FFXIV Catching Up To Patch 3.0 Guide

FFXIV Catching Up To Patch 3.0 Guide by kovensky

This is intended for new and returning players, and is a set of notes and summaries of most things you have to do to catch up to all the content released before the Heavensward expansion, current as of Patch 3.0. Catching up at least to the end of the Main Scenario Quests is mandatory in order to have access to Heavensward areas, jobs, and all content besides the Au Ra race.

I have left several quest names, trial names and dungeon names vague to avoid possible spoilers.

Terminology

There are several common words, abbreviations and expressions used throughout the game that will also be used in this guide. For reference:

• MSQ: Main Scenario Quests. They have a distinctive icon, and they are required to unlock almost all of the other game features, sidequests and zones. It’s recommended to do them as soon as they are available.
• ID: Instanced Dungeon. While English-speaking players just normally refer to them as “dungeon”, Japanese players normally use “ID”. To be brief, I’ll just call them ID.
• Trial: Boss battles, always 8-man after level 49. While all of the MSQ trials have no rewards, all of the Extreme versions have their own themed weapons as rewards.
• Hard Mode: Hard Mode refers to the level 50 version of MSQ trials. While most of the sidequest Hard Mode trials reward weapons, all of the MSQ Hard Mode trials have no rewards.
• Extreme Mode: The Extreme Modes are even harder versions of the trials. The level 20, level 34 and level 44 trials’ Extreme Modes reward accessories, and their weapon rewards works on a weekly quest token system; but all other Extreme Modes directly reward the player with Weapons and/or Accessories. The Minstrel’s Ballad trial only rewards Accessories. Often has new mechanics, much more unforgiving versions of existing mechanics, or combinations of both.
• Raid: A larger scale ID. In FFXIV 2.x, the high end raids consist of 8-man parties doing more challenging dungeons and bosses than on regular ID or Trials. The other tier of raid is the Crystal Tower series, where 3 parties of 8 people (24 total) clear a large dungeon. The Extreme Mode fights are slightly less difficult than an equivalent Coil boss fight.
• Coil: A Realm Reborn’ high end raid. Consists of 3 chapters (Binding, Second, Final) with 4 maps with rewards each. Almost nobody does Binding Coil Turn 3 as it has no rewards.
• Item Level: All stats of a given item scale with this value, so it’s the basic value used when referring to the quality of an item. Usually abbreviated as ilvl, IL, or simply an i preceding a number. For brevity, this guide will use the i-number format.When given as a quest requirement, it means that the ID, Raid or Trial that this quest requires or unlocks requires that item level as the minimum to allow entry. All quests with an ilvl listed are level 50 quests. If two ilvls are listed, the first number is the minimum requirement, and the second is the item level of the equipment dropped in the dungeon.
• GC: Grand Company. When given as “GC HQ” in the Sidequests list, it means that the quest is located in your current Grand Company’s headquarters. They are the Adders’ Nest, the Hall of Flames, and the Maelstrom Command. It is possible to switch between them after receiving the level 50 promotion, but if it’s your first time transferring to a particular GC, you start from the initial rank.
• Level Sync: When doing FATEs, dungeons and trials that are meant for a level lower than your own, your stats and abilities are automatically restricted to a value equivalent to the best possible at the Level Sync level. Some level 50 dungeons will have an Item Level sync (currently of 110), which restricts your gear’s capabilities to the maximum Item Level even if your level itself is not synced.
• DoW, DoM: Disciple of War and Disciple of Magic. Refers to Physical Combat and Magic classes, respectively.
• DoH, DoL: Disciple of the Hand and Disciple of the Land. Refers to Crafters and Gatherers, respectively.

Main Scenario Quests (MSQ)

2.0 A Realm Reborn

All MSQ after 2.0 require level 50.

2.1 A Realm Awoken

To unlock guildhests, do the last available guildhest, as each guildhest unlocks the next guildhest.

2.2 Through the Maelstrom

2.3 Defenders of Eorzea

2.4 Dreams of Ice

2.5 Before the Fall – Part 1

2.55 Before the Fall – Part 2

3.0 Heavensward

Finishing Before the Dawn unlocks all of the 3.0 Job quests, starting at level 50 and continuing every 2 levels. The very first 3.0 MSQ unlocks most of the 3.0 content, including access to the Machinist, Astrologian and Dark Knight job trainers.

Notable Side Quests

All your class quests, most notably the level 5 quest (unlocks Levequests, Hunting Log and has a unique chest piece reward), level 10 quest (unlocks learning other classes), level 15 quest (new ability) and level 30 quest (new ability). After finishing your class’ level 30 quest, a new level 30 quest will become available (two for Arcanist) that directs you to your Job quest.

All Job quests (every 5 levels until level 50, every 2 levels afterwards) unlock abilities. The Summoner level 30, 35 and 45 quests require completion of the first, second and third Main Scenario Quest trials, respectively, before they can be accepted. On all pre-3.0 jobs, the level 45 and 50 quests reward you with Artifact Gear, which is much better than anything you have access to when first reaching those levels.

To play as Rogue, it is necessary to first level any other class to level 10 to unlock learning other classes. If the player started in Limsa Lominsa, they can then go to the Rogue guild right away, but otherwise the player has to first do the The Gridanian Envoy or The Ul’dahn Envoy level 15 MSQs before they can access the guild.

To play as Machinist, Astrologian or Dark Knight, it’s necessary to do the first 3.0 MSQ.

Instanced Dungeon unlocks (pre-lv50)

Several of these dungeons contain mobs that are included in your Grand Company’s Hunting Log. For example, doing Halatali right after joining a Grand Company is a good way to get most of the 2000 seals needed for the My Little Chocobo sidequest. They are also a good source of experience, especially as the gap between new dungeons in the main story increases.

Instanced Dungeon unlocks (level 50)

All quests are only available at level 50, and only after completing the final quest of Patch 2.0, except for Trauma Queen, which is available at Level 47. Despite being a level 47 quest, the dungeon itself can only be entered at level 50.

There used to be two ways to unlock Amdapor Keep, but they were simplified into the Ghosts of Amdapor quest. The dungeon also used to have harder mechanics that were simplified, particularly with the second boss.

All level 50 dungeons (as of Patch 3.0) reward the player with Allagan Tomestones of Poetics. The higher the Item Level required for the dungeon, the higher the reward. Poetics tomestones can be exchanged for Item Level 120 gear with the Auriana NPC in Revenant’s Toll, however those items will be outdated by level 54.

The Item Level 120 gear can be upgraded into i130 with items rewarded by the weekly quest unlocked through the Crystal Tower, or through rewards from the Final Coil, by trading them in with the NPC Drake (North Shroud, village on the top right). The i130 variants can be dyed.

Patch 2.2 started a pattern where they would add one completely new dungeon and two Hard versions of lower level dungeons, which are basically new dungeons with a similar theme of the old dungeon. While some areas may look familiar, they are completely different maps, often taking different routes or just having a completely different scenario.

Patch 2.4 started adding the brand new dungeons to the MSQ, so the sidequests only unlock the Hard versions of the older dungeons.

The dungeons rewarding i90 gear actually reward Antique gear that can be traded with Kakalan (building north of Revenant’s Toll) for usable i90 gear.

Beast Tribe quests

All quests require completing the level 41 MSQ In Pursuit of the Past. The daily quests build up reputation, and at certain reputation points a new quest advancing the storyline is available. After the final quest is done, it is possible to buy a mount and minion from the tribe.

Ixali high reputation quests reward Oaknots, which were valuable currency up to 2.55, but it’s unknown if they will still be useful in the 3.x series.

Feature unlocks

Materia-related unlocks are in a different section.

Dance action quests

All quests require level 14 and having finished the last level 14 MSQ, which varies depending on your starting city.

The /mandervilledance is unlocked through the Hildibrand quest series.

Materia / crafting system unlocks

All Materia-related unlocks are done in the are around The Bonfire, in the northern part of Central Thanalan. The MSQLife, Materia and Everything helpfully takes the player to The Bonfire, but unhelpfully doesn’t unlock the quests until it is completed. Unlocks that require a crafting or gathering class to be at a specific level are marked with “DoH” or “DoL”.

Minions

The Hildibrand minion is unlocked through the Hildibrand quest series.

See also http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Category:Minion for a (mostly) complete table with all minions and how to obtain them.

Housing Areas

Hard Mode Primals quest chain

All quests are given by Urianger in the Waking Sands.

Also included are the first three Extreme Mode primals, as their quests follow from the Hard Mode primals. The other Extreme Mode primals are either not in a quest chain, or are in a different quest chain.

The three Extreme Mode primals in this section also have a small chance of dropping the Nightmare mount.

Extreme Mode Primals

The first three Extreme Mode primals are given in the previous section, as they follow the Hard Mode Primal quest chain.

As the following Extreme Primals require finishing the story of a given patch level, the patch level needed is given in a Story Level column.

While The King Lives and The Whorl of a Time have no requirements besides finishing their patch’s main story,Judgment Bolts and Lightning also requires the completion of both The King Lives and The Whorl of a Timebefore unlocking, and Drop Dead Shiva also requires the completion of Judgment Bolts and Lightning.

The i95 reward weapons can be upgraded into i100 by trading a Mirror of the Whorl with the NPC Aliana in Revenant’s Toll. The i110 reward items can be upgraded into i120 by trading Diamond Dust with the same NPC.

The Odin trial rewards particularly low item level gear meant to be used for the looks through the Glamour system.

Collecting all six mounts from the Extreme primals (excluding Nightmare) unlocks the A Legend for a Legendsidequest from the Wandering Minstrel (Revenant’s Toll), which rewards the Kirin mount and the Ichiban achievement.

Crystal Tower

Hildibrand quest series

Requires finishing the 2.0 MSQ. The quest to start the series is The Rise and Fall of Gentlemen (level 50), given by Wymond (Steps of Nald).

The series is 21 quests long, and it unlocks 2 Hard trials and 1 Extreme (but still easy) trial. Also unlocks the/mandervilledance, the /hildibrand pose, as well as a Hildibrand minion.

Job and Class combination reference

All players can play as any Job / Class as they want to, by merely switching which weapon and soulstone they have equipped. Each class levels up from level 1. However, the player is restricted to their initial class until completing their class’ level 10 quest.

All Job quests require having completed the Sylph-management level 20 MSQ.

For all 2.0 jobs, the Main Class is the class that takes the Job Quests and is able to equip the Job Soulstone to become the Job. All Job Quests are only available after finishing the Main Class’ level 30 quest.

The Secondary Class is another class that must be at level 15 before you are able to accept the Job Quest as your Main Class.

The Extra Class is a third class whose skills can be drawn from through the cross-class skill system. A few are very important, such as Gladiator’s level 22 Provoke for tanks, or Thaumaturge’s level 26 Swiftcast for all mages and healers. The new 3.0 Jobs have no Main or Secondary class (think of them as being Main Classes themselves), and thus have two Extra Classes.

Meelee DPS

Ranged DPS

Magic DPS

Tank

Healer

[1] To become a Rogue, one must first start as any other class and, after doing their initial class’ level 10 quest, do the quest at the Rogue’s guild in Limsa Lominsa. Also note that Limsa Lominsa may not be accessible until a level 15 MSQ takes you there.

[2] To unlock Machinist, Astrologian or Dark Knight, one must first complete the 2.x story (i.e. the Before the Dawnquest) as any Level 50+ Job until the first 3.0 MSQ takes the player to Ishgard. The quests will be available, respectively, on the Skysteel Manufactory, the Athenaeum Astrologicum, and with the NPC Ishgardian Citizen near The Tribunal. As they are Jobs with no base Class, they all start at level 30.

[3] Scholar and Summoner are both Arcanist, and thus both share the same level and extra attribute points.