Tips for returning players?

Hello All,

My buddy and I are looking at returning to the game to check things out since we heard it's pretty much at the end. We both used to play a lot back in the ToAU days and my friend has to start a new character because he can't remember his password/cc info but my character is in tact, I actually have a couple 99s from briefly trying out abyssea but I didn't get much further than leveling when I did that.

That said, I was wondering if anybody has any tips or advice for returning players? I'm planning to switch allegiance to Bastok so that I can go through the main story missions with him and we will both be starting new jobs to level from the ground up. Aside from the basics we would have learned by the end of ToAU can anybody tell me what we should be doing at end game?

Also, I was wondering if I will lose my outpost warps by changing nations? I will probably change anyways but I had pretty much every one unlocked so I'm just curious.

Finally, my friend wants to level smn so I was wondering if you guys think it will be possible for me to solo the avatars for him with 99 war/dnc or war/nin?

We'll be on Asura by the way, if anybody wants to look me up on the weekend my char name is Sadaharu.

I don't believe you lose the OP warps anymore changing nations but even then, there are other ways to port now including telepoints and what they call survival guides (looks like Fields of Valor books). Touch them once and you can port there from wherever there is another telepoint/guide for tabs/gil/etc. The maps now include icons to where they are located for each zone. Not sure if you have to be in the zone to see them though.

Maybe look into picking up some alter egos to help smooth some things for some of the quest/mission fights you plan on doing though certain jobs could probably solo without much difficulty since the level cap on most if not all have been lifted. Being a duo team works well with most things in the game anymore.

To get the avatars (at least the basic ones) you should be able to do the 75 fights relatively easy as 99 War. Maybe bring a vile elixir for the two hour (called one hour now?) move but it shouldn't be that bad. Again, alter egos could help with this as well whether you do them solo or duo.

Start the Spark quest/objectives so you can get some basic high level gear for 99. If really needed while leveling you can get gear for those levels too but the choices weren't to great last I looked. Other benefits to the sparks objectives as well such as XP.

Things are much more lax and easier to get through till end game now.

End game related tips, I will defer to whoever wants to add to it.

Thanks for the advice, I'll definitely look into alter egos asap and I'm glad to hear we'll be able to handle the avatars for him.

If anybody has anything about endgame to add it would be greatly appreciated. I'm sure it's a big topic but even some starter tips for when we hit 99 would be great.

There are few things you absolutely need to get rolling as soon as you return:

-Talk to the Voidwatch NPC to start your voidstones accumulating.
-Talk to Joachim in Port Jeuno to start your traverser stones accumulating.
-Talk to one of the daily tally goblins that are just about everywhere to get your daily tally accumulating.
-Start your Adoulin mission line and so you can start doing Coalition assignments.

I think that's everything but definitely do these things as soon as possible. Even if you don't intend to do the events themselves at this time, getting the ball rolling as soon as possible will give you more points to spend when you do decide to do the events.

Also get meeble burrow's sacks going