Final Fantasy 14recently held a Live Letter from the Producer on the subject of Patch 6.2,Buried Memory, its next major content patch. In addition to the new content coming in the patch,Final Fantasy 14is continuing to expand the solo-friendly Duty Support System through all of its story content.
The Duty Support System is an evolution of the Trust system introduced inShadowbringers. This system allowed players to bring NPC allies into dungeons instead of players. These NPCs often have unique dialogue, interactions, behaviors, and actions in the Duty Support System.
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More recently,Final Fantasy 14has gone back and added the Duty Support System to allstory-required dungeons through all ofA Realm Reborn, with a promise to add this system to every story dungeon up untilShadowbringers, where it was already implemented. This will eventually allow players to complete the entire Main Scenario as a nearly-solo experience.
In theA Realm Reborndungeons, players bring nameless adventurers with them into dungeons. While charming in their own rights, these characters are less important than the major NPCs players can team up with inShadowbringersandEndwalker. However, the new screenshots shared byFinal Fantasy 14showed that Estinein, Ysayle, and Alphinaud will be able to fight alongside the player character in someHeavenswarddungeons.
This means the Duty Support dungeons inHeavenswardandStormbloodwill break that mold and allow players to bringbelovedFinal Fantasy 14NPCswith them in certain dungeons. In the future, it may be possible for players to party with popular characters like Haurchefant, Aymeric, and Hilda in someHeavenswarddungeons, and Hien, Yugiri, Lyse, and Gosetsu inStormblood. Patch 6.2 will add Duty Support to all story dungeons through The Vault–the Great Gubal Library, Aetherochemical Research Facility, and future dungeons will likely come in 6.25, withStormbloodfollowing some time after.
Players are elated to see these characters being added to the Duty Support System. WhenFinal Fantasy 14first announced the system, many hoped players might team up with Scions and other major NPCs in old dungeons, but were dismayed when theA Realm Rebornallies were generic adventurers. However,Heavenswardis the first place in the story where the player character regularly travels with NPC allies in the Main Scenario, so it was the perfect place to allow players implement these characters. Once the Duty Support System is fully integrated,newFinal Fantasy 14playerswill be able to experience more characterization alongside these NPCs, while veteran players can experience new moments with them via New Game+.
Final Fantasy 14is available now for PC, PS4, and PS5.Buried Memorylaunches in late August.
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