Thinking of returning

[Darometh]

Been gone form the game for a long time, before PvP was introduced.
I am kind of interested in giving it another shot but not sure if it wouldn't be better to wait for the next expansion to launch and how much content overall there is to catch up to, if it's not too overwhelming and leaving me with a somewhat "don't know what the fuck to do" feeling.
Would be helpful to get some more inside what lies ahead should i return.

[Super Kami Dende]

I was tempted to come back to try out Heavensward before the new expac on my Friends Server. Then found out I had to do every single story quest(248 of them on a new character) in the base game to even access Heavensward so figured fuck that.

[Binaris]

1. a lot of story. depending on when you left you will have a metric fuckton of story to catch up on. if you dont care. not really the game for you
2. catch up gear is not really much of an issue. they do well with making sure it isnt hard to get into a decent gear set
3. if you are coming back with pvp in mind. know the pvp community is small and pvp is poorly done. Win trading for the first fwe weeks of a season followed by not pvping to maintain rank.

[Arlee]

I was tempted to come back to try out Heavensward before the new expac on my Friends Server. Then found out I had to do every single story quest(248 of them on a new character) in the base game to even access Heavensward so figured fuck that.

Starting on 6/16 you could just buy the Scenario shortcut $18 to complete the ARR storyline and start right up at Heavensward. Alternatively there's $25 which completed both ARR and Heavensward stuff and you'll be able to just start with Stormblood stuff.

[Faroth]

Starting on 6/16 you could just buy the Scenario shortcut $18 to complete the ARR storyline and start right up at Heavensward. Alternatively there's $25 which completed both ARR and Heavensward stuff and you'll be able to just start with Stormblood stuff.

However, please note that if you take this route, you do NOT start with a level 50 or 60 job. There are separate job potions for $25 to insta-level up (Samurai and Red Mage excluded).

Sounds like you stopped around 2.3 (Frontline PvP was introduced then).

If that's correct, you'd be on quest 39/100 for the A Realm Reborn patches MSQ.
Heavensward has 94 quests (I'm playing through on an alt, spent about a half day on a Sunday and another half day on separate Sat/Sun plus a few evenings for a couple hours here and there and I'm halfway on them).
Post 3.0 (Heavensward patches) have only 44 quests and they all felt much shorter.

So if you are interested in the story, there's quite a bit, but I wouldn't say overwhelmingly "what do I do" as the MSQ would keep you guided through. As you explore the Heavensward zones, there are quests marked to grant aether currents plus a compass to find random ones in the zone to unlock flying.

Quests that unlock non MSQ dungeons are also clearly marked.

[Arlee]

However, please note that if you take this route, you do NOT start with a level 50 or 60 job. There are separate job potions for $25 to insta-level up (Samurai and Red Mage excluded).

I should have mentioned that, but yes levels are separate from completing the story stuff. Ima half asleep corgi today ><

[Super Kami Dende]

Starting on 6/16 you could just buy the Scenario shortcut $18 to complete the ARR storyline and start right up at Heavensward. Alternatively there's $25 which completed both ARR and Heavensward stuff and you'll be able to just start with Stormblood stuff.

The thing is, I don't want to have to either do it all or skip it all. I'd like to experience the story at my own pace whilst still having the choice to explore the game if I am level appropiate.

[Arlee]

The thing is, I don't want to have to either do it all or skip it all. I'd like to experience the story at my own pace whilst still having the choice to explore the game if I am level appropiate.

I get that It is worth noting though that it only affects one character on your account so you could always make an alt and then work through all of the story at your leisure. It's definitely worth seeing

[Iamanerd]

I'm playing again as well, I have a level 45 summoner and last time I played was before Heavensword. I'm in no hurry but does anyone have an idea of how much I have ahead of me?

[Faroth]

I'm playing again as well, I have a level 45 summoner and last time I played was before Heavensword. I'm in no hurry but does anyone have an idea of how much I have ahead of me?

You've got quite a lot. There are 100 MSQ quests after you finish A Realm Reborn's main story at 50.

Heavensward itself has just under 100 quests in the MSQ and another 44 or so for the patch content MSQ. So yeah, quite a lot of content ahead of you, but if you're in no hurry you can get through all of it and into Stormblood for sure. My friend caught up during Heavensward quickly enough.

[The Casualty]

I think at a few hours a night I was able to go from 2.1 to 2.55 in like a half a week. And that was just because I wanted to break it up. That's really the longest drag. And from 2.4-2.55 it actually got interesting and I was watching all the cutscenes.

[Deleted]

I'm thinking of picking up FF14 again. I first started playing a short time before Heavensward came out, got to max level in Heavensward (black mage) and kinda lost interest. I remember doing some Alexander raids (duty finder only) to see what it's like, but I quit like 1-2 months into Heavensward. I enjoyed the story mainly. Is the (rest of the) story content of Heavensward (that I assume I have to do) as long as in ARR? Cause I remember that being very long, with lots of filler quests.

[Binaris]

HW after release story is actually very good. Not painful like some of the after release arr patches. Definitely not a concern.

[Faroth]

I'm thinking of picking up FF14 again. I first started playing a short time before Heavensward came out, got to max level in Heavensward (black mage) and kinda lost interest. I remember doing some Alexander raids (duty finder only) to see what it's like, but I quit like 1-2 months into Heavensward. I enjoyed the story mainly. Is the (rest of the) story content of Heavensward (that I assume I have to do) as long as in ARR? Cause I remember that being very long, with lots of filler quests.

It's not nearly as long either.

You'll have the conclusion of the Dragonsong War and then a bit of a side story (that's likely going to come back up in the future) before the build up to Stormblood.

There's only 44 quests in the MSQ for all of Heavensward patches. Might hit a few walls on ilvl, but not that hard to get around it (especially with Stormblood gear likely soon).