#so in the story at one point aymeric comes back and is fucking hanging out with the player character and i just fucking DIED

[voidsentprinces]

Thinking about how jarring it was coming from WoW. Like in WoW all the important NPCs show up and do like a couple things in the raid but then just stand outside of it or in a general area and maybe you do a couple quests with them but they just spend entire expansions sitting around. Then I came to Final Fantasy XIV and was like, oh good so these are the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. They’re going to do nothing and you know for most of ARR, I was right. Thancred sent you into enemy camps and then fucked off before being possessed by Lahabrea. Y’shtola, Lyse and Papalymo vanished for large spans of the story especially after Livia invades the Waking Sands, Tataru was talked too but passed by for most of the MSQ, and Minfilia was basically a sentient aetheryte for the amount of times we had to circle back to her.

But then you get to Heavensward and like...they could of just let Tataru be obscure and not develop in the slightest but no, she’s actually doing shit in the background. Gathering intel and helping bits here and there. Alphinaud is no longer vanishing but actually with you every step of the adventure out to Zenith. Ysayle was an enemy and now a guide and Estinien a one off edgelord from the Dragoon questline is actually joining you in battle. You get back from your peace mission and Cid with Biggs and Wedge are there and actually working on things to get you from point A to point B. The entire political climate of Ishgard drastically shifts mid-way through. Y’shtola returns to us and instead of just standing around aids us in combat against goblins and introduces us to Matoya.

They all join us in Azys Lla where Ysayle sacrifices herself. They all join in helping shake off the Garleans and eventually running them off to be interference while you head to Aetherochemical Research Center. Thancred returns and instead of just vanishing off screen, we see what he and Krile are actively doing while away. We see how the story effects Thancred and we meet up with Darth Warrior of Light and his Sith Lords who go through an entire arc and back story. We see Estinien possessed and then recover from Nidhogg’s possession. We see Aymeric tries, Emmanellain forced to grow and step up to the plate finally. We see how each even effects the population of Ishgard. We have a friendly punch-em-up with the ARR factions on the side of Ishgard.

The city leaders don’t show up for every major event unless they’re needed to over see their own faction’s involvement. Despite spear heading a revolution in Ala Mhigo. Only Raubahn shows up to over see the operation, the Seed Seer and Merlwyb don’t show up until the final push when we need not just the Immortal Flames but the Maelstrom and Adders to join in. Then they return to their offices. If a politician isn’t required, they don’t show up. If a negotiator or strategist is needed in a pinch, Alphinaud is right there.

FFXIV initially just lets them all stand around with only minor involvement but Heavensward onwards, every NPC that shows up goes for the buffalo approach of using every part as necessary. The Scions and Gosetsu hang back in Namai because its Yugiri and WoL adventure time, she is the only one pushing for the ambush on Zenos but as soon as Alisaie gets wind that the Warrior of Light was sent in with just Yugiri she forces the rest of the rebellion to follow suit and saves our ass. Sure she can’t beat Zenos so she plans a way to grab us both and get out of there. Cirina could probably join us during the trial sure but its for Hien, Gosetsu, Lyse, and WoL to take on so we travel as a group into it. We are the ones doing the chores Magnai assigns to us. We need someone who doesn’t understand the concepts of the Dotharl where as Hien would immediately accept it as law. So Gosetsu joins us to meet with Sadu and thus air out any ignorance to their ways of life.

The actions of Zenos showing up leads to Yotsuyu putting a bullseye on our head which leads to the Garlean interrupting the Nadaam and thus insulting the entire Steppe. Giving them an even greater reason to fall in with us even before we are officially Khagan. And the leaders of the tribes show up to throw down and not just sit back to allow their lackies to do it all.

Emet-Selch shows up in Shadowbringers when it needs a character to explain things. Like why Ascians aren’t active in the First when walking to Rak’tika wouldn’t it be a haven? No, despite the boroughs, the lightwarden’s presence diminishes even a Paragon’s power. So he is only with us for a short amount of time. Need an example of his powers of Hades? Lets have him pull Y’shtola from the aetherstream. And provide the reason the Night’s Bless use stones to represent stars as one of their own passes. As Emet summons the aetherstream to pull her also causing it to appear as stars floating in thin air. Have him show up for story time for the paintings in the Qitana Ravel. Do Thancred and Ryne know the history of the Flood of Light in Amh Araeng more? Better have him fall back. Have him poke at the question of the Exarch’s identity. Not just because if you don’t know it, its a question mark over the story. But because the Exarch is an obstacle in his end goal.

Use every character in the story as they are required. So not call up the Admiral if you don’t need her, do not call up Emet-Selch if the story doesn’t need him right now, Krile showing up to be an avatar of Hydaelyn and lay more ground work for our eventual Elpis trip? Do it.

Use every piece of the buffalo when someone shows up. And only for the amount of time needed.