Final Fantasy XIV: 5 Tips for Beginners

Final Fantasy XIV has come a long way from its initial release in 2010. Since then, the game has had four expansion packs, from Heavensward (2015) to the most-recent Endwalker (2021) game. The game has improved significantly with each expansion pack, garnering over 30 million subscribers. These expansions, and the overall advanced gameplay, make it one of the best MMO games to jump into. 

So whether you’re an all-time fan or a beginner looking to join the fictional world of Hydaelyn, this article is for you. Here’s to breaking down five of the essential tips to help get you to a strong start. 

Let’s dive right in, shall we?

5. Learn the Basics

Before we get to the nitty gritties of the game, there are a few basic features of the game to keep in mind. Here are essential features to consider.

• Character creation – The game will prompt you to create a character. Essentially, your character needs a race, gender, and class to start playing. The first two (race and gender) do not affect gameplay, so don’t sweat too much about it. When you’ve picked out your preferences, you’ll need to select a class. 
• Class creation – These are similar to ‘jobs’ that need work input to unlock advanced options. Check out the variety of classes and pick the one you prefer. For instance, you could try out the Damage Dealers class, which is relatively easy to start with. You’ll notice that you must begin as a Lancer to advance to Dragoon, so look out for classes you stand to unlock as you progress further into the game. 

Speaking of progress …

4. Level Up

It would be boring if the game didn’t offer increasingly complex challenges the more you play the game. There are a ton of ways to level up. You could always find ways to earn extra XP, from quests to dungeons to trials and hunts.

In Final Fantasy XIV, the more you accomplish quests, the more content, features, or classes you unlock. To check for story quests with advanced features, look for a gold and blue icon with a plus sign and an exclamation point. To unlock a new class or quest, you must complete five levels. 

So up your game and accomplish those main story quests to unlock new classes and advanced levels. Side quests are an enticing way to keep you engaged. Though they may not necessarily contribute to leveling up, they are still a whole load of fun to play. 

If you want to branch off from the norm but still earn yourself extra XP, you can check out raids like boss fights or dungeons that are a smaller version of raids. If you’d like a more challenging scenario, you can hunt for rare mobs that exist in different power ranks where you get bonuses for killing them. 

It’s always a good challenge to keep leveling up; however, the game offers much more in what seems like ‘distractions’. While you enjoy the game’s side-content in casinos amongst other features, look out for the easier-to-do main story quests marked with icons that look like meteors, and you’ll be good to go.

3. Patience Pays

Did I mention that the storyline is part of the main quests? Well, it is common among most games to merge gameplay with storylines. And if the storyline is intriguing and pretty personable, the more fun it is to play. 

Even so, for newcomers, and all-time fans alike, you may find the build-up of the story a tad bit too slow. Not to worry, though, as with patience and trust in great reviews so far, the story does get much more enticing the more you play. 

What is our essential tip? Do stick with the game, and with each story quest, you should begin to settle into a superb experience. After all, Final Fantasy XIV will let you unlock specific expansions and features of the game only when you’ve reached a certain point in the story.

2. Remember to Eat

Before embarking on any quest or dungeon, an essential tip is to eat first. You don’t want to lose out on the 3% XP boost to stats you stand to gain from not eating first. So make sure to stop at food vendors in settlements and towns you come across and purchase some food. 

It’s pretty affordable and will award you the ‘Well Fed' buff that lasts for 30 minutes. If the duration ends, you still gain XP points by 3%. This tip helps you level up faster before taking on any adventures. 

1. Embrace the Community

Keeping these tips in mind, the last essential tip is to socialize with the community. Gratefully, Final Fantasy XIV  has garnered an impressive community of passionate gamers, so you can start making some online friends as soon as you can. 

When you bring on a decent group of players together, you’ll find it useful to complete some of the group challenges, especially in the more advanced levels of the game. It’s also generally more fun to play with others when embracing the online community. 

To get started, you can check out the game’s Social menu and look out for some fellowships or free companies that offer you a welcoming online chatting space. Free companies mainly help beginners master the game and provide bonuses in XP or buffs received, so don’t be scared to reach out to them. Alternatively, you can check out Square Enix’s Community Finder, where you can search for friends or companies that match your interests and goals.

That’s it, folks! The five essential tips for beginners looking to get a strong start on playing Final Fantasy XIV. With these tips, you’re sure to enjoy a smooth learning curve throughout the expansion packs of Final Fantasy XIV.

Do let us know how your experience is in the comments below or our socials here. If you’re already a pro, feel free to share some of the tips you’ve used to master the game.

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