Picking this up todayFollow

So a friend of mine got this game and I went over to his house and watched him play for a while last night and the game looks amazingly fun. So I'm going to go pick up a copy today.

Anything I should know before I start playing?

I don't know what that means. The biggest question I have is PC or PS3?

Well, list the important ones. I have a friend who plays and he has other friends who play, so I know what server I'm going to play on. I don't know what any of the classes do, you could start with that.

If you want to play with a friend from level 1, make sure your starting classes are in the same city.

Ul'Dah gets you: Thaumaturge (DPS), Pugilist (DPS), and Gladiator (tank).

Limsa Lominsa gets you: Maurauder (tank) and Arcanist (hybrid DPS/Healer and evolves into both summoner and scholar)

Gridania gets you: Conjurer (healer), archer (DPS), and lancer (DPS)

If you friend is already a higher level than you, ask him if there's a class he's yet to unlock. Don't worry about it too much - you can change classes any time after level ten, and the game is really meant to be played solo up to level 15.

Your starting class has its own series of quests and a storyline every five levels. Keep up with those because they unlock unique abilities.

Also keep up with the main storyline, as that's how you unlock stuff like airship access to the larger world and the dungeons which start at level 15.

If you're stuck or wondering when you'll get something (like a chocobo), chances are the answer is: follow the main story.

There are several useful websites out there with relevant information.

A great database website:

http://xivdb.com/

A great website detailing jobs, strategy, the world map, dungeons, etc:

http://www.ffxivinfo.com/

You can probably find all the information you need about classes and jobs there.

You'll have to pick your first class which you will need to level to 10 before you can change to another class. To change to another class, you need to venture to the appropriate guild and do the class quest for that guild. After that, switching classes is as simple as switching what weapon you're using.

Once you hit level 30 with a class, you're able to choose a job: a more focused version of your class. For instance, a thaumaturge is able to select a black mage which boosts INT and gives you some job specific abilities that THM doesn't have. In exchange, you lose some of the cross class abilities that THM has access to. You also need to get a secondary class to level 15 for your job. It differs based on which job you choose. So, I'll give you a run down:

GLD (gladiator) changes to PLD (paladin) - tanky class; uses sword and board
MRD (marauder) changes to WAR (warrior) - tanky class that will receive buffs here soon; uses 2 handed axe
PGL (pugilist) changes to MNK (monk) - punch things with your fists! great physical DPS class
LNC (lancer) changes to DRG (dragoon) - stab things with your spear! great physical DPS class
CNJ (conjurer) changes to WHM (white mage) - one of the two healers; focuses on heavy AoE healing and is great for heavy healing on single targets
ARC (archer) changes to BRD (bard) - ranged physical DPS; bard uses songs to buff allies and does quite a lot of DPS by itself
THM changes to BLM - ranged magical DPS; focuses on heavy damage spells that require a little time to cast; great burst damage
ACN (arcanist) changes to:
SMN (summoner) - ranged magical DPS; uses a pet and focuses on DoTs; very high sustained DMG
SCH (scholar) - the second healer; uses a companion fairy to help heal which gives unique buffs; focuses on shields and AoE shielding

This is a gross simplification, by the way. :)

You also have the option to level up crafts and gathering professions. You do the same thing: go to the guild, accept the main quest, equip the weapon, and become that specific craft or gathering profession.

Cities that have the specific classes:

Limsa - ACN, MRD, culinarian, blacksmith, armorer, fishing
Ul'dah - PGL, THM, GLD, alchemy, gold smithing, weaving, mining
Gridania - LNC, ARC, CNJ, carpentery, leather working, botanist

Here is a website with the races:

http://www.final-fantasy-14.org/races

Edited, Dec 4th 2013 8:41am by HitomeOfBismarck

http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/pr/product/

Digital download is $49.99 from SE - if you had been a little quicker there was a Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale. >.<

If you haven't gotten the game yet, $29.99 here or here. But yeah, missed a sale.

And never roll a galkeroegadyn.

My PC is a gaming PC I built earlier this year, so I am pretty sure it is up to snuff. Does anybody have the requirements, since it looks like I'm going digital download and I'd like to be certain before I purchase it.

Intel Core i5 2.3 ghz processor
8 gb RAM
2g Radeon video card

Not sure what other specs would be needed, but my PC runs both WoW and SW:ToR with no problems.


Edited, Dec 4th 2013 11:02am by Bigdaddyjug

You should be good but you could also download the benchmark to make sure.

Right! If you have any question on what to do next, the answer is absolutely "follow the story quest". It will lead you straight to all the things you want like chocobo, airship pass and multiplayers dungeons (starting at Lvl 15).

If you want to level a Class other than the one you start with, get to Lvl 10 on your starting class first and then go to the Guild Hall for the one you want to try.

If you think end-game is a goal for you, consider playing an Archer. They are in very, very high demand for the current bosses because they can use Silence. They also have perhaps the easiest time dodging because they can move while firing. Fair warning, SquareEnix may be changing this in the upcoming patch because of the extreme advantage being able to move while firing gives you.

Otherwise, do you have any ideas what you Class want to play? It's fun to give Class specific tips.

I just found the sysreqs on ffxivinfo.com and my PC is well beyond them. The only thing I'm not 100% certain of is which video card I have, but I know it's better than a Radeon 4770.

Man, I'm starting to get really excited. *twitch twitch*

@Gnu: I was leaning towards lancer or archer, but most likely lancer beause my friend who plays is maining archer and I didn't want to seem like too much of a copycat, lol. I don't know if end game will be a seriously possibility for me or not. That will entirely depend on how long raids take to run. I'm divorced with a 4 year old, so half the time I am not available at all because I have the munchkin.

Edited, Dec 4th 2013 12:54pm by Bigdaddyjug

He's on Midgar-something or other. He's in an FC with his brother-in-law on that server, so I don't think he'll be looking to move. I don't know any more details than that.