Though Patch 6.2 of Final Fantasy XIV is bringing a fair amount of brand-new activities for its players, the ongoing drive to revamp existing content continues. The July 1, 2022 Letter from the Producer’s Live broadcast teased that a number of duties related to the Main Scenario Quest in FFXIV: Heavensward (Patch 3.0) will see improvements.
The goal of the FFXIV Heavensward improvements is to make the game experience better for players that want to enjoy Final Fantasy XIV as more of a single-player game. In earlier Live Letters, Producer/Director Naoki Yoshida noted that many players raised on the single-player Final Fantasy games shy away from trying FFXIV due to its multiplayer nature. The Main Scenario Quest improvements are targeted at making the main story more welcoming to players intimidated by the prospect of playing with others.
Earlier patches revamped content from the A Realm Reborn era to incorporate Duty Support, a way for solo players to take NPC party members into certain dungeons that are part of the Main Scenario Quest. These include the famous Praetorium. Now the Duty Support system is extending to story-important FFXIV Heavensward activities as well.
The list of dungeons with Duty Support compatibility is as follows:
- Snowcloak
- The Keeper of the Lake
- Sohm Al
- The Aery
- The Vault
Where appropriate, the Duty Support system will allow named characters like Estinien, Alphinaud, and Ysayle, to participate as AI-controlled party members. The Steps of Faith Trial will be reworked as a solo quest as well.
The Thornmarch Trial, a FFXIV A Realm Reborn duty wherein players took on the Great King Moggle Mog XII, has also received a revamp. Because the Cape Westwind Duty was changed from an 8-person trial to a solo battle, Thornmarch became the first 8-player duty new players experience. The problem with that is that it’s a fairly complex trial, which the team worried would be too difficult as players’ first experience in 8-player content.
The Thornmarch Trial is well-known, because players need to defeat King Moggle Mog XII’s guards in a certain order before facing him. This can require a level of coordination that newer players have yet to develop. The team wasn’t specific as to what exactly will change about Thornmarch.
Final Fantasy XIV is available on PS4, PS5, and PC. Patch 6.2 and the FFXIV Heavensward content revamps will arrive in August 2022.
