>>724652789
>The parry system removes most of that layer
And this is where we reach an impasse because I find this utterly disagreeable. If you are part of the .1% who can perfect parry each move to offset all incoming damage - more power to you. This is the outlier, not the standard. If what you claim was an axiomatic truth, there would be no need to optimize builds or experiment with Pictos. I encourage you to play the game with suboptimal/no loadouts and see how it works for you, relying on dodging and parrying alone. Place it on Expert for good measure. Having said this, it IS possible to complete the game without dodging or parrying with certain builds. So again, undermining the traditional strategic depth here one would expect from an RPG comes off a dishonest to me. You are overemphasizing a hypothetical situation of seamless perfect parries which is generally non-applicable to most players. E33 takes a hybridized approach, it is not either or.

Resource management and RNG (read: when you miss a dodge or parry and or get hit with a status ailment) still very much apply in E33. It is merely that it adds an additional layer by adding reactive gameplay and giving the player to potentially avoid it as opposed to arbitrarily eating the status effect as per the standard. Hell, I remember when I first saw the Sirene and all the party members were bewitched by her in the cutscene. I was like

>Ah, hell nah. I see EXACTLY how this shit is gonna go.

Because I knew by default the boss battle was going to assrape me with charm. My response? Build my loadouts around nullifying charm before the boss. Saved. My. Ass. Because dodging that bullshit was not in the cards for me.

Sorry, anon. We're just going to have to agree to disagree here.