Towards the end of December 2023 I decided to begin a new playthrough of Final Fantasy 14, gargantuan mammoth that it is. This wasn’t my first rodeo - I have three other characters, all with varying levels of progress. But the furthest I’d ever made it was into the Shadowbringers patch quests.
I’m sorry to say that I mostly rushed through the story back then, eager to catch up with friends and reach the current end of the game in time for Endwalker. Inevitably, I burned out, playing only in short, hyperfixated bursts of a few weeks at a time and never actually reaching Sharlayan in the end. Rest in obscurity, Guybrush Chandagnac.
A new character was needed, so I rolled up a bunny boy to take me through the entire story in one go, but with a measured pace. I didn’t want to burn out again. I also didn’t want to obsess over reaching the end, just so I could play Dawntrail with everyone else. It would bebetterif I just took everything at my own pace, right?
Once I reached the previously elusive Sharlayan, I went on to complete Endwalker in about five days. Sure, reaching that point took me six months of ‘going at my own pace’ but the finish line was in sniffing distance and I want to see where the story goes before I get spoiled.
Anyways, here’s what I learned in six months of mostly patient, sometimes frantic Final Fantasy 14 goodness.
Tanking Isn’t Scary
I resolved to complete each scenario with the same job as the ‘canon’ character that FF14 uses in its advertising, Meteor. This meant three tanks - Warrior for A Realm Reborn, Dark Knight for Shadowbringers, and Paladin for Endwalker. This also meant getting over my awful tankxiety.
Leading a pack, being responsible for everyone’s safety? A terrifying prospect six months ago. Now I’m part of the slightly bitter/slightly grateful contingent of tanks who both love and hate that tanking is so easy. It would be great if we had some slightly more complex rotations or if dungeon bosses posed bigger threats. But most of the time they don’t…
This isn’t going to resonate with everyone - sometimes anxiety is impossible to overcome. But I will say that forcing myself into the position headfirst and getting experience is the only thing that worked for me. Just give it a go. The world needs more tanks.
Screw Glamour, Fishing Is The True Endgame
The first job I got to level 90 was Fisher. This was partly due to how ridiculous Grand Company turn-ins and Ocean Fishing trips are for earning experience, but mostly due to how bloody satisfying fishing is.
I have no fewer than ten Big Fish timers on the go at any point, a chocobo saddle bag filled with different baits, and my player home has six big aquarium tanks filled with my choicest spoils. Fishing is a time-consuming, frustrating hobby in FF14 but the triumphs far outweigh the crushing defeats.
Feast of Famine, one of the most notorious quests for its requirements of catching six incredibly rare and complex fish, took me a full fortnight to finish off. Ever since, I’ve worn the resulting title (Of Dragons Deep) proudly.
Fishing is an arduous, distracting pastime, but it’s so worth the investment. When you properly get into it, it’s almost like being inducted into a secret society of like-minded individuals. Heading to the fishing holes for the rarest fish and meeting someone going after the same target as you is a fun time. You’ll wordlessly pass the time, both hoping for your luck to pay out, wondering if the other is having a better time of it. It’s a unique, lovely experience.
Screw the Coral Manta though. That evil f**k has been eluding me for months now.
Duty Support Is The Best Possible Way To Play Through Story Content
Ostensibly a way to shorten DPS queues and help newbies get through mandatory content at their own pace, I’ve come to appreciate Duty Support for completely different reasons. I’m most often tanking, so queues aren’t an issue for me.
No, Duty Support to me is what turns FF14 into a full-fledged Final Fantasy. From Heavensward on, this feature allows you to run through dungeons with your steadfast allies.
Fighting through The Vault with poor Haurchefant and taking on the challenges of Bardam’s Mettle with Hien and Lyse feels far more appropriate and exciting than running through dungeons with strangers. It adds so much to the ‘traditional RPG with a party’ feeling.
Sure, it’s the slower way to muddle through content, but what it loses in speed, it more than makes up for in dialogue and quirky character traits, such as Minfilia being very cautious and Alisaie hitting her Limit Break button about a millisecond after the gauge fills up. I would recommend Duty Support to anyone, even those who missed out on it the first time through.
A Realm Reborn Isn’t The Slog People Say It Is
This one should go without saying, but the people who constantly tell others that A Realm Reborn is just something you have to ‘get through’ are doing it a disservice. People who skip or skim through ARR aremissing out on some truly incredible moments.
There’s some drudgework, but the same can be said for every single expansion pack. Here the drudgework is broken up by moments like the attack on the Waking Sands, the prison rescue, and your first clash against Ifrit.
I look back on these hours fondly - ARR is not the slump you might think it is. It’s an upward curve that gets better with each story beat, establishing the wonderful world that is Eorzea and beyond.
All that said, Minfiliaisa little boring and Moenbrydashouldn’thave died so quickly.
I’m Far More Ruthless Than I Thought
You might read that and think I’m about to talk about PvP. You’re right, but probably not in the way you think you’re right.
The Market Board is where the wheat is sorted from the chaff, and boy, I consider myself wheat. I’m one of those total pricks who would undercut their own grandmother if it would get them a quicker sale. I bought my house within three months, something I consider quite an achievement. I have eight retainers working for me and my empire of dirty gil. If I notice something selling well, I will flood the market with my goods, cornering that precious coin for myself.
I tell myself that this is fine, because I never buy items from my fellow petty undercutters. Of course, I can only afford to do this because I’ll take a 3k hit on my most recent offerings to quicker fill my coffers. Oh well. Capitalism is a tricksy beast.
I’m Having The Time Of My Life
I’m incredibly excited for Dawntrail and the new adventures it promises. I feel that familiar adrenaline pumping through my veins - the same I felt when I got my hands on Pokemon Crystal as a child or when I saved up enough to buy Final Fantasy Tactics for the PSP. Something about FF14 is magical, and I can’t get enough of it.
If you run into Mobula Greylag from Sagittarius in-game, say hi!
