How much item level we need for the new content?

[NanaWiloh]

You don't need to have that high an item level. I did it on drk at ilvl 382 with a 365 weapon. Just save your cooldowns for the swords. if you're still struggling you can get a few more genesis pieces they have raised the weekly cap to 900.

This is the best advice outside of better gear. No doubt save your Cd's for the swords

[WaterShield]

I tried it with 361 and I could only kill 2 of the 3 things we have to do before auto failing the duty, so i guess i need more.
for those who beat it, what is your IL?
i dont think we should be doing raids or extra hard content only to beat the MSQ.

One shot it as ilvl 400 RDM. He melted really fast for me. He has an enrage bar?

Pretty sure they didn't balance around BiS gear though >.>

I imagine he should be able to be cleared comfortably at ~ilvl 370

[Kazgrel]

Cleared it first try on WAR. Granted, I'm at 398 ilvl, bit I didn't have IR for the sword phase and took them out with plenty of time to spare.

[tdb]

If you have good enough gear to even enter Orbonne Monastery (i365 required) then you already have good enough gear to finish the MSQ, as well as good enough gear to enter all other non-Extreme/non-Savage content in the game.
In other words, if you can run Orbonne Monastery then you no longer need to grind for gear unless you really want to do the hardcore content.

Sure, but improving your gear now will smooth out the transition to ShB content. It hardly makes sense to stop improving your gear just because it's not necessary - unless maybe you're going to take a hiatus until ShB release. Just doing expert roulette a few times per week will earn you enough genesis to buy several pieces of i390 gear. I'd hardly call that grinding.

[VyelChuChu]

I helped a friend, who had a mix of this tier and past tier tomestone gear along with some crafted greens, by melding a bunch of materia! For their tank I melded Str on accessories and Crit+DH on the rest. For their healer Crit and Det! +40 materia in main slots, +12 for some overmelding. After that they cleared the swords just fine. Definitely consider dropping gil into a green-crafted weapon if yours is lower!

Edit: To echo other posters, DEFINITELY save your cooldowns for the swords!!

[LalaRu]

Given the Alphascape (normal) locks were removed long time ago, I think today being at least i380 is a minimal requirement.

[Ogulbuk]

@Ogulbuk
Killing yourself ? Wow, a little bit dramatic? You can with close to no effort obtain tomestones (red, yellow or genesis). The current MSQ is way easier then Ala Mhigo MSQ. And when you think that "grinding gear that will become obsolete in a couple months" then you played through FF14 already. no offense just my thoughts.

You understand hyperbole, no? I’m alive so obviously I’m not being liiteral. That aside, I think you underestimate the amount of content this game has to offer besides fleeting iLVL progression.

Example: I could had spent that time grinding MGP for glamours that don’t become obsolete, or aiming for mounts, or minions. Or leveling other jobs that still would be level 70 today. Or furnishing housing. Etc etc.

I’m not saying YOU can’t enjoy the pursuit of iLVLs, but I will just never do that again.

[ChaseNetwork]

Considering gear drops from the most recent MSQ dungeon are item level 375, I can't imagine more than that.
I somewhat agree with you on the weapon. There's not a good way to get one of those.

Eureka Weapons(Low skill, Supposedly "Play to Win", but also takes less time than building a fresh learning static from O9S)
Tomestone weapons also require Normal Raid drops. (Low-medium skill, Guaranteed within 4 clears and 1k tomestones)
Extreme Primals (Medium skill, Guaranteed within 10 clears)
Savage Raid Weapons (Medium-high skill, luck)
Ultimate Trials (High skill, Guaranteed within 10 clears)

Oh, and Crafted. (No skill. Gib moneys)

Highest casual weapon is 300, and the weapon does impact your damage probably the most significantly. This is one of the more surprising changes from Heavensward to Stormblood that they have made, removing weapons from the level cap dungeons.

For Shadowbringers transition
375 will be the starting point, At Lv.73 is probably where dungeons drop 400, At Lv.76 is where Stormblood 400 gear stops keeping up. If they follow the trends of Heavensward and Stormblood. HQ 409ish crafted gear will probably be mostly kitted out by a combination of the Lv.76 MSQ and sidequests. Of course, if you're doing this around first launch, you're gonna want to take every tiny gear upgrade they give you after Lv.73, cause 3/4 of your dungeon party isn't going to be overgeared for the Lv.79 dungeon like the current iteration will usually be. In other words, people wont be positive about having to partially make up for your gear decisions while also trying to prog a new dungeon that might randomly throw a super mob at you, or a mechanic that only appeared in a Savage fight in the last tier.

[Leomoon]

Getting lvl 60 gear for the new jobs would be the Shire gear from Idyllshire or Alexanger gear and upgrading it.

For lvl 70 I would recommend 375-390 doing the Monestary raid can get you 390 armor you need.

[Eldevern]

Finally cleared with 370ilvl (but 330 weapon), with food (4% stats bonus) and one wipe.

375 should be fine. And keep dps cooldowns for the swords.