Should I just buy a skip/boost?

[bloodwulf]

Everyone I've seen that used a skip ended up not enjoying the game and quitting because they didn't care about the story. If you are short time and certain that you will enjoy the story, you can skip the ARR Main Story Quest because it is extremely long and not as good as HW/SB.

I'll second your latter point, i was close to quitting due to ARR, but skipped it to Heavensward and enjoyed the heck out of that experience. About to start SB tonight. They need to find a way to clean up ARR because i know its a huge barrier to entry for a lot of my friends. They see me playing on discord, but when i tell them that the early questing is a slog or a skip, they just go back to playing POE or WOW, which is a shame because this game is great past ARR.

[Felshatner]

I'll second your latter point, i was close to quitting due to ARR, but skipped it to Heavensward and enjoyed the heck out of that experience. About to start SB tonight. They need to find a way to clean up ARR because i know its a huge barrier to entry for a lot of my friends. They see me playing on discord, but when i tell them that the early questing is a slog or a skip, they just go back to playing POE or WOW, which is a shame because this game is great past ARR.

Agreed, Square Enix grossly overestimated how much MSQ people would want to do, they've certainly acknowledged this by adding a skip even though that is an imperfect solution. Back in ARR, large chapters of MSQ were added with each content patch, making the barrier to entry larger and larger for new players. They still add new MSQs in content patches, but it's much more manageable and the story more compelling IMO.

[xuros]

I love levelling, I will never understand people who want boosts, why the fuck are you even playing then?

Would imagine its those who have started years after release and want to catch up to current content.

[Katchii]

Well I started FF14 solo without any friends, so I could fully immerse myself into the world and story with nobody constantly reminding me what I am doing is bad or wrong, the rush to endgame right before the next expansion seems pointless anyway, I still have 3 months or so to do the MSQ. (I am currently around level 30 MSQ) I also want to level up some more crafting jobs before I continue the MSQ. The difference in FF14 is that I feel no pressure at all to play efficient or fast, it feels the opposite actually. The game seemed to remind you about this in the MSQ by being actually slow paced. I welcome that, too many games constantly bombard you with action and the rush to endgame, FF14 doesn't and I hope it stays that way simply because I can pick dozen of other MMOs that are all just rush to endgame games. I could probably play level 50 content (currently only have starter edition from twitch) for a year without feeling bored or worthless because there is so much to do.

Not discounting your opinion, at all, or insinuating you are in any way wrong. But I've already stated, I had your exact mentality when I first started this game. I genuinely hope you get to keep it. I've played since before launch of 2.0 and my mentality has evolved a bit over the years, but especially as I played through the MSQ a second, and more times. The ARR 2.0-2.55 story quests are the worst between the three sets currently in game (ARR, HW and SB). Still enjoyable, but one hell of a slog for people not "into" it.

Just keep in mind not everyone plays the same as you, has the same goals, or has the same mentality about things in game.

[GreenJesus]

I understand that grinding second jobs must suck, but this guy is on his first job and is already bored out of his mind. RPGs are definitely not for him.

I was pretty close to saying fuck it in realm reborn after reaching level 50. It was like 150 quests of teleport here and teleport back.

[Sae]

I'm considering buying the story skip, I played the game right after ARR re-released, went through the whole main story, and started playing again this past week during the free trial thing. I made a new character so I could re-learn the game after having not played for years, but the story is getting to be a slog, there's so much "port here, talk to NPC, port back, repeat". Paying 18$ and just reading a recap of the story online seems like a better use of my time, and then I can jump right into Heavensward.

Does purchasing the story skip still give you access to some of the story rewards? I'm specifically thinking of that mechanical chocobo mount you get at the end of the original story.

[bloodwulf]

Just keep in mind not everyone plays the same as you, has the same goals, or has the same mentality about things in game.

My current mentality is clearing the MSQ and Laughing at or Crushing on the various npcs in this game. Hilda, yes please...Estinion please tone down the brooding angst. I have a love hate relationship with this games NPCs. I really like a lot of them (tataro is hilarious, Hilda is hot, One armed general is a badass) but god i hate some of them. Estinion is terribly unbearable and Alpha is lame (god i hope he gets some sort of development in SB).

[Katchii]

My current mentality is clearing the MSQ and Laughing at or Crushing on the various npcs in this game. Hilda, yes please...Estinion please tone down the brooding angst. I have a love hate relationship with this games NPCs. I really like a lot of them (tataro is hilarious, Hilda is hot, One armed general is a badass) but god i hate some of them. Estinion is terribly unbearable and Alpha is lame (god i hope he gets some sort of development in SB).

Every one of these characters embodies a pretty typical anime trope so I just roll with it as I watch quite a bit of it, but yeah, some of them are hard to deal with. Alphinaud doesn't change much, character wise, though other characters begin to make fun of him and point out his qualities which make it a little easier to deal with. He develops a bit in Stormblood, but nothing game changing, so to speak, but he does get easier to deal with IMO.

[Florena]

My current mentality is clearing the MSQ and Laughing at or Crushing on the various npcs in this game. Hilda, yes please...Estinion please tone down the brooding angst. I have a love hate relationship with this games NPCs. I really like a lot of them (tataro is hilarious, Hilda is hot, One armed general is a badass) but god i hate some of them. Estinion is terribly unbearable and Alpha is lame (god i hope he gets some sort of development in SB).

If you don't like Alph in HW I don't think SB will please you.

[CptEgo]

I was pretty close to saying fuck it in realm reborn after reaching level 50. It was like 150 quests of teleport here and teleport back.

Yep I know, just climbed that mountain It's more of a grind than most people would ever have the patience for.

[GreenJesus]

Yep I know, just climbed that mountain It's more of a grind than most people would ever have the patience for.

Man was I happy when I finally finished that garbage and could move on to heavensward. Stormblood didn't seem as excitig to me as heavensward. It was probably the fact that it was a lot more down to earth leading a resistance instead of a thousand year old war with dragons. Dragons make everything better. Just look at how much ESO surged when they announced the dragon expansion.

[CptEgo]

Man was I happy when I finally finished that garbage and could move on to heavensward. Stormblood didn't seem as excitig to me as heavensward. It was probably the fact that it was a lot more down to earth leading a resistance instead of a thousand year old war with dragons. Dragons make everything better. Just look at how much ESO surged when they announced the dragon expansion.

I dont think it's garbage, but I don't think new players should be required to do that whole story line, it's just exhausting. I had to Google it just too make sure you really have to do all that, I couldn't believe it

[blackblade]

ARR MSQ: Boring as hell, very much worth investing in story skip item for this one (the required 2.1-2.5 patch content slog will turn a lot of players away)
HW MSQ: Some decent storytelling here, 3.1 to 3.5 will once again halt your progression and might make you give up if you just want to reach endgame, jobs aren't fleshed out at this stage so combat still feels repetitive and lacks depth
SB MSQ: Can't skip this anyway, but you wouldn't need to. This is where the fun begins, both in terms of improved storytelling and combat with the introduction of many DPS jobs' job action gauges, the meat and potatoes (or mustard on your hot dog if you will) for the DPS jobs specifically

I highly recommend the story skip options available to you if you are the type of player that values gameplay and endgame vastly over story/leveling elements.
It's a joke just how much better combat is post level 60 compared to the content before it (which varies by job, but the DPS jobs certainly don't shine until 60+)

Alongside the story skip, make sure you invest in a job level boost for a job that appeals to you most on paper. Youtube will be a decent source of info for this purpose

There's some decent parts in the second half of ARR (the waking stones getting raided, Gaius and the Ultima weapon, and the Crystal Braves getting formed up to arriving in ishgard).

The grind in 2.1-2.5 is fucking crazy though (literally 100 quests). they did a much better job keeping it brief with 3.1-3.5

[Katchii]

There's some decent parts in the second half of ARR (the waking stones getting raided, Gaius and the Ultima weapon, and the Crystal Braves getting formed up to arriving in ishgard).

The grind in 2.1-2.5 is fucking crazy though (literally 100 quests). they did a much better job keeping it brief with 3.1-3.5

The story is fine,IMO, it's just how they go about telling it and the quests that are fucking annoying.

My personal favorite WTF kind of thing in the story is the whole..."here let me give you a magical linkpearl that allows me to talk to you from across the world! but you're still going to have to hoof it all the way back to our base in BFE to talk to us."

The sheer amount of teleporting around to talk to people you have a communication device to talk to is mind boggling.

Experiencing the story for it for the first time if you're really into it doesn't make it seem all that bad, because you're kind of distracted by the story. At least I was. The second+ time through, it was just obnoxious, and really highlighted what I had heard other people who just aren't that interested in the story were saying; the MSQ questing/leveling experience in and of itself in 2.0-2.55 is pretty terrible, and annoying AF when everything you have to unlock is tied to doing the MSQ.

[HazySwayze]

I just started playing 14 again after playing briefly after the relaunch and I'm really enjoying it. I can understand how a lot of people are tired of the quest design but really that's been an issue for almost 20 years now for all developers, I just try to enjoy the story in between the fetching. Not sure why people complain of a grind though during 1-50, especially with their "Road to 60" buff on various worlds. I made a character on one of those worlds, and withing 2 days of casual playing between sessions of yard work, was able to make it to level 30 with ease and less than 8 hours played by just doing the MSQ. If thats not ez-mode enough for you, perhaps this is just the wrong genre for you.

[Onikaroshi]

The story is fine,IMO, it's just how they go about telling it and the quests that are fucking annoying.

My personal favorite WTF kind of thing in the story is the whole..."here let me give you a magical linkpearl that allows me to talk to you from across the world! but you're still going to have to hoof it all the way back to our base in BFE to talk to us."

The sheer amount of teleporting around to talk to people you have a communication device to talk to is mind boggling.

Experiencing the story for it for the first time if you're really into it doesn't make it seem all that bad, because you're kind of distracted by the story. At least I was. The second+ time through, it was just obnoxious, and really highlighted what I had heard other people who just aren't that interested in the story were saying; the MSQ questing/leveling experience in and of itself in 2.0-2.55 is pretty terrible, and annoying AF when everything you have to unlock is tied to doing the MSQ.

TBF they don't explain the easy way to get to the Waking Sands, so most people take the long way.... and that adds up.

[bloodwulf]

TBF they don't explain the easy way to get to the Waking Sands, so most people take the long way.... and that adds up.

I travel to the nearest Aethershard and travel via mount west for about 3 minutes or so. That is the easy way right?

[Onikaroshi]

I travel to the nearest Aethershard and travel via mount west for about 3 minutes or so. That is the easy way right?

No, you got to limsa and take the boat near the Arcanist guild, it drops you right outside it.

[blackblade]

I travel to the nearest Aethershard and travel via mount west for about 3 minutes or so. That is the easy way right?

Limsa Lominsa -> Aetheryte to Arcanists guild -> Take Ferry to Vesper Bay

[The Oblivion]

ive been considering getting the game and boosting, i played on launch to about level 20, hated questing. was so slow and tedious. i dont give a fuck about the story. same with wow. i love dungeons, raiding, and progressing my character. i have buddies that play and can help me out at max level. What im trying to figure out, is what boosts i need and where exactly they put them? There appear to be a few different boosts. Has anyone used these/can elaborate and where they put me? I want to get the closest to max level as possible and skip as much leveling as possible