New player and some prefered server and End game difference questions

[Carasicatriz]

Hello all Im a new player in ffx XIV and to the series also,

but not to mmo's. I played a few, and feeling comfortable with the game and its style and style of quests.

I downloaded the free trial, than I played some, than I saw alot of beginners guide and while I was playing some more I just bought the complete series, and Im liking it alot.

As a new player I really would like to play on a prefered server.

I have just a few questions about the prefered servers.
Im on Chaos EU, there are 2 prefered Lich and another, both are full
Now my questions are.
1. Do places come available still or full is full? Do I need to keep an eye on the server?
2. I could joing NA server, are they still available?
2a. how would be the ping, as for eu is excellent and NA is good, would I have any lag?
2b. I read if I would go on NA now in a few months when its the new release there will be a free transer period,it this correct?

3. how do chars/jobs differ from each other in end game, how is one bard different from the other, or is it possible to play a paladin in different way, different gear of skills for ex.

I enjoy the game, and perhaps someday we'll meet on our adventure

[Raldo]

1. Keep an eye on it and try from time to time. It should open periodically. The term "preferred" is usually what they call the lower-population servers, so they should be open more often than not.

2. There are a number of NA servers that are available at any given time.

2a. I'm not from EU, so I won't comment.

2b. The details are still a bit unclear, but there is supposed to be a free transfer period coming up very soon. I don't know if the limitations/specifics have been detailed yet. The reason for this is because they're adding new data centers and servers, so they're making some transfers free to help level everything out. It's unlikely that they're allow anyone to transfer to the congested servers for free, however it's also worth mentioning that they're adding a world-visit system where you can visit any other server in your data center, so if you're not targeting any specific server, it shouldn't matter too much which server you pick, so long as you get on the data center that's right for you (which sounds like the EU one).

3. There are no choices to make, so everyone is the same. The only difference is racial stats, which are so small they're basically non-existent (for example +/- 1~3 STR out of 3000+). There are no unique skills on gear, so generally speaking if a piece of gear has a higher iLevel, then it's superior (with a few exceptions). Every Bard has the exact same set of skills. There is no possible way to play Paladin differently than one another. No one has different gear sets for different purposes (except for glamour purposes).

[Carasicatriz]

1. Keep an eye on it and try from time to time. It should open periodically. The term "preferred" is usually what they call the lower-population servers, so they should be open more often than not.

2. There are a number of NA servers that are available at any given time.

2a. I'm not from EU, so I won't comment.

2b. The details are still a bit unclear, but there is supposed to be a free transfer period coming up very soon. I don't know if the limitations/specifics have been detailed yet. The reason for this is because they're adding new data centers and servers, so they're making some transfers free to help level everything out. It's unlikely that they're allow anyone to transfer to the congested servers for free, however it's also worth mentioning that they're adding a world-visit system where you can visit any other server in your data center, so if you're not targeting any specific server, it shouldn't matter too much which server you pick, so long as you get on the data center that's right for you (which sounds like the EU one).

3. There are no choices to make, so everyone is the same. The only difference is racial stats, which are so small they're basically non-existent (for example +/- 1~3 STR out of 3000+). There are no unique skills on gear, so generally speaking if a piece of gear has a higher iLevel, then it's superior (with a few exceptions). Every Bard has the exact same set of skills. There is no possible way to play Paladin differently than one another. No one has different gear sets for different purposes (except for glamour purposes).

thanks alot for the quick reply, very clear. I found spot in Lich EU when I checked again. Thanks for the end game answer.

[Niwashi]

Not what you actually asked, but I'd like to point out one suggestion:

If you do create a character on a preferred server, so get the "road to 60" XP buff, keep in mind that it can get you pretty far out of sync with the level of the quests that you're on in the main story. If you don't want to be level 25 by the time you get to the level 15 quests, and level in the mid 30's by the time you get to level 20 quests and so on, then you'll want to divide the XP you're getting between multiple classes. As soon as you reach the point (level 10) where you can add additional classes, I'd recommend doing so. Then alternate the main scenario quests between two or three of them, switching to a lower leveled class whenever the one you're on starts pulling ahead in levels. That should help you avoid getting so far ahead of your story progress that the quests are trivialized.

Obviously, there's some personal preference involved in whether that matters to you or not, but if it does, that pattern is a lot easier if you do it from the start than if you're far enough along for the difference to annoy you before you start other classes and need to catch up with them so they can take over their share of the story. So when you're just starting out is the best time to bring it up as something to at least consider.

[Carasicatriz]

Not what you actually asked, but I'd like to point out one suggestion:

If you do create a character on a preferred server, so get the "road to 60" XP buff, keep in mind that it can get you pretty far out of sync with the level of the quests that you're on in the main story. If you don't want to be level 25 by the time you get to the level 15 quests, and level in the mid 30's by the time you get to level 20 quests and so on, then you'll want to divide the XP you're getting between multiple classes. As soon as you reach the point (level 10) where you can add additional classes, I'd recommend doing so. Then alternate the main scenario quests between two or three of them, switching to a lower leveled class whenever the one you're on starts pulling ahead in levels. That should help you avoid getting so far ahead of your story progress that the quests are trivialized.

Obviously, there's some personal preference involved in whether that matters to you or not, but if it does, that pattern is a lot easier if you do it from the start than if you're far enough along for the difference to annoy you before you start other classes and need to catch up with them so they can take over their share of the story. So when you're just starting out is the best time to bring it up as something to at least consider.

thanks I think this advice is very good to know, as on level 4 I was already in front on the quest line. I will start doing this after lvl 10

[Naryoril]

3. how do chars/jobs differ from each other in end game, how is one bard different from the other, or is it possible to play a paladin in different way, different gear of skills for ex.

To add to what Raldo already said:
There is a bit of customization of your gear through materia, but the effect isn't large enough to warrant having several sets for different purposes, at least in the vast majority of cases. But even if, since most high level gear i unique and you can have every piece only once, and because there is often no choice of items (e.g. there is currently only 1 set of ilvl 400 gear for each class), it isn't even possible to have multiple sets ready. Yes, you could remove and add materia depending on what you do, but that will be horrendly expensive (because if you don't overmeld this kind of optimization is pointless anyway).

Since every character can be every class, you can look at it as having several "specs". If you want a more defensive "tank spec", play Paladin. If you want more damage from your "tank spec", switch to Warrior. Its one click you can do any time as long as you are not in an instance and not in combat. Apart from the weapon the 2 classes even share the same gear (and you can't avoid sharing the gear, as explained above), so you don't have to collect multiple gear sets.

[Frizze]

and because there is often no choice of items (e.g. there is currently only 1 set of ilvl 400 gear for each class)

I dont disagree with your overall point, but i did want to offer a slight correction. There are 2 sets of i400 gear. The savage set, and the augmented genesis set. Still, even adjusting for preference in sub-stats doesnt really change much(for most classes). Does a ninja in a high crit build play differently then one in a high det build? To my knowledge, not at all. And some classes have stats that are hands down better then the alternative(a bard that isnt maxing crit is a bard that didnt read their tool tips). But as Raldo said, we differentiate ourselves via our class choices(and skill or lack thereof) and via our glamours.