Some Ideas for Exclusive PVP Rewards in FFXIV

We have an issue with this, a big one. By “we”, I mean the greater portion of the dedicated PvP community, particularly those currently competing for the top spots on their respective data centers. I am posting this on the behalf of us all. But before I get into it, let me preface my complaint by saying this:

I agree with the decision that the minion is to be made available to anyone willing to go for it.

I, nor any of the other potential top 10 PVPers (that I have spoken to), care about minions. Most were actually disappointed after the original announcement, but we are even more so now. Our issue is with the “compensation” rewards for the top 10...Earrings. 

Earrings are not ample reward for placing in the top 10 of your data center, ESPECIALLY when the reward for top 100 is a mount! In addition, the tier rewards for season 2 were also earrings. Why give us more earrings? I do not understand why such a lackluster reward is even being considered. I will not take up too many more words berating the decision maker here, as I’d rather take the time to offer better alternatives that more justly reward the top 10. To start, please remove the minion reward from the top 10 entirely, and simply add it into the game as you planned to do later. 

Idea 1) Bring back the crowns. Jewelry is a pretty poor glamour piece in this game. Earrings especially clip through most hair and helms. Crowns, however, are widely used by all that earn them, and are a proud status symbol of the top 10 from previous seasons. Since the animal theme this season seems to be “hounds”, a “Lone Hound” crown and a “Pack Hound” crown would be a very good substitute for the previous minion reward.

Idea 2) A custom emote. Most (or all) PVP’ers have let their good sportsmanship slide at one moment or another, popping a heavens cracker over a fallen enemy or striking a pose as the opposing team fails to take you down. An emote to display your victory over the competition would be a suitable reward for the elite top 10 of each data center, and is a great way to show off (which if we are being honest, is all what these exclusive rewards are about). 

Idea 3) Weapon Glamours. I am stripping this idea straight from Overwatch, but I think another great idea would be rewarding the top 10 players with a token, which can be exchanged for a weapon glamour for the job of their choice (Think diamond weapons, or Gold weapons, etc.) They could even reuse the designs of old weapons, and just add a new coloration and epic glow effect. Because again, this is about showing off to your friends and enemies alike. (( Side note: I think this would also be a great seasonal reward for tiers: Bronze -> Diamond weapons can be bought depending on where you land in that season, and you receive 1 token per season. This provides a large amount of rewards spread out across a long period of time as people aim to collect them for each job. It would also be much more sought after than the current lackluster jewelry tier rewards.))

Idea 4) Unique Player Icons. We have the Mentor crown, we have the RP symbol, but what if the top PVPers had a way to distinguish themselves from the rest? An exclusive icon could be rewarded to the top 10 players of each DC which could be displayed next to their name. A simple reward, yet a status symbol all the same.

Idea 5) Unique Adrenaline Effects. Perhaps even more hopeful than the request for a new emote, I think having different colored Adrenaline’s would be an insane reward that just about any PVP’er would fight their heart out to obtain. What if your buster sword was blue instead of orange? What if your Empyrean rain was gold instead of green? I do not propose that the top 10 be rewarded with new animations, no, just slight color variations of the current animations. 

To Conclude: Please consider a different reward for The Feast Season 3 top 10. By taking away the exclusivity of the present reward and offering a piece of jewelry as compensation, you are belittling the passion and hard work us hardcore PVPers. Please stick with your decision to make the minion available to everyone, but please also consider offering us due compensation. I do not believe this is too much to ask. We are not entitled, we are not asking you to hand us something which we have not earned. We are asking for a trophy worth competing for.

TL;DR: The collectors can have their minion, but please give us elite PvPer’s something more satisfying than an earring. We want to feel good about our accomplishment, not cheated.