Anyone here play Final Fantasy XIV?

[Calemyr]

It's strange that I can't find any threads regarding this game, so I thought I'd make one.

While I'm not a big fan of MMOs (I have no patience for grind-driven mechanics, a staple of the genre), FFXIV is hands down my favorite, largely because the grind is fairly minimal (definitely still there, but not as major a focus as usual), and the effort is rewarded with an exceptional story that walks the line between allowing the player to be their character and acknowledging the many emotional scars the campaign carves into them.

Does anyone else around here play FFXIV? I mainly play an Au Ra Ninja on the Diablos server.

Spoiler: My theory on where the game is going.

Show

I have a real strong suspicion that the game is going to eventually reveal that the Warrior of Light is effectively an Eikon themselves. The key ingredients to make an Eikon is abundant magical energy and gathered faith (not even current faith - an object of worship can act as fuel as much as a congregation of faithful). And, as Shiva and Tsukiyomi demonstrate, it's possible to wear an Eikon like a mantle - as both Eikons present themselves as still largely remaining true to their hosts' memories and attitudes. The Warrior of Light is exposed to magic on a near constant basis, and by the end of Stormblood's main quest there are very few people more respected (often outright worshiped) than the Warrior of Light. Add in the fact that even all-powerful ancient dragons like Midgarzormr consider your achievements to be nigh impossible, and you have to wonder if the Warrior of Light isn't already a living Eikon. The game has enjoyed major twists like this in the past, the Dark Knight job questline being a prime example. At very least, I expect you'll need to become a Warrior of Light/Darkness Eikon to defeat some incredible threat at some point, but I still hold that the "Eikon all along" twist is more in keeping with the story so far.

[PhoenixPhyre]

It's strange that I can't find any threads regarding this game, so I thought I'd make one.

While I'm not a big fan of MMOs (I have no patience for grind-driven mechanics, a staple of the genre), FFXIV is hands down my favorite, largely because the grind is fairly minimal (definitely still there, but not as major a focus as usual), and the effort is rewarded with an exceptional story that walks the line between allowing the player to be their character and acknowledging the many emotional scars the campaign carves into them.

Does anyone else around here play FFXIV? I mainly play an Au Ra Ninja on the Diablos server.

Spoiler: My theory on where the game is going.

Show

I have a real strong suspicion that the game is going to eventually reveal that the Warrior of Light is effectively an Eikon themselves. The key ingredients to make an Eikon is abundant magical energy and gathered faith (not even current faith - an object of worship can act as fuel as much as a congregation of faithful). And, as Shiva and Tsukiyomi demonstrate, it's possible to wear an Eikon like a mantle - as both Eikons present themselves as still largely remaining true to their hosts' memories and attitudes. The Warrior of Light is exposed to magic on a near constant basis, and by the end of Stormblood's main quest there are very few people more respected (often outright worshiped) than the Warrior of Light. Add in the fact that even all-powerful ancient dragons like Midgarzormr consider your achievements to be nigh impossible, and you have to wonder if the Warrior of Light isn't already a living Eikon. The game has enjoyed major twists like this in the past, the Dark Knight job questline being a prime example. At very least, I expect you'll need to become a Warrior of Light/Darkness Eikon to defeat some incredible threat at some point, but I still hold that the "Eikon all along" twist is more in keeping with the story so far.

I play FFXIV on the Mateus server. I played back through most of Heavensward, then stopped and just came back a bit ago. So far I have all jobs (except BLU & FSH) to 60+, and FSH to 51. Main is a PLD.

I'm not sure what's going on with the MSQ, so I won't stake an opinion on that right now.

[Hunter Noventa]

I play on Excalibur and I just finished the last bit of MSQ today I don't really subscribe to the theory above myself. I feel like it takes something away from your accomplishments if that's the case.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

I've played the Trial version of FF XIV, and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised and even impressed. It is head and shoulders over any other MMO that I've played (and I was raiding back in the old Everquest days).

I like the idea of having a single character that can do multiple classes instead of multiple characters each with a single class. It works with how they do tradeskills effectively as their own classes. It also limits some of the shadier uses of alting.

I really, really like how combat is engaging. You don't just sit there pressing the same button over and over again for the most part, every class has their combos they encourage you to do. I mean, sure, after a point it is just 'push this same rotation', I guess, but they at least require you to think about it. On the same topic of combat being engaging, enemies actually have area effect skills you can move out of the way to avoid, and this is something I haven't seen outside of 'gimmick' boss fights in any other MMO. They introduce it to you in the newbie zones, and get you used to it as a core combat mechanic you'll need to be on top of as you progress through the game, and I really like that as well for several reasons. It means mobility is really important, and that means classes like BMG who, on paper, have the highest theoretical DPS, will find themselves actually challenged by having to move around, losing part of their DPS in the process, and that makes playing the class something other than simply 'sit here, spam your biggest nukes'. Likewise with melee DPS, you've got different combos for different situations, and being mobile and aware of what is going on around you is key in surviving, much less dishing out your damage.

Ultimately, I don't play MMO's in general very much because I'm not a particular fan of the monthly fee business model. I understand WHY they do it, don't get me wrong, but I still don't particularly want to participate in it.

[Grif]

I'm currently on Goblin, but I myself have only just started Stormblood, so I can't offer opinions on the MSQ either.

Heavensward, however, was quite excellent for a MMO story.

[PhoenixPhyre]

I've played the Trial version of FF XIV, and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised and even impressed. It is head and shoulders over any other MMO that I've played (and I was raiding back in the old Everquest days).

I like the idea of having a single character that can do multiple classes instead of multiple characters each with a single class. It works with how they do tradeskills effectively as their own classes. It also limits some of the shadier uses of alting.

I really, really like how combat is engaging. You don't just sit there pressing the same button over and over again for the most part, every class has their combos they encourage you to do. I mean, sure, after a point it is just 'push this same rotation', I guess, but they at least require you to think about it. On the same topic of combat being engaging, enemies actually have area effect skills you can move out of the way to avoid, and this is something I haven't seen outside of 'gimmick' boss fights in any other MMO. They introduce it to you in the newbie zones, and get you used to it as a core combat mechanic you'll need to be on top of as you progress through the game, and I really like that as well for several reasons. It means mobility is really important, and that means classes like BMG who, on paper, have the highest theoretical DPS, will find themselves actually challenged by having to move around, losing part of their DPS in the process, and that makes playing the class something other than simply 'sit here, spam your biggest nukes'. Likewise with melee DPS, you've got different combos for different situations, and being mobile and aware of what is going on around you is key in surviving, much less dishing out your damage.

Ultimately, I don't play MMO's in general very much because I'm not a particular fan of the monthly fee business model. I understand WHY they do it, don't get me wrong, but I still don't particularly want to participate in it.

One other thing I like about the design that's actually a side-effect is that the GCD is relatively slow. Instead of a 1.5s global cooldown you have a 2.5 or 3 second basic cooldown. This makes things a lot more relaxed (which is important because you have multi-step combos).

Some classes still don't work well IMO (I dislike monk and mechanist for different reasons), but overall I like most of them. They have a nice flow.

Plus the excellent music and decent story woven into everything. I also like that the MSQ is central to everything (unless you use a booster, which is annoying).

Pro tip for leveling fast: use the roulettes as they open up. They're worth a huge chunk of XP. Priority is MSQ--you can hit 70 almost entirely on that for one job. Suppliment with roulettes and you're good to go.

[Hunter Noventa]

The fact that you don't need alts to see everything is one of the strong points of the game, for certain.

I myself main Monk, I wish Machinst was better, I wish i was better at Black Mage, and I do pretty good at Paladin. And I'm looking forward to both of the new classes, and whatever they're going to do to try and fix machinist.

[PhoenixPhyre]

The fact that you don't need alts to see everything is one of the strong points of the game, for certain.

I myself main Monk, I wish Machinst was better, I wish i was better at Black Mage, and I do pretty good at Paladin. And I'm looking forward to both of the new classes, and whatever they're going to do to try and fix machinist.

I agree as to alts (I'm normally very alt-oholic). The down side is bag space. I never have any to spare, what with leveling crafting and gathering.

I really need to find a FC one of these days, even just for the added bank space and private room (with more storage).

[Calemyr]

Ultimately, I don't play MMO's in general very much because I'm not a particular fan of the monthly fee business model. I understand WHY they do it, don't get me wrong, but I still don't particularly want to participate in it.

I can respect the sentiment, but I have to say I don't share it. Not any more, anyway. Free to play MMOs have a depressing reliability for being shabby, poorly run "games" that at best have obnoxiously over-advertised cash stores and at worse parcel out the majority of the game behind it. Sure, you can often earn currency to unlock that stuff, but at such a rate that I can't stand it - as I said, grinding doesn't agree with me.

FFXIV may have a subscription, but it's also a polished, well maintained, and constantly updated experience with ever more content that stretches beyond simple expansions. It might just be me, as I've hit that time in my life where I have readier access to money than I do time, but I'd rather spend a little money to have a reliably enjoyable experience with what time I have available than waste time on a free game that isn't a great experience.

[Hunter Noventa]

I agree as to alts (I'm normally very alt-oholic). The down side is bag space. I never have any to spare, what with leveling crafting and gathering.

I really need to find a FC one of these days, even just for the added bank space and private room (with more storage).

Yeah bag space is a bit of an issue isn't it? I pay for an extra retainer and I still run out. I dread trying to hold onto the leveling gear that'll drop for other classes as I level up in Shadowbringers.

I can respect the sentiment, but I have to say I don't share it. Not any more, anyway. Free to play MMOs have a depressing reliability for being shabby, poorly run "games" that at best have obnoxiously over-advertised cash stores and at worse parcel out the majority of the game behind it. Sure, you can often earn currency to unlock that stuff, but at such a rate that I can't stand it - as I said, grinding doesn't agree with me.

FFXIV may have a subscription, but it's also a polished, well maintained, and constantly updated experience with ever more content that stretches beyond simple expansions. It might just be me, as I've hit that time in my life where I have readier access to money than I do time, but I'd rather spend a little money to have a reliably enjoyable experience with what time I have available than waste time on a free game that isn't a great experience.

You couldn't be more on the nose with the sub fee. The dev team does a very good job of putting out well-polished and stable content on a regular schedule.

And yes, FFXIV does have a cash shop. the most controversial thing in that are the job/story skip potions. Because why are you playing this game if you're going to skip the story? The rest is all cosmetic though. Items from previous events, or just plain luxury items like mounts or rare dyes (Said rare dyes can be acuqired in game, but, well, rarely). It's a good model.

[Inarius]

I haven't played since last summer myself. I was looking forward to the upcoming expansion and was going to resub to get everything squared away before it hits, but the announcement of no new healer job again kind of took the wind out of my sails.

The main problem is unless you have an undergeared tank you rarely ever have to heal so you wind up just DPSing which, for healers, involves spamming one button over and over and occasionally reapplying a dot while you wait until someone takes damage. Then you use one of the numerous insta cast heals since each healer has a ton of them at this point then go back to nuking.

Granted a new healer job wouldn't solve that core issue but at least it would of distracted me for a few months, though I have genuine doubt they can really do anything at this stage to shake up healers and make them more enjoyable in the long run.

Not to be all sour grapes, tanking and DPS are generally really fun in this game its just that healers really need something to get them out of their one button rut that they're currently in.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

I can respect the sentiment, but I have to say I don't share it. Not any more, anyway. Free to play MMOs have a depressing reliability for being shabby, poorly run "games" that at best have obnoxiously over-advertised cash stores and at worse parcel out the majority of the game behind it. Sure, you can often earn currency to unlock that stuff, but at such a rate that I can't stand it - as I said, grinding doesn't agree with me.

FFXIV may have a subscription, but it's also a polished, well maintained, and constantly updated experience with ever more content that stretches beyond simple expansions. It might just be me, as I've hit that time in my life where I have readier access to money than I do time, but I'd rather spend a little money to have a reliably enjoyable experience with what time I have available than waste time on a free game that isn't a great experience.

I think you may misunderstand me...

I don't play MMO's at all because the only ones worth playing require a subscription I am disinclined to continue paying monthly. It's not a matter of pay-to-win MMO's or subscription MMO's... it is a lack of MMO's entirely.

[Calemyr]

I haven't played since last summer myself. I was looking forward to the upcoming expansion and was going to resub to get everything squared away before it hits, but the announcement of no new healer job again kind of took the wind out of my sails.

The main problem is unless you have an undergeared tank you rarely ever have to heal so you wind up just DPSing which, for healers, involves spamming one button over and over and occasionally reapplying a dot while you wait until someone takes damage. Then you use one of the numerous insta cast heals since each healer has a ton of them at this point then go back to nuking.

Granted a new healer job wouldn't solve that core issue but at least it would of distracted me for a few months, though I have genuine doubt they can really do anything at this stage to shake up healers and make them more enjoyable in the long run.

Not to be all sour grapes, tanking and DPS are generally really fun in this game its just that healers really need something to get them out of their one button rut that they're currently in.

I hear ya. Hopefully their rebalance for the new expansion will shake up healers for you, enough that it's more interesting than all that. Never been much of a healer myself, I don't have the temperment for it, but they're so critical to the game I darn well want them to be having a good time.

And yes, FFXIV does have a cash shop. the most controversial thing in that are the job/story skip potions. Because why are you playing this game if you're going to skip the story? The rest is all cosmetic though.

Those skip potions make a lot of sense to me, actually. The raw amount of content in the game is absurd. I remember being level 41 when Heavensward came out. No problem, right? 9 levels isn't THAT big a deal. Power through, beat the main quest, and it's off to dance with dragons, yeah? Ha ha, no. Then you have to deal with an Ascian who took umbrage at how you won the final fight, and Alphinaud's attempt to build (and fund) an independent fourth Grand Company, and a whole slew of resummonings and... and... well, a nice banquet to tie it all together, actually. By the time I dragged my sorry ass to the stone state in the sky, I'd gone through more content than I would have believed. And then Heavensward, and then Heavensward's postgame, and then Stormblood, and then Stormblood's postgame... That is a lot of content to plow through to get to the new stuff and a daunting hurdle to jump. I would never imagine anyone skipping something on their first run through, the story is just too good to skip, but if you wanted to have a second character? Not because you need it, mind, but just because you want the choice between, say, an Au Ra and a Viera? Holy crap is that a lot of stuff to get through.

Also, leveling up new jobs. Sacrosanct excrement... I wanted to max out Dark Knight, just because I so desperately want to see the job quests for it, but it is such a long road when you don't have main quests handing out huge XP payouts like candy.

I think you may misunderstand me...

I don't play MMO's at all because the only ones worth playing require a subscription I am disinclined to continue paying monthly. It's not a matter of pay-to-win MMO's or subscription MMO's... it is a lack of MMO's entirely.

Then do I have it right this time: You just don't like the staples of the MMO genre? Because I would generally agree with you. I hate grinding, people spamming about online gold sites, grinding, players who have run dungeons so often it's become rote for them and they have no patience for the inexperienced, grinding, fifteen players gathered around for a whack at saving the same eternally assaulted civilian, and grinding. It takes an exceptional game (either in gameplay or story) to make it worth it to me. The only games that have really done that for me were Ultima Online, City of Heroes, and Final Fantasy XIV.

[PhoenixPhyre]

One other consideration about that "wealth" of story is getting gear. For the early stuff that's easy (Ironworks and then Shire gear is easy to acquire). But to have a chance of completing the Requiem for Heroes quests you need pretty darn good gear, which means grinding. My PLD (ilvl 370 or so) is currently struggling to beat the DPS timer on the last fight of the last MSQ. And there were a bunch of times I had to take a break from the MSQ to get geared up to continue.

Spoiler: fight spoilers

Show

If I stay in the AoEs while the swords are down (to have enough time to kill them), I get killed by the AoEs. If I move out...I don't have enough grunt to kill them before the charge goes to 100% and one-shots me. And then I have to play through that whole scenario again, including the interminable pre-fight as Hien.

[Calemyr]

One other consideration about that "wealth" of story is getting gear. For the early stuff that's easy (Ironworks and then Shire gear is easy to acquire). But to have a chance of completing the Requiem for Heroes quests you need pretty darn good gear, which means grinding. My PLD (ilvl 370 or so) is currently struggling to beat the DPS timer on the last fight of the last MSQ. And there were a bunch of times I had to take a break from the MSQ to get geared up to continue.

Spoiler: fight spoilers

Show

If I stay in the AoEs while the swords are down (to have enough time to kill them), I get killed by the AoEs. If I move out...I don't have enough grunt to kill them before the charge goes to 100% and one-shots me. And then I have to play through that whole scenario again, including the interminable pre-fight as Hien.

Oh.... Oh crap. I was salty when I discovered Tsukiyomi had an item level requirement of 335 - I've been fighting and scraping and have only hit 334 last night. There's going to be another gear check? <Redacted> a <Redacted> with <Redacted> then <Redacted> and the horsebird they rode in on.

[PhoenixPhyre]

Oh.... Oh crap. I was salty when I discovered Tsukiyomi had an item level requirement of 335 - I've been fighting and scraping and have only hit 334 last night. There's going to be another gear check? <Redacted> a <Redacted> with <Redacted> then <Redacted> and the horsebird they rode in on.

Do the roulettes and buy the 360/390 gear with tomestones. For a weapon, you'll have to either buy a crafted one (ilvl 390 IIRC) or do hunts to buy a 350(?) one.

But yeah, the gear check for the final dungeon is 360 and drops 375 gear.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Then do I have it right this time: You just don't like the staples of the MMO genre? Because I would generally agree with you. I hate grinding, people spamming about online gold sites, grinding, players who have run dungeons so often it's become rote for them and they have no patience for the inexperienced, grinding, fifteen players gathered around for a whack at saving the same eternally assaulted civilian, and grinding. It takes an exceptional game (either in gameplay or story) to make it worth it to me. The only games that have really done that for me were Ultima Online, City of Heroes, and Final Fantasy XIV.

Not... quite?

Spammers and gold farmers are always going to exist in any MMO setting, no matter how good they are. Community might be part of it, but I never got into FF XIV long enough to actually get to know the community. It's not the tropes, I mean... they became tropes for a reason, right?

It's... 'free' MMO's, and I think we're in agreement here, are basically pay-to-pwn. You can eventually grind up to somewhere relevant, but most likely you're gonna have to fork over cash to get anywhere significant. They get a mechanical advantage that non-paying players cannot hope to overcome. I think we can both agree these are garbage, and should be avoided on their merits.

However, where we differ is the non-free MMO's.

I played Everquest back in the day, was a raiding Monk in one of the top five raiding guilds on EMarr of our time (Resilience). We were the highest ranked 'family raiding guild', as opposed to the higher ranked 'hardcore raiding guilds'. We went from Everquest's heyday, back in Gates and Omens era, all the way up to Depths of Darkhallow, which was really the beginning of the end. I didn't exactly get burned out, but old-school Everquest raiding was... FAR more primitive than even WoW raiding, much less FF XIV. As a Monk, I actually got to play a game, because I had to pull mobs (this was before linked aggro, mind you) from their spawn places and split the groups up into more managable bits. A well oiled pull team can have mobs consistently entering the raid without pulling too many or having too much downtime. I didn't really have a problem with the primitive mechanics or graphics, because I was having fun.

When I left the game, I calculated how much money I spent on it, and was pretty impressed at how much that amount was. I played the game over a decade, my main created back in 2000 when Kunark came out. That was when I really decided that unless I can find that kind of close circle of friends on a game again, MMO's weren't really worth the price I was paying.

I tried WoW for a while. It was okay, but I never got far. I think my highest level character was in their 40's. It was interesting, the graphics were improved, but there wasn't that sense of community I had. I couldn't find a guild who were a group of friends first, and raiders second. So I shrugged and walked away.

FF XIV... looks really awesome. If there was an MMO I would consider, it would be this one, because it is head and shoulders above any other I've tried, mechanically. However, again, the crippling problem here is that it isn't the content or the gear or the mechanics that is going to bring me into an MMO, and bring me back day after day... it's going to be the friendships I start and maintain that will do it.

I freely admit, this is a Catch 22. You can't make friends in the game if you don't play the game, but the game by itself isn't worth paying monthly fees for without those friends to play with. Which is why I've mostly sworn off MMO's. The monthly fees, at least to me, aren't worth the price of admission.

[Calemyr]

Yay. I'm now done with 4.56 and ready to jump into Shadowbringers when the time comes. No more gear checks, no more rush.

So I've got three months to goof around. Probably enough time to pick up a second job. I've been toying with Dark Knight already, anyway. Not because I want to be a tank but because Fray is such an interesting concept for a character.

[Hunter Noventa]

Yay. I'm now done with 4.56 and ready to jump into Shadowbringers when the time comes. No more gear checks, no more rush.

So I've got three months to goof around. Probably enough time to pick up a second job. I've been toying with Dark Knight already, anyway. Not because I want to be a tank but because Fray is such an interesting concept for a character.

Dark Knight is slated for some adjustments too, though I imagine that's primarily around how they're somehow going to merge TP and MP for classes. Still no idea how that'll work for the classes that use both (Bard, Paladin, Dark Knight).

But the Dark Knight class quests are all around excellent, and do make sure to check your journal as you do them.

[Resileaf]

I have a strange relationship with FFXIV.

I love this game. Been playing it for about a year now. And yet I'm not even above lvl 30 because I only play on and off and insist on leveling every combat class at the same time.

[Calemyr]

Dark Knight is slated for some adjustments too, though I imagine that's primarily around how they're somehow going to merge TP and MP for classes. Still no idea how that'll work for the classes that use both (Bard, Paladin, Dark Knight).

But the Dark Knight class quests are all around excellent, and do make sure to check your journal as you do them.

Well, I'm going to Dancer as soon as possible (I always envisioned my Au Ra as a gypsy dancer to begin with, given the almost balletic movements of rogue-based combat). I guess DK will be flipped on its head halfway through my time in it.

I have a strange relationship with FFXIV.

I love this game. Been playing it for about a year now. And yet I'm not even above lvl 30 because I only play on and off and insist on leveling every combat class at the same time.

Yikes. Given that most of the XP you get is from the main quest, and you won't have a good armory bonus because your max level isn't much higher than other classes, that's gotta be an unholy level of grinding.

[Gnoman]

I have a strange relationship with FFXIV.

I love this game. Been playing it for about a year now. And yet I'm not even above lvl 30 because I only play on and off and insist on leveling every combat class at the same time.

That's me, but with crafting/harvesting classes (except cooking and fising) instead of combat. At least this path has tangible benefits, but it still slows down leveling a lot, especially when you put in a month or two a year.

[Resileaf]

Yikes. Given that most of the XP you get is from the main quest, and you won't have a good armory bonus because your max level isn't much higher than other classes, that's gotta be an unholy level of grinding.

Funny thing is, I play so little that actually leveling is super fast because of the rested XP bonus. I can expect to level once or twice every dungeon I do.

[Grif]

Funny thing is, I play so little that actually leveling is super fast because of the rested XP bonus. I can expect to level once or twice every dungeon I do.

Not an option for DPS classes. 20-30 mins wait time deters me quite a bit.

But at least Palace of the Dead is a thing. Even if somewhat mind-numbingly boring.

[Resileaf]

Not an option for DPS classes. 20-30 mins wait time deters me quite a bit.

But at least Palace of the Dead is a thing. Even if somewhat mind-numbingly boring.

Eh, I don't particularly mind the queue time. I just do leves while I'm waiting.

[Wookieetank]

*Energetic Lala waving* I romp around on Brynhildr when I'm subbed. Started off as goon, but thanks to queue times being an issue picked up Warrior and and now main that. If you've ever been in a party where the tanking was sponsored by the Society of Eorzeans (&Domans) cowering behind Lalas, and the letter Q, it was me.

Used to keep up with crafting back in Heavensward, but fallen a bit behind on that. Keep sorta up to date on fishing though, was my first non-combat 70 (and currently my only one).

Between life keeping me busy, and my interests moving more away from video games in general, I'm usually subbed for a month or so, before taking a 3-5 month hiatus. So maybe 2-3 months out of the year I'm subbed (unless there's a fresh expansion).

[Rynjin]

So, this thread indirectly helped me get (back-ish) into the game.

I got in originally around the time Stormblood game out, I believe. Got both the expansions for super cheap because I'd heard the game was great and hadn't played an MMO in forever and made a character on Mateus, a Pugilist. I was playing for a bit, got bored around level 12, and called the purchase a loss.

I got in again last year, swapping to Faerie with a friend of mind who'd been playing for a long time, and remade the same character I'd had on Mateus. I love Monks and martial arts stuff, so I was determined to make Pugilist work. Got up to level 18, did Sastasha for the first time, and he disappeared into the ether due to some personal **** so I dropped the game again. Nothing lost since he'd paid for my sub.

Friend has shown back up since and has stuck around the last year and has been nagging me to give the game another try. I've been bitten twice already, so I'm kinda reluctant. Early game grind of this game is some of the most mind numbing **** I've ever been through but he's a good friend so I give it another shot. Read this thread not long before, apparently everyone hates Monk. So I make an Arcanist with the intention of swapping to Rogue at 10 and do so.

Rogue is a lot more fun. I'm a level 43 Ninja on Malboro now and enjoying the game pretty well. Also leveled Gladiator to 20 to play with another friend who got in at the same time, which is also fun. Preordered Shadowbringers for the 30% EXP boost which takes the sting out of the grind just a little.

So far the main story seems pretty trash (it's just Final Fantasy I again but this time the empire from XII is the bad guys apparently) but I'm really enjoying the class quests. Wish they were voice acted like some of the main quests since they're far more engaging, but c'est la vie. Ninja especially is a hoot; Karasu is a great flamboyant villain and I wish someone with an ounce of his charisma was present in the main story. Thancred is the only guy that comes close, but even he is just kind of generic posh good guy man.

Looking forward to leveling into the Heavensward and Stormblood content. I plan to pick up Astrologian when I can, as it's the only healer that actually looks fun. I had hoped Dancer would be some kind of support class but it's a DPS for some odd reason. Not that I dislike playing DPS but I also really like being a party buffer but hate healing (hence Astrologian over White Mage or Scholar).

[Hunter Noventa]

So far the main story seems pretty trash (it's just Final Fantasy I again but this time the empire from XII is the bad guys apparently) but I'm really enjoying the class quests. Wish they were voice acted like some of the main quests since they're far more engaging, but c'est la vie. Ninja especially is a hoot; Karasu is a great flamboyant villain and I wish someone with an ounce of his charisma was present in the main story. Thancred is the only guy that comes close, but even he is just kind of generic posh good guy man.

Looking forward to leveling into the Heavensward and Stormblood content. I plan to pick up Astrologian when I can, as it's the only healer that actually looks fun. I had hoped Dancer would be some kind of support class but it's a DPS for some odd reason. Not that I dislike playing DPS but I also really like being a party buffer but hate healing (hence Astrologian over White Mage or Scholar).

The Heavensward story is considered leagues better than ARR, ARR is kinda disjointed because they were simultaneously completely redoing the game's engine while they were writing the story. HW has an amazing story that really feels like an older FF title in the right ways. Stormblood is good too, better than ARR, but not quite as good as HW.

[Resileaf]

ARR is very much a story of "Here's how the entire (playable) world is like", more than a long storyline of what you're personally doing, at least up to the point where you get advanced jobs.

[Calemyr]

Yeah, 2.0 (levels 1-50, is the game before it was rebuilt as A Realm Reborn) is focused way more on world-building than power fantasy. It can make things hard to get into, but I actually think it's critical. If you don't understand the world you're in, what really makes the City-States tick and the true horror of the Primals and such, nothing that follows has a tenth the impact it ends up having. Trust me when I say the payoff is worth being a glorified extra for the first chunk of the game.

After 2.0, the story stops being a "little fish in a big pond" story and becomes rather pointed becomes a "holy hell, what the <redacted> is s/he?" type of story as your exploits continue to add more and more absurd weight to your rep, with you becoming the de facto leader of the Scions (you're still mute, so they still act independently, but nobody questions that you're trump card that saves their bacon).

One of the more interesting things about FFXIV, in my opinion, is actually just how much the game shows significant emotional wear and tear on the main character. It's often subtle, like a worried glance at something innocuous that triggers them, or visions of fallen friends backing them up in tense moments, or an ever growing availability to make proclamations that make mention of the dead.

The Dark Knight job quest line, however, probably takes the cake, as the foundation of the entire line is just how much resentment and guilt the main character is bottling up over their experiences as a champion. It's really something to see in play.

Basic map of the game as is:

Spoiler: A Nutshell Synopsis.

Show

2.0: A Realm Reborn, or This is Eorzea - After a catastrophe wipes out the great heroes of the last age, a nobody appears from nowhere and gets pulled, somewhat unwillingly, into a world of rival city-states, wild demi-human races and their destructive gods, a magitech-obsessed conquering Empire, and a band of mysterious masked summoners who take entirely too much interest in the aforementioned nobody. This nobody joins a party of heroes, known as the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, and quickly gains renown for their achievements. This portion is almost entirely world-building - you are just one of many adventurers and by no means the most important in any group you run with.

2.X: Postgame, or Finding a New Balance - With several major threats pushed back for a time, the Scions find themselves increasingly taxed by Primals summoned by the demi-human races. While they struggle to keep the damage to a minimum, they decide they need to reorganize to better handle the Primal threat, making deals with power players around the continent to gain the backing for their plan. Meanwhile the masked summoners, the Ascians, grow ever more interested in the main character. This portion shows you as an elite adventurer, capable of taking on any fight but hampered by things you can't just sword your way through, such as logistics, politics, and funding.

3.0: Heavensward, or Old Wounds - Seeking aid from the infamously isolationist city-state of Ishgard, the Scions find themselves caught up in a millennia old war between Ishgard and the dragons that they share the mountains with, and decide to try forging a peace between them. Meanwhile, the Ascians seem to have the ear of Ishgard's church, whispering in the archbishop's ear about a path not to peace, but to victory. The tone of Heavensward is desperate and dour, as the new city-state is a near-frozen stone fortress of grim dragonslayers who have known nothing but war since the day they were born, and your fame and success don't mean much here your prey of choice has been Primals and not dragons. Because it's so focused on a single city-state and it's affairs, the story ends up being a lot more personal, with your character having a far more personal stake in things than before.

3.X: Postgame, or Give Peace a Chance - Peace is not a binary state, even when won by heroes. The long memories of the dragons and the war-hardened culture of Ishgard make it very hard for both sides to tolerate the truce declared between them. Agitants on both sides make negotiations tenuous at best. Meanwhile, Ala Migho, a city-state that's been under Imperial control for a generation, is showing signs of a nascent rebellion - and it seems intent on dragging its neighbors, the Grand Alliance, into the struggle. As with the 2.X postgame, a lot of the story here revolves around threats that can't just be beaten into submission, particularly hatred and prejudice, but the tone is decidedly more optimistic than it was in 3.0. The main character begins to reach the levels of out-and-out hero worship, and most regard them as, quite possibly, the single most influential being alive on the continent, while all other players are treated as elite adventurers you call in when things get rough.

4.0: Stormblood, or The Things I Do For a Spunky Blonde... - The Ala Mighan rebellion is proving to have some legs, so the Grand Alliance decides to back it, recruiting the Scions' aid and, more to the point, the main character. Despite gains made, the rebellion runs into a brick wall when faced with the provincial viceroy, none other than the Emperor's son, a devastating swordsman that makes Primals look like playthings. Unable to overcome this threat, they try to force the Empire to divide their forces between Ala Migho and Doma, another conquered land in the far east. They send a few Scions (including you) there to start another front in the rebellion. At this point, you are no longer just considered the Big Gun of the Scions, you are considered the Nuclear Option for the Grand Alliance. The great and the powerful regard you with affection and awe, and the Scions to whom you were once a mere auxiliary now actively struggle to keep up and resent leaving all the heavy lifting to you.

4.X: Postgame, or A Solid Argument for Cremation - Driven out of both Doma and Ala Migho, the Empire adopts a new strategy to cope with their defeat: flat-out denying that they lost and doubling down on the lengths they'll go to, while the Grand Alliance struggles with the logistics of trying to prop up a devastated Ala Migho and Doma deals with its own aftermath. The Scions are left running around putting out fires as setting up defenses while the Empire employs various schemes reclaim their lost territories - or at least make the losses worth something. To make matters worse, a mysterious voice that only the Scions can hear keeps calling for their help, a call that is greatly unsettling them even on the eve of the Empire's most brutal counter-attack. As with Stormblood, you are the greatest weapon Eorzea has. Everyone, Grand Company commanders, civic authorities, legendary heroes, and even your fellow scions, are in awe of your ability and readily acknowledge they rely on you far more than they should as well as more than you should be expected to endure. As with every Postgame, however, you are confronted with passive kinds of threats that you can't fight your way through and even when you can a victory doesn't win you much.

So, yeah, writing this up, I noticed something of a pattern, with expansions introducing a lot of "hard" threats that can be fought, while the postgame storylines largely confront you with "soft" threats, obstacles you can't just overpower, meaning that it's when you're at your strongest you tend to be particularly powerless... It reminds me a lot of the Joker from The Dark Knight: "All that strength, and there's nothing you can do with it..."