[Megathread] Final Fantasy XIV

[Hyral]

I enjoyed my very brief trial of FFXIV a year or two ago but this new race just made me laugh. It's just a human form with bunny ears...

Yeah, though I rather this than just fat humans. At least Hrothgar are something actually different for once!

[Graeham II]

I enjoyed my very brief trial of FFXIV a year or two ago but this new race just made me laugh. It's just a human form with bunny ears...

Hrothgar are a lot more interesting. They're the other new race.

[Celista]

Hrothgar are a lot more interesting. They're the other new race.

Haha. Very furry-esque.

[Wangming]

Stormblood isnt really content at this point, the last jobs ive leveled have just been dragging my face across the pavement also known as HoH spamming. That isnt content I care to experience more than is necessary lol.

A fair point. You only said that this will be your first expansion launch. I wasn't sure how much you experienced.

[Kyriani]

Quick question

The 70 boost is available when buying the expansion then?

Unlike WoW, FFXIV does not give you a free boost when buying an expansion.

For anyone new to FFXIV, I highly recommend not buying a boost. You'll basically be paying to not play the bulk of the game and robbing yourself of a ton of content to do in the process. In my opinion FFXIV is not a "the game starts at max level" kind of game. The whole journey through the MSQ is the bread and butter of the game and paying to not play the game (assuming you've never played through the MSQ even once) seems like a poor way to spend your money.

Obviously I can't stop anyone from buying a boost but I would say consider carefully before blowing a fair bit of cash to not play the bulk of the game.

[Isilarya]

Unlike WoW, FFXIV does not give you a free boost when buying an expansion.

For anyone new to FFXIV, I highly recommend not buying a boost. You'll basically be paying to not play the bulk of the game and robbing yourself of a ton of content to do in the process. In my opinion FFXIV is not a "the game starts at max level" kind of game. The whole journey through the MSQ is the bread and butter of the game and paying to not play the game (assuming you've never played through the MSQ even once) seems like a poor way to spend your money.

Obviously I can't stop anyone from buying a boost but I would say consider carefully before blowing a fair bit of cash to not play the bulk of the game.

Ive got multiple 70s im not a new player. It was to basically start ShB the same as the rest of my FC rather than being like 7 hours behind having to do the slog of 60-70 AGAIN. I get that its not going to be available as has been clarified but that was the idea.

[Florena]

I'm a bit torn on recommending boosts.

The main story is very hit or miss. Parts of ARR are good, parts of ARR are a slog. Especially the first few 2.X patches of msq and the lead in to Titan. But the story gets better towards the end of ARR carrying through Heavensward. Unfortunately SB is a step back, not gameplay wise but in terms of story, especially 4.2 and 4.3. So for some people maybe skipping it is fine.

On the other hand, now that we have new game +, it's not either or. You could buy a boost to get into the new content sooner and then use new game + to go back and experience the story at your own pace without feeling pressure to level up faster to catch up to friends or to get to the endgame if you're someone more interested in the endgame than leveling.

[Maljinwo]

Unlike WoW, FFXIV does not give you a free boost when buying an expansion.

For anyone new to FFXIV, I highly recommend not buying a boost. You'll basically be paying to not play the bulk of the game and robbing yourself of a ton of content to do in the process. In my opinion FFXIV is not a "the game starts at max level" kind of game. The whole journey through the MSQ is the bread and butter of the game and paying to not play the game (assuming you've never played through the MSQ even once) seems like a poor way to spend your money.

Obviously I can't stop anyone from buying a boost but I would say consider carefully before blowing a fair bit of cash to not play the bulk of the game.

Oh, I truly wish to level up regularly. But... you know

Alts or something :P

[MrTharne]

Unfortunately SB is a step back, not gameplay wise but in terms of story, especially 4.2 and 4.3.

4.2 and 4.3 were great.

[Florena]

4.2 and 4.3 were great.

We'll have to agree to disagree on that then. I could not stand Yotsuyu's amnesia arc.

[Katchii]

I'm a bit torn on recommending boosts.

The main story is very hit or miss. Parts of ARR are good, parts of ARR are a slog. Especially the first few 2.X patches of msq and the lead in to Titan. But the story gets better towards the end of ARR carrying through Heavensward. Unfortunately SB is a step back, not gameplay wise but in terms of story, especially 4.2 and 4.3. So for some people maybe skipping it is fine.

On the other hand, now that we have new game +, it's not either or. You could buy a boost to get into the new content sooner and then use new game + to go back and experience the story at your own pace without feeling pressure to level up faster to catch up to friends or to get to the endgame if you're someone more interested in the endgame than leveling.

Most of ARR was not great, from 2.0 - 2.55, there were a handful of good parts. Most of HW was amazing, with only a handful of bad parts and SB was a more even mix, true. After the epicness of HW the story of SB just seemed a bit droll. I still enjoyed it, but it didn't have the same gravitas that HW did and therefore didn't seem as epic. Shadowbringers looks to bring everything that was good about all the previous parts of the game and turn it up to 11....it simply looks amazing.

All that said, I can wholeheartedly recommend a story skip and level boost to jump into Heavensward ASAP and skipping ARR altogether...you're really not missing that much. I can't recommend skipping Heavensward if you care about story at all, it's really that good, and with the level boost you won't ever have to worry about side quests unless you want to and can focus entirely on the MSQ, which is nice.

4.2 and 4.3 were great.

Agreed, I thought most of the post cap patches for Stormblood were good.

[Rogalicus]

Unfortunately SB is a step back, not gameplay wise but in terms of story, especially 4.2 and 4.3. So for some people maybe skipping it is fine.

Personally I found HW's story lacking after meeting Hraesvelgr. I never really cared about Haurchefant and the whole "evil lying church vs one dimensional dragon" story wasn't that interesting either. 3.X's only saving grace is how short it is compared to 2.X, otherwise it's yet again wasted on Nidhogg with short arc about Warriors of Darkness that was completely dropped for two years. Comparatively 4.X has more interesting and darker story about two flawed characters with grim background and how one decided to redeem herself and the other failed to do that.

[Cattleya]

While I disagree that SB is a big step back from HW, I actually agree that 4.2 and 4.3 were lackluster, I had no investment in that predictable and pointless arc.

As for ARR, it's funny because it's actually more interesting with the knowledge of HW and SB events/characters. ARR is very inconspicuous in the way it introduces so many characters and story elements. The first time through, you think it's all just filler that's never going to be relevant, and while that remains true for some of it, a lot of it comes back later.

That, of course, does not change the fact that the actual busywork during the quests (go here, deliver that, go there, stand here and kill that) is mind-numbing.

[Florena]

Personally I found HW's story lacking after meeting Hraesvelgr. I never really cared about Haurchefant and the whole "evil lying church vs one dimensional dragon" story wasn't that interesting either. 3.X's only saving grace is how short it is compared to 2.X, otherwise it's yet again wasted on Nidhogg with short arc about Warriors of Darkness that was completely dropped for two years. Comparatively 4.X has more interesting and darker story about two flawed characters with grim background and how one decided to redeem herself and the other failed to do that.

4.X had some good moments but I felt like the region split made both liberation stories feel rushed and unearned, and the only one of the major vlilains I had any investment in was Fordola. Sure Yotsuyu had a messed up backstory, but when you're introduced as someone who coerces peasants to kill eachother for the lulz, you need more than a sad backstory to make me care about them. And the amnesia thing was such a lazy cringey trope that any potential to make Yotsuyu interesting for me at least was flushed out to sea.

Nidhogg wasn't a deep character, but the idea of the way dragons perceiving time meaning that the pain of Ratatoskr's death was still just as fresh for him 1000 years later helped some for me. Though really deep villains hasn't exactly be a forte of FFXIV in general for me in general, personally I think Gaius was overrated in ARR.

[Deus Mortis]

4.X had some good moments but I felt like the region split made both liberation stories feel rushed and unearned, and the only one of the major vlilains I had any investment in was Fordola. Sure Yotsuyu had a messed up backstory, but when you're introduced as someone who coerces peasants to kill eachother for the lulz, you need more than a sad backstory to make me care about them. And the amnesia thing was such a lazy cringey trope that any potential to make Yotsuyu interesting for me at least was flushed out to sea.

Nidhogg wasn't a deep character, but the idea of the way dragons perceiving time meaning that the pain of Ratatoskr's death was still just as fresh for him 1000 years later helped some for me. Though really deep villains hasn't exactly be a forte of FFXIV in general for me in general, personally I think Gaius was overrated in ARR.

I agree with a lot of that, I did all of the 4.1 story and above in one shot since I took a years break. The entire Amnesia arc imo was not that great.
I am glad Zenos is still alive though, I like him as a villain and did not think he got a big enough of a sendoff.

[Florena]

I agree with a lot of that, I did all of the 4.1 story and above in one shot since I took a years break. The entire Amnesia arc imo was not that great.
I am glad Zenos is still alive though, I like him as a villain and did not think he got a big enough of a sendoff.

Jacking Shinryu and dying on his own terms wasn't enough? I didn't care for Zenos in 4.0 but where they leave him going in 4.55 is potentially interesting for 5.0.

[Graeham II]

Well, there's only six days to go until early access!

I have a good feeling about the expansion. I think it'll be a solid hit.

[icausewipes]

Gonna ride the tank ques and level all my healing classes!

200 iq..hopefully.

[blackpink]

Gonna ride the tank ques and level all my healing classes!

200 iq..hopefully.

Everyone will love you. There will be huge bottleneck in the queues cuz of no healers (pre 70).

[Dugna]

in the single digits for offical launch and less then a week for early access so hyped right now