Highlights
- Play the story scenarios to get a strong foundation in the game's mechanics and world. It's important for new players to follow the main scenario quests to level up efficiently and avoid unnecessary deaths.
- Complete job quests to unlock new abilities and specialize in a specific combat role. These quests provide compelling storylines and offer gameplay benefits that aid in combat.
- Clear the Novice Hall trials to gain valuable knowledge about your chosen combat role and earn item rewards. These trials also grant a 30% experience boost up to Level 30, helping characters level up faster. Additionally, remember to attune to Aetheryte shards for fast travel and sign off in Sanctuary areas to accumulate rested experience.
Final Fantasy thrives on epic stories across countless realms, and Final Fantasy 14 continues that tradition. This MMORPG sucks fans in with a vast realm rife with heroic journeys, climactic conflicts, and addictive pastimes. These aspects can be a lot to take in. As such, it helps to know where to begin.
Final Fantasy 14 has several tasks that players should complete within their first few hours. Some of these are within the hero's path. Others, however, are unspoken and liable to be missed. Despite that, they're no less important. These activities are invaluable in starting on the right foot. Thus, completing them makes the game a more enjoyable experience overall.
5 Play The Story Scenarios
More than many MMOs, FF14 emphasizes its main story. That's not surprising since Final Fantasy is primarily a single-player series. Fans would do well to follow that format here.
Otherwise, they'll be fumbling around in the dark. The main scenario quests (MSQ) introduce a myriad of mechanics. The quests usually explain them in order of importance, with the basics being first and supplemental stuff saved for later. The same goes for the world. These quests lay the foundation for the narrative and setting, leaving a valuable first impression for the uninitiated.
The world then opens up, letting fans explore the realm they've come to love. What's more, is that they can enjoy that freedom with the knowledge (and experience) needed to thrive. The MSQs obviously provide the most EXP. Focusing on them levels up characters at a quicker rate and prevents them from being overrun. Going off half-cocked is a surefire way to die. Heroes are of no use to anyone then.
4 Play Job Quests
In addition to the main story and side missions, FF14 sports job quests. These are tales centered on a character's job/class: determining one's combat specialties and other abilities. Though fans can only pick one class at the beginning, the corresponding quests are well worth doing.
These excursions are some of the most rewarding content in more ways than one. The storylines are compelling across the board, and easily comparable with main scenario quests. On top of that, they yield gameplay benefits. Progress evolves the class, eventually unlocking a more advanced version (a job) with new abilities. For instance, a gladiator can become a paladin. Attaining these benefits sooner rather than later is recommended. Not only do they aid in combat, but they familiarize players with the system's depths. They can then make informed decisions when more jobs open up down the line.
3 Clear The Novice Hall
The Hall of the Novice is integral to character classes. Players unlock it at Level 15. Depending on how adept they are at MMOs, they may or may not reach this milestone in their first ten hours. This outcome is more likely if they complete the story missions, which bring them here anyway. Once fans reach the Hall, they can take on several trials related to their class's combat roles--tank, healer, and DPS. Basically, these trials are additional tutorials. That might turn people off, but it's in their best interests to soldier through them. The trials further players' knowledge of their chosen roles, naturally making them more adept in their use. That's not all they gain, though.
Completing the trials also grants item rewards. These are mostly new equipment like gauntlets, cuirasses, and trousers. Once fans clear all the trials for a particular role, they get a ring. This little prize increases experience points by 30% up to Level 30. That boost makes a huge difference in the grand scheme of things. In short, the heroes get stronger at a faster rate.
2 Find The Crystals
Like many massive worlds in gaming, Eorzea has Fast Travel functionality. In FF14, the convenient transportation comes courtesy of the crystals, specifically Aetheryte shards. These grandiose objects lie throughout the realm. Each city has a large one at its center, and several smaller specimens exist all over the place. This network lets heroes instantly teleport from one shard to the next. Unfortunately, it calls for an extra step which may not always occur to players, especially given the surplus of info they have to absorb.
To activate an Aetheryte shard, they must attune to it. It's annoying to do this whenever they see one of these shiny rocks, but it's better than the alternative. Without Fast Travel, players will get a lot less done, as they'll spend all their time backtracking. This ties into another tip.
1 Sign Off In The Right Place
Players are unlikely to play their first ten hours in one sitting, especially if they don't stream for a living. That said, they shouldn't sign off just anywhere. Picking the right place can be a tremendous aid.
That's because FF14 contains a perk called "Rested Experience." It lets EXP build while players are offline or away from their keyboards. However, it only activates if those players are inside a Sanctuary. This is another name for the main towns or hub areas, which the game represents with a crescent symbol on the map. If players need to leave, then they ought to reach these places in some manner. Doing so awards a massive amount of EXP with no added game time. It's practically a steal.
Final Fantasy 14 is out now on PC, PS4, and PS5.