How long does it take to get good at Final Fantasy 14? Please read this FFXIV beginner guide to the game that should power you through the game and get you ready for all of the content post-Endwalker.
Final Fantasy XIV is not easy to get into, but once you do, it can be incredible.
So strap on your boots, get your bow ready, and be prepared for a long and rewarding journey ahead.
1) Find Your Playstyle
There is A LOT to do in FFXIV from crafting, to the gathering, to leveling, and the list goes on! Do you enjoy story? Do you get caught up in lore? Is being a collector your thing (so many cards! So many mounts! and don’t get me going on minions!). There is plenty of ways to enjoy the world of Final Fantasy. I for one love the story and everything about it. I grew up on RPGs so a good story is always on the top of my list when it comes to a game, and even though FF is story driven with how it system works, doesn’t mean you have to force yourself into that style if that isn’t for you. I have a friend who has been playing with me the last year or two and he has no idea what the story is about (skipped all cutscenes), but he loves everything Final Fantasy has to offer. He is hooked and having the time of his life!
2) Re-Read Skill Description
Let me explain, FFXIV does something that isn’t obvious at first and that is as you unlock new skill, old skills can get new passives/actives/abilities that complete new skills. One practice you will want to do is go back and look over your skill descriptions every 10 levels (personal opinion you can do it less levels are more). For example, hide (lvl 10) is an ability you unlock very early in Ninja that allows you to sneak BUT it gains a new passive benefit once you unlock your mudras (lvl 35) that when used resets your mudra stacks. IT took me an embarrassing amount of time to realize this before I noticed that it was added to the description tab of Hide. so make sure you keep an eye on your abilities as you level throughout your class.
3) Majoirty of the game is locked behind MSQ (Main Story Quest)
Some people love it, some don’t but you if you are feeling like there isn’t a lot to do when you first start off that is because dungeons, raids, trails, unlockable quest are locked behind the Main Story. You will want to take some time to go through MSQ to start unlocking all the additional things FF has to offer (And you can get FFXIV Gil along the way!). If you ever need a break from MSQ I recommend doing quest that have the plus sign in the lower left of the symbol. They unlock new features or side dungeons that aren’t unlocked through the MSQ
4) Don’t Be Afraid To Try Out A Different Job
The beauty of Final Fantasy 14 is that there is no restriction on how many jobs you can play on one character. You aren’t locked into the first job you pick when creating a character. The game is built around you being able to freely play any job in the game without the need of starting over (some jobs require reaching certain points in story and certain lvls first just a FYI). So feel free to try out any job you are interested in. You might enjoy tanking! Or maybe you been itching to see if healing is fun! Maybe getting upclose and personal is your thing, or blasting your enemies away from a distance is the superior breed! You can try them all and find out what jobs you find fun. As someone who enjoys changing pace often. This was the #1 winner for me when it came to FF 🙂
5) Free Companies – The community within a community
(Note) Free Trial users can’t join FC 🙁
I highly encourage anyone playing FF to find a FC (Free Company) that fits their personalityor playstyle. There are a range of FC from serious raiders, to casual playthrough, beginner friendly, Role Playing, Quiet, or super active. There is something for everyone and there is no crazy commitment. Try one out see if the vibe works for you and if not find one that does. I have made so many awesome friends in my free company (the little flower) that focuses on helping new players adjust… and make those dreaded DPS ques much faster haha. Another great thing about free companies are they can active buffs to help everyone who is in it from more exp, faster chocobo leveling, and ways to cut cost for everyone. Hopefully you will find one that fits you and start building some everlasting friendships through Eorzea.
