests, we resolved our guilty and darkness to those people we could not save. All of that is enough.

Gaia is a brat.

Qitari Beast Quest

Qitari is the Qiqirin in the Source. They are recovering the ancient artifacts telling the history. Unfortunately, the recovered stelae give vague information, so the player must choose the interpretation. I always chose the pessimistic interpretation so that I can see how dark the history can be. The new mount is the Great Serpent. I don’t understand most player’s fascination with Great Serpent. Like I don’t understand why Hildibrand has so many fans. It is not interesting to me. Anyway, another two great serpents show up. Quinfold gets excited and “muahahahahaha” over and over. I’m already get annoyed by the 3rd time laughing. I hate him now.

Ruby Weapon

Black Wolf adopted many children when he was serving the Empire. These children inherited his legacy and created the Ruby Weapon. Once the Ruby Weapon’s organic core is activated, the operator’s lifeforce will be drawn out and become incarnated White Rave, Darnus.

These weapons are derived from Ultima, so it can absorb power from outside too. The difference is that Ultima absorbs Primal while Ruby Weapons accept battle data of great warriors. The Sapphire Weapon is the next. I assume the next incarnated warrior will be …… Zeno? I’m curious that what is the final weapon’s incarnation looks like if it was the Warrior of Light.

Rejected Hrothgar Art

https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comments/fbnuws/rejected_hrothgar_faceshairstyles_from_the/

If only people had known work iteration in the game development, they wouldn’t say that they lost 2 face options.

During one game development iteration, artists design and draw the face. If their art is accepted, the 3d artist would create these faces for the game. If the art is rejected, the artist needs to refine their work. In the next iteration, for example, once the team is not satisfied with the faces, artists need to make adjustments or even redesign until the new faces are accepted. This is the 2nd iteration. The iteration details might be different. It depends on the team’s rules and schedule.

Such iteration can go on and on. We were not meant to, or not planed to, have 8 face options for Hrothgar. These rejected Hrothgar face designs were the candidates of 6 faces.

Resistance Weapon

Bozjans leans toward to join the rebellion against the Garlemald. They seek to rebuild the weapons of Queen Gunnhildr’s guard. It comes to no surprise that WoL is going to work with Gerolt again. The Garlemald had their project of rebuilding these weapons back during the time of the Bozja incident. WoL, Cid, and Mikoto entered Cid’s memory of the incident to gain more insights and fought against Varis. In addition, Gerolt and Rowena’s relationship is elaborated more in this patch. We peeked Gerolt’s implicit memory and saw him and Rowena dressed like a bride and groom. Not only they had more interaction in the resistance weapons questline, but they also appeared during the Hatch-tiding Festival.

The new weapon’s design is far better than what I had in the Eureka. Everyone is making fun of WHM’s stick, but I don’t think it’s funny. The design reflects back to the WHM’s origin, which is to utilize natural elementals power. WHM has more “holy” aspected spell in Shadowbringers. Could it be that the dev wants to introduce Geomancer as a new healer so WHM must compromise? Stage one of these weapons is the easiest step so far. The first weapon is free, and the rest weapons cost 1000 poetics tomestones each.

Skysteel Tools & Ishgard Restoration

Skysteel Tools are crafters and gatherers “relic weapons”. They are good to use as the Lv.80 start tools, at least better than what you purchased from the merchants. Crafting and collecting specific items can upgrade them. Ishgard Restoration is another turn-in mini games. Well, turning in items rewards a seal. Four seals worth a “lottery” ticket. What really interesting in here is the restoration fate.

I saw a FLOOD of players ran to the destination and work together to clear debris, move crates and build houses.

If NPC eventually occupied all houses, I would laugh, so hard.

Conclusion

The plot keeps twisting. At least we can see a conclusion soon and Exarch is definitely going to die. In this patch, most interesting things are set up for the future patch: the resistance weapon, the Ishgard Housing District, the conclusion of Shadowbringers, even Nier raid has several quests. Did I forget to write something about Nier? I don’t remember.