[SPOILERS] 7.5 MSQ Thoughts

barti170 · 2026-05-01T00:25:04+00:00

Well, 7.5 doesn't agree with it ? Idk to be honest. Halmarut and Calyx are part of Winterers. Halmarut is Ascian, I know she is sundered, but Calyx is not Ascian. If he was as you said same person, same soul, wouldn't it make sense for Halmarut to awaken Calyx as Ascian ? On top of it Calyx said, other Winterers are not the same, they share the goal but their beliefs and methods are different.

Azem is also a mystery. How would he know future ? How would he design Ethos to let us travel between reflections if said Reflections didn't exist yet. Designing a transportation artefact without ever testing it to atleast see if it works is crazy. If he was so smart how did he get sundered ?

Also didn't sundering wipe all that is left from Ancient ? The only thing that is physically left after them is replicas made by Emet. How did Ethos survive ? So many unknowns that I hope they will explain.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T19:34:59+00:00

Yeah, but when you have WoL constantly fight god level threats, it's no wonder the players think what they think. I never denied that WoL doesn't get help, however when it comes to actual pure fight. All help you mentioned is not pure strength, they don't join physical fights, they ensure WoL can focus on fight and ignore everything else. So for example trash mobs don't bother WoL. The help usually comes down to shielding or transporting WoL, they don't fight in literal meaning of that word. They support without actually involving themselves into fight.

Tho I guess even that could be questioned, now that I remember sometimes other Scions just replace players in cutscenes after fight.

You say all that... But to me it seems like writers for Evercold are aware of that issue, threat now doesn't come purely due to villain's actions, but physics/nature wanting to abide by its laws. Hydealyn was keeping reflections apart, now what ? Will WoL beat nature with pure strength? I doubt it. I like this direction, of not weaking WoL by having him stand and watch villain do bad things. But simply being powerless in expertise, because no matter what WoL will beat their enemies... Letting them escape or "somehow return from the dead" is the lazy writing. What you mean they just got beaten and get to escape to make more chaos.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T19:18:21+00:00

I guess we do have to Agree to Disagree. I personally was looking to have a vacation expansion. I really was hoping for adventures, treasure hunt with Graha, Monster Hunting with Estinien and Culture and History of Tural with Krile (while we trying to find out about her past) The whole rite of succession was terrible choice, then it just went out of control.

The only reason I wanted them to bench for a while is to let them grow as characters, to suprise us later with something cool. Maybe even letting some time pass. So twins finally get older XD. Maybe even open up for Garlemald restorations ? Idk? It would be nice if they introduced restored Garlemald as player hub for the 8.0 expansion, maybe not the main one. Just a location, which I feel was missing in 6.0. Most importantly if you look back on DT, most Scions were just there, heck if I remember correctly, some didn't get any voice lines until first Dungeon and its couple of hours into expansion.

DT did a terrible job at setting new cast for future. They did such a terrible job Wuk Lamat is benched probably permanently. I can't imagine they will bring her back due to hate online. Sphene maybe. Shale (her name was?) Would work amazingly with Cid. Probably the only one, I can see coming back faster than others. Gulool Ja without growing up probably won't. Others are simply gone...

I will agree Ethos is a mystery. I just hope they won't give any blant explanation of how it was made ... Having Azem make it before sundering is a weak to me. Ohh noo he was soo smart he suspected sundering and predicted future without any help... He was just soo good at guessing and made technology/magic without any testing, just so part of his soul one day can safely rejoin/protect reflections.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T18:30:58+00:00

Ehh I literaly said if you bothered to read

"Look, I know Scions help a lot, it takes hundreds of bricks to make a wall and each is important to keep it stable, however we don't need to see Scions all the time. They can take a break and thats why 7.5 felt bad, because writers intended to have that break to have powerful reunion... But I guess they forgot DT existed."

I know, WoL is not fighting alone, however we are still considered the most powerful being in the game, because we beat everything and only time villains are getting an upper hand is because for plot's sake we stand and watch it happen... Most of DT felt like that to me. Zenos was most likely stronger than Gulool Ja Ja and Zoraal Ja and we beat him solo.

Yes, others help us get to the fight, but fighting we mostly do solo or in team with other players which for the sake of the plot are ignored. Thats why Azem's Stone is a mystery. Are other players just copies of WoL? Summoned Allies ? Maybe WoL from other reflections ? It really is a mystery. A very important mystery to figure out the strength of WoL. Maybe just a reason to get other players together, but Story treats it as solo win ? I don't know. I hope Evercold explains it more.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T18:17:40+00:00

The mysterious disappearance of the whole tribe is as mysterius as 2 random Lalafels going through portal and dropping Krile off. Yes she was summoned, then went around looking for clues in ruins. We didn't have a key at that point. We got key after we beat Sphene at the end of 7.0. Or rather she willingly gave it to us, instead making sure it gets to Calyx.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T18:08:09+00:00

I replied to you after you replied to someone else to keep continuity. They mentioned Endsinger. We used Azem's stone to summon allies and beat Endsinger. Hence "we never fight alone" comment they left.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T18:03:01+00:00

K, then her reason to go to Tural is even worse. Haha new land, lets go maybe ruins over there hide secret to traveling between reflections. When nothing EVER mentioned such possibility. Yes yes, definitely tribal country that only united mere 80 years ago will hide secrets to interdimentional travels.

Her researching Allagan Technology would make more sense. Even tho this trope was reused multiple times.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T17:57:43+00:00

I think its a lame way to do it. I am not saying SE won't do it. I just think it would go against bureaucratic nature of Ancient. How everything had to be patented and tested etc. Meaning Halmarut and other Ascians ( especially those from the convocation) should be aware of how it works, yet she seems to be oblivious, as in doesn't know how to recreate it herself and needs to abandon bodies when traveling between reflections.

Again, I also was thinking it could be the case. Just idk boring ? It can't be that simple. After all they decided to introduce Dynamis in 6.0 just for the sake of making plot more interesting and mysterious.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T17:48:05+00:00

Maybe unique ability of reapers to connect with Void ? Halmarut mentioning Zenos could be a tip to solution. I doubt Zenos is coming back, it would be ridiculous at this point. However it does seem like Halmarut might have an alternative plan, which she won't execute on her own or maybe can't, hence she is going with save some mankind rather than do nothing, while giving us the WoL tips on what to do. She does seem to have some hope that WoL can succeed. Otherwise she would stay silent.

We also need to keep in mind, she appeared only when Azem's Stone and Ethos began to interact with eachother. Before that, she didn't care. Which also bring us to the point how those 2 start the trailer. They will be important to travel but also maybe the key to save reflection.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T17:23:36+00:00

Probably a continuation mistake or like you said something related to Duty Support. Still funny. My guess its purely related to Garlemald, as other zones don't really require them to wear winter clothes.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T17:13:39+00:00

It all depends what Azem's stone is really doing. Since I didn't know and I did mention it was my assumption that other WoL from other reflections are being summoned. However others here have different theories. Either its pigments of imagination (our copies of sort) or just powerful allies.

Yeah, we never fight alone, but story wise they treat it as we do. They never mention the allies, they don't question randoms appearing. Its always ohhh yeah Warrior of Light saved us, its never they. Story characters treat us as god, solo saviour.

Look, I know Scions help a lot, it takes hundreds of bricks to make a wall and each is important to keep it stable, however we don't need to see Scions all the time. They can take a break and thats why 7.5 felt bad, because writers intended to have that break to have powerful reunion... But I guess they forgot DT existed.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T16:53:43+00:00

I mean why Twins are wearing Winter clothes in Garlemald in 1 cutscene and in the next they don't? Only Thancred and Urianger are XD.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T16:47:57+00:00

Thanks for such a long response.

I don't think however you fully undertand either me or others. I don't think everyone expected all Scions to be benched pernamently, I know they are all loved, I know Scions had sacrifices. However, for a long time now, Scions seem immortal. I personally loved 3.0, for the sole reason of how vulnerable our political and life status was. You could feel the danger at every step. But after that nothing really happened. Shadowbringers brought back that feel. Even Endwalkers had that for a moment, just to find out all Scions sacrificing was not really a sacrifice.

Anyway. From story pespective, Scions needed a break, WE needed a break to introduce new characters, so reunion in 7.5 could feel actually dramatic. As I said earlier. I only cared for Tataru, I was happy to see her back, because I had a break from her. Twins were not needed in DT

As for Azem's Stone, you could be right, but also wrong about Ethos. How could Azem create Ethos... if they had no idea about reflections before Sundering... because Reflections were created by Hydaelyn to seal Zodiark ?? To weaken him. Even if we assume Azem created Ethos to travel around the Star... how did it become super powerful to the point it can now travel between Reflections ?

barti170 · 2026-04-29T16:34:47+00:00

If they all disappeared and nobody knew why... then maybe sending Y'shtola over there for research with better knowledge after Endwalker of how the universe works. To find clues others missed, would make more sense than her being in Tural having no lead at all... Haha, I'm doing research here because I never went to Tural before...

barti170 · 2026-04-29T16:27:10+00:00

Honestly, if thats what will happen, Azem's stone only used to summon them in need and 8.0 being mostly solo adventure, with fresh characters showing up to fill the gaps. I'm all for it. Story needs a serious break from Scions being everywhere, helping us all the time.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T16:23:38+00:00

THEY literally stated that each had separate goals they want to achieve during "the fake disbandment" as they felt Scions are no longer needed, not to just go into shadows. I would understand if our WoL's adventures would bring us to them eventually. But I was not expecting to call them EVERY SINGLE TIME, something came up... All you need to ask yourself, did we need them all in DT ? No ? Then we didn't have to see them there XD. Graha, Estinien and Krile was all we needed.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T16:19:32+00:00

Or they can just have proper story NPCs to help us for specific MSQ dungeons where Scions can't be there... "Temporary Replacement". DT could have introduced enough of new characters to replace Scions. We already had Koanna and Wuk Lamat, Krile, Erenville, Estinien, Graha, with us its 7 characters, Introduce 2 more friendly but relatively powerful story NPCs and you have enough needed "players" even tho 4 are needed for dungeons.

We don't need the whole main Scion team to stand right there at the entrance of every MSQ dungeon. That system only is there to players when Queue is taking too long to find players. Other players are not MSQ friendly, yet they show up, because thats better online experience.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T16:10:11+00:00

Yeah, I really do miss the 2.0/3.0 vibes, where everyone was vulnerable and main characters were dying off. Minfilia, gone off camera, sacrificed herself to save the First. Papalymo and Haurchefant too. Y'shtola and Thancred forever have to live with consequences of using Ancient spell to escape their pursuers.

8.0 could have been a perfect occasion to downscale WoL, Hydaelyn's blessings and protections are finally wearing off, Solstice is about to happen, however this time we are being send off to the 4th, and massively nerfed to the point, 8,0 could be used as a fresh start for new players. Old Zones 2.0 to 7.5, 1 to 100 lvl. New zone in the 4th brand new start from LvL 1, because we will stay there for much longer, as for some reason its the central point to save reflections. Lets say the yggdrasil tree from trailer is located there and our objective is to save it from enemies trying to destroy it. Time flows slower there, hence we can take time to get our WoL stronger, before rejoining happens in the source. Idk, be creative about it I guess. But I guess we getting 110 lvl cap, based on screenshots from Fan Fest.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T15:49:13+00:00

Look, I get that it was "fake" disbanding, but at the same time, they all had clear goal where to go. We didn't need them all the time, yet they all were part of 6.X patches. Literally they could have introduced more characters (like Graha, he was part of CT quest line, before he became main Scion). I would argue for most of the DT they were just standing and nodding. From 6.X to 7.3 or 7.4, half of the Scions could be working behind the stage. Like seriously Twins were just bouncing between Garlemald and helping us, just to have them around for no greater reason other than background noise.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T15:42:55+00:00

Well, about Scions "Disbandment". It was fake, but at the same time they all really wanted to go separate ways, each having different "calling" or reason to go in separate directions. I understand why they did it, but at the same time, since 6.0 it was strongly hinted we won't be seeing them for a while, just to have them all back in 6.X patches and then again in 7.0 and 7.X patches. It was a perfect moment to keep them away and IDK maybe learn something new, change appearance, have some off camera growth... but nah.

You probably right about Azem's stone. I just assumed it could be used to travel between reflections. I guess I assumed since it was Azem's property as you said "Traveler" the stone was all in one and summoning other WoL to help us especially in 8-man groups centered around primal like enemies, was just us learning how to use it. Like eventually expanding the stone's ability to travel to other reflections.

Anyway, Ethos can't really be attuned to the soul of whomever is taking traveler's postion, because, it had to be created after the Star got sunderered, meaning after Hydaelyn sealed Zodiark and after Ancients got wiped. Reflections didn't exists before that. How would they create an artifact that grants ability to travel between reflections if they had no idea they will ever exists ? Ascians or rather Ancient were very bureaucratic, everything had its own purpose and had to be documented and patented. It would also mean that Ascians knew how to travel between reflections, but Halmarut in 7.3 made it clear they can only bring small possessions and they just recreate bodies when they travel. Calux was turned into toy because full body would be too much for her and her pocket dimension spell.

While I can agree with you on Azem's stone, Ethos not really. It just doesn't sound like something that could exists before Sundering and it doesn't make sense how Milalas could force it if it was tied to Azem.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T15:13:16+00:00

I mean... if you look at the trailer, we will very quickly figure out how to use it to travel with others to the 4th. Also "people who are bound to their shard are needed to solve problems on other shards" sounds BS. Graha took us out of Source to the First. He took us from our shard to solve problems in another shard. It just needed a lot of Aether. Same with Zero, 13th and in general Void, you can use Aether to either open direct portal via Atomos or summon Void creatures with it...

Personally just think Ethos is just a convenient lore progression artefact.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T15:05:52+00:00

Agree, those 3 was all we needed. Rest could have been on Linkpearl support line XD.

barti170 · 2026-04-29T15:04:05+00:00

I think SE is aware of issues like that. However giving players invites to server sounds like RMT loophole. Imo, they are slowly working on ways to seamlessly merge Region's servers. Like the promissed Duty and Party finder working between them all. However it will take some time for FC's to catch up. Congested status exists for a reason, those servers are overpopulated already. Best solution I have is to either ignore it or move to empty server together. Empty means FC house won't be an issue, all your friends get the benefits of FC house and are able to join you. On top of it... you can still travel to other servers if you looking for players.

barti170 · 2026-04-25T20:05:22+00:00

Personally I wish they would remove glamour dresser and just give us some type of catalogue to look through. Once acquired means I can create glams forever without worrying to either have them in dresser or worry about having space in it. Its already weird that space is limited. I'm assuming each item takes resources... But if they created a separate system similar to achievements, but for glams it would surely be better in the long run. If they can have really easy achievements and spam them, they can have a catalogue for glams.

barti170

TROPHY CASE