Overall id say that was a pretty well done archon quest!
Commentaires
notthatjaded2026-01-14 10:25
I just finished it and found it pretty satisfying.
LivingASlothsLife2026-01-14 10:29
Without spoilers all ill say is that Sandrone is the most pleasant surprise in Nod Krai. Has become one of my favorite characters
If I can be so bold to say: A tsundere done to perfection
Dismal-Job18142026-01-14 10:35
Sandrone really popped off in this quest.
LivingASlothsLife2026-01-14 10:38
Sandrone has been a highlight of entertainment in every scene shes in. This quest just took her from incredibly entertaining to incredibly compelling
goodmqn_222026-01-14 11:08
the real MVP fr 🤖💔
GeneralZhukov2026-01-14 22:42
Ineffa carried the earlier quests, then Sandrone took it home. Truly the rise of the Clankers.
Disastrous_Loss_702026-01-14 10:44
And the most relatable the amount of lines she said that I was thinking is shockingly high for a gacha waifu
LivingASlothsLife2026-01-14 10:53
Oh fr, she flips flops between highly emotional and then impassive but the emotional wisdom she has when shes honest with herself is so good
SHTPST_Tianquan2026-01-14 10:55
Anything: happens
Sandrone: COLUMBINAAAAAAAA!!!!
LivingASlothsLife2026-01-14 11:53
She got used to yelling it when >!Bina just kept sleeping in her bed by herself and Sandy had to wake her up!<
petyrlabenov2026-01-14 12:47
can’t a roommate just sleep in their roommate’s bed without being yelled at
PinKing12112026-01-14 11:01
I love her, and frankly her actress does her perfectly, does the character so much justice
erinthornerin2026-01-14 13:10
her English VA is one of the best for sure
The-Iraqi-Guy2026-01-14 11:41
Honestly i didn't expect to like her and Jahida as much as i did.
CelestialContrail2026-01-14 11:57
The collaboration I didn't know I needed until this patch was Albedo and Sandrone working together - he has enough skills to gain Sandrone's respect, even if grudging, and the contrast between his generally calm demeanor and her temper was just \*chef's kiss\*
petyrlabenov2026-01-14 12:48
Being linked to perhaps the greatest World Quest certainly does wonders
LivingASlothsLife2026-01-14 12:56
I feel like Hoyo wanted to make Narzissenn Kreuz Ordo a main story quest with how much they mentioned it with Sandrone throughout Nod Krai
At the very least, with how important it is, would be cool to have it voiced
Ok_Tie_14282026-01-14 15:18
I still think that world quest is their f
Personal fav lol(mee too) 4 patches overlapping connected storylines that worked no matter which starting you chose, and a very thought out intricate plot(made me feel a bit dumb at times) with adequate gameplay elements.
Phew......did you know this is my fav quest in the game?
battleye92026-01-14 12:52
PULONIA SMASH!!!!
CatchGreedy48582026-01-14 13:24
I never betrayed my love Sandrone and Furina since the start. I had faith in them and will never be fazed by how annoying they are
bobking01theIII2026-01-14 14:03
You got a thing for Fontanians?
CatchGreedy48582026-01-14 14:14
Yes.
Paks-of-Three-Firs2026-01-14 13:33
"These people...they would sacrifice themselves for the sake of the world...***that is something I would never choose to do."***
Traditional_Elk20462026-01-14 13:39
She was by far the best part of the last 2 acts
theytookallusernames2026-01-14 16:09
Her last words essentially being “Go to hell, Dottore” was such a metal way to go
kingEdward222026-01-14 10:32
Its good but i still prefer sumeru and especially fontaine AQ , nothing so far come close to fontaine for me
Black-----Manta2026-01-14 10:35
Yeah I think it's squarely under Sumeru and Fontaine, but closer to Fontaine than it is to Natlan
kingEdward222026-01-14 10:47
No not really , natlan is the same tier as nod krai for me , nod krai was more consistent but natlan peak in act 4 was much better than nod krai peak
Black-----Manta2026-01-14 10:53
Fair enough, I think it's subjective enough to say that.
Grouchy_Gap452026-01-14 11:05
I agree with this. To me natlan and nod krai share the exact same problem: power of friendship. And since natlan was shorter with a better act 4 than nod krai (literally the only rival to this day to fontaine act 5), I'll put natlan slightly above nod krai, and overall nod krai isnt really an "improvement" over natlan but rather a "négation" of natlan
Party_Bridge_90202026-01-14 11:30
"power of friendship"? how? columbina alone carries the entire fight...
well I see you are from dottore mains as well...no wonder lmao
Grouchy_Gap452026-01-14 11:31
When she literally said herself "this battle is about family and friendship" with nefer somehow managing to do more dmg to dottore than the traveler wielding multiple elements... Yeah right
Party_Bridge_90202026-01-14 11:35
bro she said it and also said "the Land that you wanted to steal from them"
she is the one who crushes dottore with the moon.... Others are just assisting her...
_bleep-bloop2026-01-14 10:40
Sumeru was the best for me so far. The upbeat of the background music lining up so well with the Traveller's moment of realization makes my skin crawl.
TadsCM2026-01-14 11:14
I found Fontaine pretty mid until act 5 personally, I found sumeru,natlan and nod krai to be more consistent then Fontaine.
AffectionateGrape1842026-01-14 11:22
Honestly for me all are the same, except they peaked in different places, like Natlan in Act 4 was one of my favourite ever and then the last one happened
jhonnythejoker2026-01-14 11:25
Sumeru was boring. İdk why people ovarrate it this much. Especially dream part
Chillagok2026-01-14 11:40
Ugh, Fontaine was so boring with the detective stuff and the prison slog. I thought it would never end.
MapoTofuMan2026-01-14 13:34
I'm the opposite, Fontaine was 15 minutes of great payoff and a lot of slog to get through, Nod-Krai was consistently great to amazing.
Grouchy_Gap452026-01-14 10:33
Honestly disappointing AQ. So much teaser for such an overall filler quest. None of what we did actually really mattered for the main plot. And dottore treatment was honestly horrible with an anticlimatic end
Asleep_Bee_57842026-01-14 10:39
What even is the main plot atp.
Grouchy_Gap452026-01-14 10:42
Getting la the gnosis for Tsaritsa and finding our sibling
slayer589x2026-01-14 10:44
Finding our sibling is such an old plot point now are you living in 2021 ?
Every time we encounter them the push us away at this point all we have to do is experience what they experienced by going through all the nations.
ImGroot692026-01-14 10:56
damn people still think finding sibling is the main plot.
Alpha06Omega092026-01-14 11:25
When people saying finding the sibling is the main plot, you know they are cooked still living in 1.1
ZeRandomPerson22222026-01-14 10:44
I’m not sure I’d agree with that. It wrapped up several lingering loose ends from past story quests (Wanderer’s vendetta, Dottore’s ambitions and presence as a villain). I also don’t know how you can say the end was anti climactic, or that Dottore treatment was horrible.
Grouchy_Gap452026-01-14 10:47
After being rejected, Dottore died in the quest by power of friendship. Without having accomplished anything. He didn't transceded his fate, no Shades face off, no grand scheme or plan, no nod krai crumbling because of his actions, not even varka or Alice bothering to show up in the fight for the urgency of the situation, nothing. Bro just vanished thanks to columbina stating power of friendship> fate. Such a waste of a complex antagonist.
ZeRandomPerson22222026-01-14 11:08
> After being rejected,
You say this like it’s supposed to be sad that it happened. He tried to trick the Traveler but used very poor logic and arguments.
> Dottore died in the quest by power of friendship. Without having accomplished anything.
He achieved his goal of attaining pseudo godhood, and had the advantage over the heroes for the entire quest right up until the very end when their plan ended up paying off (which you payed attention, came down to the last effort as Sandrone had to mislead Dottore and trick him into believing she was the one completing the formula).
Much like a lot of words and phrases, power of friendship lost meaning a while ago.
> He didn't transceded his fate,
If he did, there would be no more game. His victory is literally game over for everyone.
> no Shades face off
There was never even implied to be a chance for one.
> no grand scheme or plan,
Literally talks about creating an new world but sure keep going I guess
> no nod krai crumbling because of his actions,
See above on “it would be game over”. There’s literally no afterwards if Dottore won.
> not even varka or Alice bothering to show up in the fight for the urgency of the situation,
Varka helped alongside Arlecchino to finish the formula and bring Columbina back. And Alice was already long gone last update. She had other things to be taking caring of and Nicole was already here and helping (and as we see, her help was vital).
> Bro just vanished thanks to columbina stating power of friendship> fate.
That’s a very reductive and dishonest way of describing the climax.
> Such a waste of a complex antagonist.
He’s not that complex at all. He’s a fun villain who has been crafty and hatable due to all the bad things he’s done, while having a presence as a dangerous foe. But he isn’t deep or complex and in fact a lot of his rambling this quest revealed him to be a pretentious and shallow person.
linaazz_kira2026-01-14 10:47
The end quest screen was glitching with dottores pattern all over, this is not his end
Grouchy_Gap452026-01-14 10:51
Another capitano situation isnt it? How much longer are you going to wait this time? Just tell me how much longer you're gonna wait this time
linaazz_kira2026-01-14 10:53
Some leakers are talking about an upcoming sumeru archon quest, because we never finished sumeru. This is just an hypothesis.
But I mean, the fact that he is alive with that end glitch is a good sign.
Grouchy_Gap452026-01-14 10:56
It's false since there is absolutely no AQ in 6.4 as of now
linaazz_kira2026-01-14 11:05
I said "upcoming", I didn’t say in 6.4. I’m just relaying some leakers word, because not long ago they said the burning of irminsul is close and recently that we may go back to sumeru.
BookThink2026-01-14 11:03
I'd say less than 2 years for Dottore since that is how far development is ahead and they are actively teasing him. For Capitano, khanareia is likely the most suitable place for them to expand upon him.
ZeRandomPerson22222026-01-14 10:41
The story writing was overall good (with a satisfying climax).
The balance of cutscene and gameplay however, was not. I really disliked how the cutscenes just seemed to just keep coming and coming and only had the smallest of breaks in between with very minor gameplay. Again I enjoyed the story aspect of it but I really want a better mix of playing the game and experiencing the story. If it’s just so many cutscenes and little gameplay it feels like a movie that I have to occasionally reach over and tap some buttons to progress.
I’ve given games like TLOU2 crap for having too much cutscene and not enough gameplay and I’ll criticize it here too. I’d like a balance of story and game when I play a video game (assuming story is prominent). I’d like to engage with the game directly.
AffectionateGrape1842026-01-14 11:22
Leave it to genshin players to complain from too many cutscenes ffs
ZeRandomPerson22222026-01-14 11:42
Maybe read what I said instead of reducing it to the wrong conclusion? Too many cutscenes and not enough gameplay to go with it, especially gameplay.
exiler51292026-01-14 10:46
That cryptic ending. Kekw
Chiiikun2026-01-14 21:15
Istg I thought I was seeing things with the double and then THAT popped up. Cinema
Beautiful-Agency-5382026-01-14 10:50
midway through the aq, plot wise its decent (i really like the wrap up of two characters but idk how to use spoilers in reddit as a lurker so im not gonna elaborate) but my biggest gripe is how unskippable it was in act 7 holy... i understand if it was for story presentation but theres surely a way for them to implement a save system for these kinds of things no?
thank god theres a pause at act 8 lol. i wonder what precedent this will set in snezhnayas aq quests lmao
Alpha06Omega092026-01-14 11:24
Huh? There is a saving pop up in the bottom right corner of your screen which shows you can safely quit the game
VictoryOk24602026-01-14 11:40
You do not Genshin players can't read right?
Beautiful-Agency-5382026-01-14 12:10
im very aware of that, but is it really saving when you cant go into the overworld during the 3 hours of gameplay when you want to bruh
even if you can leave the game itself/stop playing, the next day youll be forced to go through like another 1-2 hour of cutscenes in order to do your dailies for example
one suggestion: they can really improve on it by making a save and reload system that will work anytime within the aq quest (save for animated cutscenes)
fubukishirou072026-01-14 10:52
In terms of life and death situation, nod krai archon quest is miles ahead of natlan.
Grouchy_Gap452026-01-14 11:06
Nah. Not at all, dont compare natlan act 4 to whatever nod krai finale was when it comes to despair, dread and threats
Party_Bridge_90202026-01-14 11:30
nod krai isn't over.... that's the one thing you should know
Grouchy_Gap452026-01-14 11:32
Natlan is also not over wdym? The main story push of the patch is indeed over, the rest is to come, that's it
fubukishirou072026-01-14 11:50
Says the guy who never really understand how dire nod krai is when dottore's wreak havoc on the nation.
Grouchy_Gap452026-01-14 11:51
Wreak havoc on the nation without killing anyone but a mere puppet who is going to rebuild herself in few patches... Yeah right
fubukishirou072026-01-14 11:58
What you smoking bro? Clearly you never done the archon quest and even if you did you just skip it like a player who spam skip button. Didnt you see the dead bodies just scattering around. If not maybe you should check your eye sight.
khangkhanh2026-01-14 10:55
After the disaster of HSR 3.x conclusions. Hoyo showed that they can deliver a good story and good ending. I am happy that they have a different writer team from HSR. This story is actually good
gibunpa2026-01-14 10:57
i think nod krai is one of my favorite regions to date! its super exciting to see so many theories come to fruition and varka is here too :D
Kazesama13k2026-01-14 10:59
Yeah but they should atleast give us some break and not 3 hour marathon.
le_bluering2026-01-14 11:21
cutscene after cutscene
*quest ends*
cutscene
*quest starts*
WHYYY
jahnbanan2026-01-14 17:38
I started the AQ roughly 5 hours before I had to leave for a doctors appointment, I thought "I'll stop when I get to a break point", ended up having to alt f4 'cause... break points? what's that?!? (thankfully it does have save points)
unixtreme2026-01-14 19:12
Thank God they added a saving indicator. All recent quests had frequent save points but they never told us when so nobody wants to risk leaving and having to repeat 20 minutes of yap.
FlameDragoon9332026-01-14 11:23
You can; I did. Basically if you see the "Saving..." loading screen or POV change, it's safe to Esc or Alt+F4 your game and immediately start back there when you come back. I did several times to pee. (closed the game instead of just pausing)
mee8Ti6Eit2026-01-14 11:41
Players: Let us know that the loading screens save progress
Also players: Jokes on you I can't read
A_Noelle_Main2026-01-14 11:29
You can basically take a break every other cutscene.
LivingASlothsLife2026-01-14 11:30
The game gives you multiple saving points on the bottom right of your screen. Its basically telling you thats a checkpoin to take a break if you so desire
crimson5892026-01-14 11:32
lmao, its funny how they warned us at the beginning to set aside time but I didnt know they're just gonna run the whole thing straight. There was what like 1 or 2 actual breaks where youre not forced to alt+f4 if you want to leave.
survivorr123_2026-01-14 14:20
no there were save points on all longer loading screens
The_Exkalamity2026-01-14 10:59
How long did it take?
Gloomy_Rise_53322026-01-14 11:07
\~3.5 hrs
Nero_PR2026-01-14 11:04
I just couldn't finish before needing some sleep. I played for 3 or so hours before calling out the day at 3am.
ferdiebeer2026-01-14 11:04
Activated the auto dialogue when I got to Marionette's research part. Just endless uninteresting text that's making me fall asleep. I only wanted to unlock the Statue to farm Columbina's resources. I didn't expect the quest to be THIS continuous.
Investigator-Rich2026-01-14 11:07
What's with those >!double title drop at the end with the last one being glitchy!< huh Hoyo???
Holy-Wan_Kenobi2026-01-14 11:33
The wretch lives, I fear.
PersonalitySad6172026-01-14 11:40
>!maybe hinting Dottore still alive!<
bivampirical2026-01-14 13:42
>!then i shall beat his ass a second time :)!<
ComposedOfStardust2026-01-14 13:46
It was so fun the first time around!
LetMetOucHyOURasS2026-01-14 14:39
>!yeah, no corpse = 99% alive!<
LadyKanra2026-01-14 16:05
>!Yeah, this is usually how fictional works operate, so I do believe it. And it better be true, I NEED this man to be playable!!<
michaelman902026-01-14 19:19
>! It's Dottore, even with a corpse there's no guarantee there isn't another one out there. He killed all his copies but he never said he wouldn't make more.!<
Geraltpoonslayer2026-01-14 19:23
>!irminsul is still yet to burn at dottore hands, he's 100% alive!<
ConfessorKahlan2026-01-14 22:01
yep
Investigator-Rich2026-01-14 14:58
>!True. There's no mention it's the 'real' Dottore. What if it's his Segment he just created after Sumeru!<
scrayla2026-01-15 01:06
>!imagine all we fought was a segment that had a god complex. That’s some kuwabara zandar one stuff right there lol!<
Grimsdol2026-01-14 20:46
I think either that or hinting at the heavenly principles are gonna act soon, Since pulling the Moon through the false sky probably pissed them off greatly like when mavuika just punched a whole through it
vanilladip282026-01-14 11:46
PLEASE DOTTORE ALIVE TRUST PLEASE DOTTORE PLAYABLE 6.0 DOTTORE LIVES THE KING SHALL NOT DIE PLEASE HOYO
smasher_zed8882026-01-14 12:20
I dont think thats how you spoiler
CantaloupeParking2392026-01-14 12:29
Because the GOAT is still alive :P
icemoomoo2026-01-14 13:01
I mean he wouldnt have another segment right?
CantaloupeParking2392026-01-14 13:04
I think he teleported but I guess there is possibility for a another segment too.
bivampirical2026-01-14 13:43
NO FR I ALMOST SHIT MY PANTS
ComposedOfStardust2026-01-14 13:47
Man this thing is gonna keep me up at night for months until its relevance becomes clear
MicrosoftExcel20162026-01-14 15:19
RemindMe! 42 days
Lunamkardas2026-01-14 11:07
Guys I was not expecting >!"Dottore pushes forth one hell of a sales pitch for why you and he should be Besties" !<on my 2026 punch card
Edit- Me during the entire interaction
Me: .....
Me: **why does this feel like autistic flirting**
Cul_what2026-01-14 11:32
He was really trying shit felt like I was looking at Lygus AGAIN especially with how much he yapped
Draconic_Legends2026-01-14 11:44
I then got jumpscared by "which is more real, the dream or reality?"
TetraNeuron2026-01-14 19:25
When he said he could do anything Columbina does but better, I was waiting for Traveller to say "you can't become a better waifu" and Dottore to say "bet" & create a big tiddy version of himself
jinxedandcursed2026-01-15 02:08
He really was like a lovechild of Lygus and Sunday wasn't he lol
Draaxus2026-01-14 18:13
Wouldn't be geniuses if they didn't have a point
Bout_to_shower2026-01-14 12:39
And dude would not take no for an answer lol.
Stilnovisti2026-01-14 13:54
Maybe I misunderstood, but felt like he needed a descender for some hidden goal he wasn't revealing.
theultimatekyle2026-01-14 14:36
He most likely did. We learned in earlier nodkrai patches that long term exposure to the moon marrows made normal humans ill. Then we also learned the traveller could hold onto a marrow with zero negative repercussions. Now in this patch we have Dottore(a human) holding 3 marrows at once and just happened to be running experiments on swapping people out of their bodies, and Dottore was basically desperate to get the traveller on his side. If I was a betting man....
mandyy_mills2026-01-14 16:52
oh this is so freaking smart, i did not put that together with the body swap experiments…..
ComposedOfStardust2026-01-14 17:21
Not to mention Rene's research about cutting souls out of bodies and grafting them being explicitly brought up by Sandrone....
Oh MAN I really hope Dottore comes back he's such a fantastic villian
Rough-Contact17962026-01-14 17:53
I feel like as cool as that is, it’s less to do with his megalomania and more his need to be validated.
Dottore has no need to lie at this point and not like he’s a normal human (Are Segments androids or are they cyborgs?). In his eyes, and actual reality, he’s become a new God that can ignore Teyvat’s laws. He’s proven that he didn’t even need the third Moon Marrow, so why swap bodies with Traveler when he’s already overpowered everything that could stop him? Why offer Traveler a spot in his new world?
I see it as him getting emotional with us. Dottore WANTS to be accepted, WANTS to be understood. So why not reach a hand out to this “alien”. A being who doesn’t fit properly in Teyvat. Dude constantly brings up how different Traveler is, how “alien” and misunderstood and out of place Traveler is in Teyvat, how the Traveler is an exemption among exemptions. How isolating that must feel. If anyone can understand Zandik, actually understand him, it would be this literal alien.
Sure, it can be him gaslighting and isolating Traveler, but the man is PAINFULLY honest about his feelings. He truly believes in what he’s saying and why wouldn’t he? No one understands him, no one CAN.
We see this in Scaramouche’s story trailer, his relics, and his notes. Dude is a textbook psychopath who yearns to be validated, or at the very least acceptance. But In his warped view of reality, it’s everyone else who’s built wrong. Not him. Never him. Hell, if you want more proof the man is so pathetically alone, go listen to Columbina’s lines about him and his lines about her.
Lunamkardas2026-01-14 19:08
No you're completely right. He is so envious that the Traveler, someone he considers infinitely interesting and a possible kindred spirit, is so willing to befriend and spend their precious time on all of these people he considers lesser.... **and not him**.
He literally pulled up a slideshow of all the other Fatui harbingers you've grown close to and is like "Why not me????"
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? He is aware that the Traveler has an effect on the people around them.
"Does everyone you associate with undergo such a change in temperament? Speaking as a researcher, I have to say - it is not a change for the better. It threatens one's ability to be objective."
He SEES how being cared for and valued by the Traveler, platonically or otherwise, does something to a person. Something he does not consider good, AND HE STILL CANNOT HELP BUT WANT IT.
PlacetMihi2026-01-14 20:07
These two comments are so fascinating. I didn't really consider Dottore from that angle.
I was way more focused on the idea that Dottore fundamentally does not understand human relationship (the way that Columbina and Wanderer learned to, and the way Sandrone understood but never admitted). But that's not necessarily with odds with the idea that he was still seeking it out in his own way.
Rough-Contact17962026-01-15 03:21
Dottore is so interesting because of how blatant he is. The man does not understand people AT ALL. Yet he still yearns for it, just look at how he speaks about family.
To be exploited, used, and to suffer is normal for him. In his eyes, that’s what family is. That’s why even Columbina says, he speaks without malice but he has expectations. Whether he was born this way or his treatment in Sumeru caused this, Dottore on a fundamental level does not or cannot, emotionally or otherwise, empathize.
He’s fucking begging Traveler, breaking his own rules because he WANTS what Traveler could give him. What they gave to others so freely. The man knows he’s different but still can’t comprehend the “Why not me?”
TXENNT2026-01-14 20:53
This changed my whole view on him... wth
Lunamkardas2026-01-14 23:14
Oh it gets better. He's not just trying to befriend the Traveler, he is trying to WARN THEM that no matter how much good they do, they will eventually be rejected just as he was.
He is desperately trying to convince the Traveler "You don't have to suffer and go through all that pain like I did, I am more than willing to give you what you want right now and all you have to do is be my eternal companion"
The crux of the issue is that Dottore fundamentally does not understand why he was rejected by everyone.
Like Rough-Contact1796 stated above, he wants approval and adulation and for people to praise his hard work because OBJECTIVELY he has accomplished insane feats of science. The problem is that the man is either incapable or just straight up unwilling to recognize that his methods are the problem.
Dottore's answer to the Trolley problem would be to Tokyo drift across both tracks and he wouldn't understand why everyone was screaming.
Rough-Contact17962026-01-15 03:33
It gets even funnier/sadder that with all this, his conversation with Nahida was him GENUINELY excited to speak with his Archon.
After all, she’s wisdom itself! Surely she could see the merits of his experiments, his segments especially! She won’t be bogged down by conventional morality, surely?
Only to then be rejected because of, in his words, conventional wisdom.
Skykeeper222026-01-14 13:29
It’s so funny it reminded me of Akaza trying to convince Rengoku to become a demon
Rough-Contact17962026-01-14 15:17
I think what annoyed me the most is that Traveler’s rebuttals (actually this is just a Hoyo issue in general) are just so weak!
You have this character, fucking giving it their all and the MC’s replies are just so vapid and shallow! Like Traveler, please! At least TRY to pretend you have a personality, please!
CoconutxKitten2026-01-14 16:10
Tbf, MC is trying to figure out a way out of captivity & there’s no use trying to argue with Dottore
Nothing is changing his mind, he’s just going to give a condescending answer. Dottore is impossible to deal with
Sentinel102026-01-14 15:57
I loved that interaction.
Partly because Mick Wingert is so good as Dottore's VA, but also that it felt kind of meta in a sense with him talking about the Traveler always doing mundane tasks every day (like us players always doing dailies).
ethnicvegetable2026-01-14 22:37
\*autistic flirting succeeds\*
A-Lewd-Khajiit2026-01-14 11:09
I don't think it's over.....*spoilers*
picklejuice172026-01-14 11:42
It did feel like a proper ending, especially with the typical archon questioning about the next region. However, >!Dottore's glitches in the end card despite him being seemingly freaking dead is very suspicious!<
survivorr123_2026-01-14 14:23
afaik they said that they will want to release archon quests throughout the whole parch or at least most of it, so we'll still have more content
Old-Meat-20962026-01-14 11:09
Wow...yall are real fast
Swinginthewolf2026-01-14 11:11
Loved people posting spoilers at 4am (my time) so I got nuked with full cutscenes and shit before it even got installed :/
Confident_River_35832026-01-14 11:13
Yeah,it was really well done overall.What stood out most was how nothing felt rushed,,the pacing was solid, the atmosphere set the tone perfectly, and the character interactions all landed very well.
Mihta_Amaruthro2026-01-14 11:13
Why the fudge are so many of you immediately rushing through it in <12 hours? It's meant to be treated as a marathon, not a sprint.
No wonder the media literacy here is so bad when so many try to jam it all in in one go.
Prisma_Lane2026-01-14 11:20
I think the only things that I didn't really like were the fact that >!Flins, Lauma and Nefer are still the only ones in the final battle, and that Dottore severely lacks screentime to push him as a good villain.!<
>!First one is pretty obvious. For a battle of such a scale, the fact that the fighting force is as small as it is is kinda disappointing. No Varka, Arle, Nicole, Albedo and Durin. Hell, no Wanderer is kind of a crime to be honest. The sense of catharsis isn't there. A little disappointed since Wanderer going after Dottore has been his main goal since Sumeru, and we didn't get anything.!<
>!Second one I feel like is the main problem here. Since Dottore only showed up at the end of the last AQ, there's literally no time for him to connect with the whole cast. That's why a lot of the dialogue is just spent on "Oh, Dottore that monster" or "Dottore is a sick f*ck" instead of showing it. Hell, Dottore's dialogue is just him mansplaining his entire plan just to show how evil he is to the Traveller and only them. It's a bit too much telling, not showing. I know there are scenes that show his experiments, but I'd prefer it when he's actually present instead of missing.!<
>!There's also the issue with what happened to Rerir. For such a big threat in the lore, the fact that he got done in in only two versions is a major disappointment. I don't dislike his ending, but I definitely felt like there could've been a lot more they could've done with him instead of ending it there. I sincerely hope that the other Sinners make up for it.!<
Overall though, despite it's problem, I do feel like this two partner portion is at least a lot better compared to Rerir's part. There's no part that felt like a drag (Nefer's story) and the final fight is a lot better compared to Rerir's in every aspect. I'd personally give it a 7/10.
Party_Bridge_90202026-01-14 11:33
rerir one isn't over yet and I am glad they learned how to tell a story in two patches instead of dragging it out like hsr with unnecessary moments
Prisma_Lane2026-01-14 12:03
Eh, I don't think two patches is enough. Both Rerir and Dottore suffer from not having enough time to properly tell their stories. Hell, a lot of Genshin villains suffer from not getting the necessary screentime. They're often in the back doing something, and only really appear once the final battle is about to commence.
You argue that HSR drags it out, but I'd argue that HSR does it a lot better. When you've got that much time, there's a lot you can do to build up the relationship between the main cast. That's why people like the dynamics of the CH a lot, and why people like Lygus as a villain. You've spent a lot of time knowing each and everyone of them, and they continue to carry that every patch.
Phainon's patch is as well received as it is exactly because both his relationship with the CH and Lygus are points that HSR puts heavy emphasis on. Without it, Phainon's story wouldn't have worked. I know the ending can be controversial, but I don't think it invalidates everything about the story.
Also, Rerir is most definitely done. At the very least, >!he's done as a villain. The Sinner count dropped down to four.!< It's a shame too because for someone touted to be able to destroy the planet, the fact that we only got two patches of him at only 10% power and is stopped by a ragtag group just doesn't feel appropriate for a Sinner. If he wasn't a Sinner, I would've been a lot more open to his ending but he is so my standards for him are quite high.
Party_Bridge_90202026-01-14 12:08
No bruh...I am satisfied with what came... Dragging the story unnecessarily is the worst thing and that's why amphoerous isn't aged well... they showed rerir's motivation and story with his fiancée and khaernriah relation in one patch perfectly.... dottore has been in the game since suneru...he got a lot of built-up there so I don't know why you are saying he doesn't get enough built-up when he is most built-up villian ever in genshin
Prisma_Lane2026-01-14 12:21
Because it's lore stuff. Not everyone reads the lore, and even if he showed up ever since the manga, those are only small glimpses of the character itself. Hell, it's not even the same segment. You only learn about his motivations in this patch, what he plans to do, what he wants his relationship with you to be, etc.
It's a lot of information to take in over a short period of time, and not enough time to actually digest it.
And what I want isn't even an extension to the quest. It's as simple as "instead of having the cast tell me what I should feel about Dottore, how about replacing those scenes with scenes that actually make me feel that way about Dottore?". I don't like being told what to feel about a character. A sign of a good writer is someone that can make me feel a certain way without telling me to.
Hell, here's an example. Instead of only telling me that Dottore is the one behind everything, how about showing me small glimpses or signs that Dottore has been actively working BTS to steal the moon's powers? Create a Chekhov's Gun during Rerir's part, and when it's time for Dottore to enter the stage, it fires? It can be during the AQ, or maybe the small WQs when you explore Nod Krai.
It doesn't take a lot to make a character more involved.
AffectionateGrape1842026-01-14 11:43
yeah i understand like nod krai character shill and all but cmon hoyo, we're about to summon the seven to fight the threat and evacuate whole nod krai but we won't let one of the strongest people/atficial beings/witches in teyvat even partake in the battle, instead we leave it to the healer moonchanter lady and the intel lady, that's like letting baizhu/yelan fight osial
nefer saw more action here than in her whole life combined
Rough-Contact17962026-01-14 15:28
Rerir got beat once, got off screen development, and is now “not that bad”. Ignoring, you know, the fact he VERY much deserved his fate.
Also I agree with the screen time issue. Dottore not being there and having no proper rapport with the characters (and honestly his dialogue and his VA carrying his part of the story to keep it engaging) a lot of our rebuttals against him are very…weak. Like you know when you’re watching a movie and you can just KNOW when one actor is better than the others? Yeah, like that
theytookallusernames2026-01-14 16:22
Yeah, I liked it a lot and this is by FAR the best AQ Genshin had ever done. But it really suffered from a few things:
* The AQ was basically “Here’s why Dottore is evil” and they basically backended everything he does throughout the Luna patches here. Rerir? Dottore. Harbingers in Nod-Krai? Dottore. Palestar Edict? Guess who! And here’s a bunch of random evil shit to show Dottore is the evil to defeat this patch. There was time from the start of Nod-Krai to set him up, there was no need to load everything at the end to justify why we have to defeat Dottore. The pacing feels slightly off.
* Sandrone is definitely the MVP this time. She stole the scenes and went out defiantly. I wish they used all this time to reconcile the Sandrone we know from Fontaine with the Sandrone we know in Nod-Krai, though. She was clearly rewritten, but any rewriting they do, it was very definitely before Fontaine. She had a great arc this AQ but seeing her emotionally being weak this patch without making that reconciliation, idk it feels a bit too jarring for me.
* Is the Rerir/Tholindis “reunion” meant to close out their arc? I hope not, since the way it happened felt unnecessarily rushed. Columbina just met Rerir at the border, and it just so happens that he doesn’t want to fight anymore and helped her; then met the soul of Tholindis just right a bit after, who told her of the failure of her entire plan and whatnots. I felt like there were more that could be explored with their arc, especially when it comes to Vedrfolnir’s prophecy for these two.
FlameDragoon9332026-01-14 11:25
Anybody heard of the spoiler that supposedly Playstation accidentally dropped? The character ended up not showing up. Or is there a quest I missed?
PersonalitySad6172026-01-14 11:42
not in msq at least, she was mentioned at end lol
alexvictor972026-01-14 11:43
I believe those images about >!appaerance of Tsaritsa!< circulating are fake. I play on PS5 and I've never seen them on my system, even after the update the image still hasn't appeared.
FlameDragoon9332026-01-14 12:19
damn, shame on me for getting fooled.
jotarD42026-01-14 14:17
they're not, my friend got them on his ps5
Many-Refuse-60602026-01-14 13:23
I mean we did get some content about her, but she didn't show up in the sense that she made an appearance
Vegetto_ssj2026-01-14 11:26
Without Spoiler pls:
\- "Good" = Epic story or "Good" = not masterpiece like Sumeru/Fontaine, but still nice?
Dangamer562026-01-14 11:31
Nod krai overall is the best archon quest by far. This is just a better version of sumeru. So many people praise fontaine but forget the horrible prison part.
Grouchy_Gap452026-01-14 12:23
Disagree with you
kraaashed2026-01-14 11:28
Regarding the ending, it seems plausible >!we didn't truly win and Dottore might have foresaw his defeat and made a backup plan somehow!<
icemoomoo2026-01-14 13:04
the guy with a bunch of clones has another hiding somewhere? never.
bivampirical2026-01-14 13:44
praying there's one more so wanderer can personally annihilate him
LeagueOfHurricane2026-01-14 16:36
Not sure how reliable this is, but apparently a developer said that Dottore burning the Irminsul is an actual future event. So... yeah...
Geraltpoonslayer2026-01-14 19:29
>!we know dottore is supposed to burn irminsul, fate and destiny are pretty written in stone in teyvat, he's 100% not dead!<
DitrianLordOfCanorem2026-01-14 11:28
The fontaine rewearch institute better lock in with the puppet development... we need more geo characters!
ComposedOfStardust2026-01-14 13:48
Kowalski, print me another puppet stat!
Lign_Grant2026-01-14 13:56
But Skipper, it's not her banner yet.
CoconutxKitten2026-01-14 15:57
There was a secret character getting released that didn’t have a silhouette. The assumption is that it’ll be her
DitrianLordOfCanorem2026-01-14 16:17
Yea hopefully or else i'm nuking hoyo headquarters with my phys eula burst
CoconutxKitten2026-01-14 16:23
I don’t think they’d put all that effort into her redemption/growth & then toss her
Shuuyu2026-01-14 11:29
Patch just live today and Op use past tense
A_Noelle_Main2026-01-14 11:31
Columbina to Traveler: Murph, don't let me go.
Cul_what2026-01-14 11:32
Oh Sandrone my Sandrone...
Natural_Ad15302026-01-14 11:40
So far I find some moments where the narrative stalls with certain characters bantering after saying the situation is dire and we have to hurry. Bruh, if you are in a hurry, why are you bantering?
PhoenixHusky2026-01-14 11:47
Nefer the goatest goat from all nations
Animelover56742026-01-14 11:47
It was awesome.
Kaymish_2026-01-14 11:56
It has been out for 5 seconds. I haven't even started yet and you've already done it all.
KaiserNazrin2026-01-14 12:04
Well, I know for sure the hidden silhouette is Sandrone. They can't reveal her or people know for sure she isn't dead.
survivorr123_2026-01-14 14:22
they gonna give her body to aino and she will create ineffa 2
Dry_Race_26692026-01-14 12:05
🤯🤯
ShadowFlarer2026-01-14 12:19
I like it too, also Wanderer character development wasn't on my 2026 bingo card, but i like it.
theytookallusernames2026-01-14 17:40
Yeah, I love how he keeps being developed beyond his SQ. Being forcibly adopted by Nahida and being friends with a little dragon really mellowed him out lmao.
He even published papers in the Akademiya! What a scholar lol
AlkaliPineapple2026-01-15 06:11
He's literally a cat. A feral cat that got comfortable with domestic life
KaedeP_222026-01-14 12:19
CatWithBlueHat pretty much prophesized the entire plot what the fuck
ComposedOfStardust2026-01-14 13:50
Reading Time Trekker in the middle of Sandrone's investigation scene was truly a mind fuck moment. Kudos to whoever figured it out beforehand
aiyafem2026-01-14 17:02
Is that actually happened in the lore or just novel?
ComposedOfStardust2026-01-14 17:15
We don't know. Even in the narrative itself Ciric's story is presented as unreliable. It could be something that actually happened or could be not. However, after this quest I think it's clear his time machine is based off >!the realm of the moon's reflection. He might have been opening moon gates to travel back and forth in time at will. The story even mirrors the concept of Columbina's birth being a part of her distant future (her Moment Zero). The cylical nature of time in Teyvat, the future being the past and the past being the future is heavily prevalent in the book and hence why it was featured in this quest!<
bobking01theIII2026-01-14 14:04
What plot points did they get correct?
Ilovetogame22026-01-14 12:20
Nicole and Varka have good chemistry.
Aether7762026-01-14 12:24
the 4 hours of nonstop cutscenes was really draining, other than that it was fine.
I think the first 2 archon quests of Finland were better though.
Euler0072026-01-14 12:27
Do you guys not sleep? I know some of you aren't in the Americas but still.
ChugsTheGreat2026-01-14 12:31
Is this the last two arc or there will be more next patch?
Testing_1002026-01-14 13:22
My favorite part was Dottore genuinely for the entire archon quest trying to get us on his side, like his offer would actually ever happen
yakultpig2026-01-14 13:24
I thought Columbina will be my favorite in this arc, but Sandrone just stole the scene!
Sandrone, you are the true must pull.
Skykeeper222026-01-14 13:48
The Dottore vs Traveler conversation and traveling to the moon part are two of my favorite scenes in the whole game.
Traditional_Elk20462026-01-14 13:55
It was really good, maybe too long and I would have cut some things but overall a great ending. Although I think I still find Fontaine ending superior.
BTW the best quality of life was giving hydro traveler the duck.
AlzyWelzyy2026-01-14 14:16
BORN A HUMAN. DIED A GOD. HUGE RESPECT TO DOTTORE.
NikhilB092026-01-14 14:41
It was a movie
SignificanceIcy78212026-01-14 14:59
Well my goat delivers. I am very happy about it.
agentzero20202026-01-14 15:21
I think the glitch is an obvious hint that Sandrone will return.
BillysTown2026-01-14 15:22
>! Dottore challenging the Traveler’s ideology and had good points on what he’s been doing till now was a breath of fresh air , and that end title drop shows something in the plans for him 👀. Safe to say he’s not going to be careless around Traveler after what they tried earlier!<
nisemonomk2026-01-14 18:27
that part when Dottore >!made fun of us for doing our dailies 😂!<
Vusdruv2026-01-15 03:37
That was so meta lmao
Latter-Illustrator742026-01-14 18:33
>!I need 7 business days to mourn for Sandrone!<
NocturnalMaiden2026-01-14 19:26
Ingot chills when >!The Traveller used MULTIPLE ELEMENTS at the same time! The hydro ball, then the anemo tornado infused with pyro, then the electro on her body! I do hope we can use the Traveller like that in the future.!<
Kvendy_2026-01-14 20:33
I have many questions about this AQ But >!What happened to the poor peoples who transformed into animals, and what was in the other spheres experiments!< , That's was pure evil.
scrayla2026-01-15 01:20
I dont think they ever turned back. Albedo and wanderer alrdy said anyone caught in those spheres were as good as dead
Grimsdol2026-01-14 20:52
Nod Krai all in all i say was very good, the only complaints i have was Varka not being properly utilized, bro is glazed constantly for his fighting ability but we never got to see it, we see nefer and Lauma fight more then him for some reason.
and Dottore i felt should've shown up sooner since the only build up to him was him getting name dropped a few times
Commentaires
If I can be so bold to say: A tsundere done to perfection
Sandrone: COLUMBINAAAAAAAA!!!!
At the very least, with how important it is, would be cool to have it voiced
Personal fav lol(mee too) 4 patches overlapping connected storylines that worked no matter which starting you chose, and a very thought out intricate plot(made me feel a bit dumb at times) with adequate gameplay elements.
Phew......did you know this is my fav quest in the game?
well I see you are from dottore mains as well...no wonder lmao
she is the one who crushes dottore with the moon.... Others are just assisting her...
Every time we encounter them the push us away at this point all we have to do is experience what they experienced by going through all the nations.
You say this like it’s supposed to be sad that it happened. He tried to trick the Traveler but used very poor logic and arguments.
> Dottore died in the quest by power of friendship. Without having accomplished anything.
He achieved his goal of attaining pseudo godhood, and had the advantage over the heroes for the entire quest right up until the very end when their plan ended up paying off (which you payed attention, came down to the last effort as Sandrone had to mislead Dottore and trick him into believing she was the one completing the formula).
Much like a lot of words and phrases, power of friendship lost meaning a while ago.
> He didn't transceded his fate,
If he did, there would be no more game. His victory is literally game over for everyone.
> no Shades face off
There was never even implied to be a chance for one.
> no grand scheme or plan,
Literally talks about creating an new world but sure keep going I guess
> no nod krai crumbling because of his actions,
See above on “it would be game over”. There’s literally no afterwards if Dottore won.
> not even varka or Alice bothering to show up in the fight for the urgency of the situation,
Varka helped alongside Arlecchino to finish the formula and bring Columbina back. And Alice was already long gone last update. She had other things to be taking caring of and Nicole was already here and helping (and as we see, her help was vital).
> Bro just vanished thanks to columbina stating power of friendship> fate.
That’s a very reductive and dishonest way of describing the climax.
> Such a waste of a complex antagonist.
He’s not that complex at all. He’s a fun villain who has been crafty and hatable due to all the bad things he’s done, while having a presence as a dangerous foe. But he isn’t deep or complex and in fact a lot of his rambling this quest revealed him to be a pretentious and shallow person.
But I mean, the fact that he is alive with that end glitch is a good sign.
The balance of cutscene and gameplay however, was not. I really disliked how the cutscenes just seemed to just keep coming and coming and only had the smallest of breaks in between with very minor gameplay. Again I enjoyed the story aspect of it but I really want a better mix of playing the game and experiencing the story. If it’s just so many cutscenes and little gameplay it feels like a movie that I have to occasionally reach over and tap some buttons to progress.
I’ve given games like TLOU2 crap for having too much cutscene and not enough gameplay and I’ll criticize it here too. I’d like a balance of story and game when I play a video game (assuming story is prominent). I’d like to engage with the game directly.
thank god theres a pause at act 8 lol. i wonder what precedent this will set in snezhnayas aq quests lmao
even if you can leave the game itself/stop playing, the next day youll be forced to go through like another 1-2 hour of cutscenes in order to do your dailies for example
one suggestion: they can really improve on it by making a save and reload system that will work anytime within the aq quest (save for animated cutscenes)
*quest ends*
cutscene
*quest starts*
WHYYY
Also players: Jokes on you I can't read
Edit- Me during the entire interaction
Me: .....
Me: **why does this feel like autistic flirting**
Oh MAN I really hope Dottore comes back he's such a fantastic villian
Dottore has no need to lie at this point and not like he’s a normal human (Are Segments androids or are they cyborgs?). In his eyes, and actual reality, he’s become a new God that can ignore Teyvat’s laws. He’s proven that he didn’t even need the third Moon Marrow, so why swap bodies with Traveler when he’s already overpowered everything that could stop him? Why offer Traveler a spot in his new world?
I see it as him getting emotional with us. Dottore WANTS to be accepted, WANTS to be understood. So why not reach a hand out to this “alien”. A being who doesn’t fit properly in Teyvat. Dude constantly brings up how different Traveler is, how “alien” and misunderstood and out of place Traveler is in Teyvat, how the Traveler is an exemption among exemptions. How isolating that must feel. If anyone can understand Zandik, actually understand him, it would be this literal alien.
Sure, it can be him gaslighting and isolating Traveler, but the man is PAINFULLY honest about his feelings. He truly believes in what he’s saying and why wouldn’t he? No one understands him, no one CAN.
We see this in Scaramouche’s story trailer, his relics, and his notes. Dude is a textbook psychopath who yearns to be validated, or at the very least acceptance. But In his warped view of reality, it’s everyone else who’s built wrong. Not him. Never him. Hell, if you want more proof the man is so pathetically alone, go listen to Columbina’s lines about him and his lines about her.
He literally pulled up a slideshow of all the other Fatui harbingers you've grown close to and is like "Why not me????"
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? He is aware that the Traveler has an effect on the people around them.
"Does everyone you associate with undergo such a change in temperament? Speaking as a researcher, I have to say - it is not a change for the better. It threatens one's ability to be objective."
He SEES how being cared for and valued by the Traveler, platonically or otherwise, does something to a person. Something he does not consider good, AND HE STILL CANNOT HELP BUT WANT IT.
I was way more focused on the idea that Dottore fundamentally does not understand human relationship (the way that Columbina and Wanderer learned to, and the way Sandrone understood but never admitted). But that's not necessarily with odds with the idea that he was still seeking it out in his own way.
To be exploited, used, and to suffer is normal for him. In his eyes, that’s what family is. That’s why even Columbina says, he speaks without malice but he has expectations. Whether he was born this way or his treatment in Sumeru caused this, Dottore on a fundamental level does not or cannot, emotionally or otherwise, empathize.
He’s fucking begging Traveler, breaking his own rules because he WANTS what Traveler could give him. What they gave to others so freely. The man knows he’s different but still can’t comprehend the “Why not me?”
He is desperately trying to convince the Traveler "You don't have to suffer and go through all that pain like I did, I am more than willing to give you what you want right now and all you have to do is be my eternal companion"
The crux of the issue is that Dottore fundamentally does not understand why he was rejected by everyone.
Like Rough-Contact1796 stated above, he wants approval and adulation and for people to praise his hard work because OBJECTIVELY he has accomplished insane feats of science. The problem is that the man is either incapable or just straight up unwilling to recognize that his methods are the problem.
Dottore's answer to the Trolley problem would be to Tokyo drift across both tracks and he wouldn't understand why everyone was screaming.
After all, she’s wisdom itself! Surely she could see the merits of his experiments, his segments especially! She won’t be bogged down by conventional morality, surely?
Only to then be rejected because of, in his words, conventional wisdom.
You have this character, fucking giving it their all and the MC’s replies are just so vapid and shallow! Like Traveler, please! At least TRY to pretend you have a personality, please!
Nothing is changing his mind, he’s just going to give a condescending answer. Dottore is impossible to deal with
Partly because Mick Wingert is so good as Dottore's VA, but also that it felt kind of meta in a sense with him talking about the Traveler always doing mundane tasks every day (like us players always doing dailies).
No wonder the media literacy here is so bad when so many try to jam it all in in one go.
>!First one is pretty obvious. For a battle of such a scale, the fact that the fighting force is as small as it is is kinda disappointing. No Varka, Arle, Nicole, Albedo and Durin. Hell, no Wanderer is kind of a crime to be honest. The sense of catharsis isn't there. A little disappointed since Wanderer going after Dottore has been his main goal since Sumeru, and we didn't get anything.!<
>!Second one I feel like is the main problem here. Since Dottore only showed up at the end of the last AQ, there's literally no time for him to connect with the whole cast. That's why a lot of the dialogue is just spent on "Oh, Dottore that monster" or "Dottore is a sick f*ck" instead of showing it. Hell, Dottore's dialogue is just him mansplaining his entire plan just to show how evil he is to the Traveller and only them. It's a bit too much telling, not showing. I know there are scenes that show his experiments, but I'd prefer it when he's actually present instead of missing.!<
>!There's also the issue with what happened to Rerir. For such a big threat in the lore, the fact that he got done in in only two versions is a major disappointment. I don't dislike his ending, but I definitely felt like there could've been a lot more they could've done with him instead of ending it there. I sincerely hope that the other Sinners make up for it.!<
Overall though, despite it's problem, I do feel like this two partner portion is at least a lot better compared to Rerir's part. There's no part that felt like a drag (Nefer's story) and the final fight is a lot better compared to Rerir's in every aspect. I'd personally give it a 7/10.
You argue that HSR drags it out, but I'd argue that HSR does it a lot better. When you've got that much time, there's a lot you can do to build up the relationship between the main cast. That's why people like the dynamics of the CH a lot, and why people like Lygus as a villain. You've spent a lot of time knowing each and everyone of them, and they continue to carry that every patch.
Phainon's patch is as well received as it is exactly because both his relationship with the CH and Lygus are points that HSR puts heavy emphasis on. Without it, Phainon's story wouldn't have worked. I know the ending can be controversial, but I don't think it invalidates everything about the story.
Also, Rerir is most definitely done. At the very least, >!he's done as a villain. The Sinner count dropped down to four.!< It's a shame too because for someone touted to be able to destroy the planet, the fact that we only got two patches of him at only 10% power and is stopped by a ragtag group just doesn't feel appropriate for a Sinner. If he wasn't a Sinner, I would've been a lot more open to his ending but he is so my standards for him are quite high.
It's a lot of information to take in over a short period of time, and not enough time to actually digest it.
And what I want isn't even an extension to the quest. It's as simple as "instead of having the cast tell me what I should feel about Dottore, how about replacing those scenes with scenes that actually make me feel that way about Dottore?". I don't like being told what to feel about a character. A sign of a good writer is someone that can make me feel a certain way without telling me to.
Hell, here's an example. Instead of only telling me that Dottore is the one behind everything, how about showing me small glimpses or signs that Dottore has been actively working BTS to steal the moon's powers? Create a Chekhov's Gun during Rerir's part, and when it's time for Dottore to enter the stage, it fires? It can be during the AQ, or maybe the small WQs when you explore Nod Krai.
It doesn't take a lot to make a character more involved.
nefer saw more action here than in her whole life combined
Also I agree with the screen time issue. Dottore not being there and having no proper rapport with the characters (and honestly his dialogue and his VA carrying his part of the story to keep it engaging) a lot of our rebuttals against him are very…weak. Like you know when you’re watching a movie and you can just KNOW when one actor is better than the others? Yeah, like that
* The AQ was basically “Here’s why Dottore is evil” and they basically backended everything he does throughout the Luna patches here. Rerir? Dottore. Harbingers in Nod-Krai? Dottore. Palestar Edict? Guess who! And here’s a bunch of random evil shit to show Dottore is the evil to defeat this patch. There was time from the start of Nod-Krai to set him up, there was no need to load everything at the end to justify why we have to defeat Dottore. The pacing feels slightly off.
* Sandrone is definitely the MVP this time. She stole the scenes and went out defiantly. I wish they used all this time to reconcile the Sandrone we know from Fontaine with the Sandrone we know in Nod-Krai, though. She was clearly rewritten, but any rewriting they do, it was very definitely before Fontaine. She had a great arc this AQ but seeing her emotionally being weak this patch without making that reconciliation, idk it feels a bit too jarring for me.
* Is the Rerir/Tholindis “reunion” meant to close out their arc? I hope not, since the way it happened felt unnecessarily rushed. Columbina just met Rerir at the border, and it just so happens that he doesn’t want to fight anymore and helped her; then met the soul of Tholindis just right a bit after, who told her of the failure of her entire plan and whatnots. I felt like there were more that could be explored with their arc, especially when it comes to Vedrfolnir’s prophecy for these two.
\- "Good" = Epic story or "Good" = not masterpiece like Sumeru/Fontaine, but still nice?
He even published papers in the Akademiya! What a scholar lol
I think the first 2 archon quests of Finland were better though.
Sandrone, you are the true must pull.
BTW the best quality of life was giving hydro traveler the duck.
and Dottore i felt should've shown up sooner since the only build up to him was him getting name dropped a few times