New player getting overwhelmed - what do I do?

[vienne]

For a long time this game had a lvl75 cap so those lvl80~90 mobs werent in horutoto. After abyssea was released and the lvl cap raised they added those mobs as a part of the GoV regimes, although yes...little people make use of them. Luckily they are not true sight/sound so they can be avoided if needed. You'll see this phenomenon in more dungeon areas though.

[Zeargi]

I just did the Windurst Mission 2-1. They really expect you to make your way through a 70-80 monster area at such a low level? I had invisible and sneak, so I had no issue, but seriously? Am I missing something about this quest or was it really intended to be that difficult?

I can't say I would be too surprised, but... I'm surprised after all these years something like this wasn't toned down.

Also, I tried the level 40 summoner quest, but it has you fight a level 56 monster. I got it to about half HP and then died; I might've been able to pull it off, but only because I'm level 51. I was trying to be very conservative and wasn't sure how much damage Astral Flow would do, and wasn't entirely prepared for not being able to use my Trust NPCs at all (would've been much easier with Yagudo Drinks and stuff). I ended up dying before popping Astral Flow at all. If I went back and tried again, I could probably do it (knowing the fight and planning a bit better), but it wouldn't be worth it for that +20 MP staff, and I imagine the next fight is even harder.

It definitely seems like you shouldn't try to do the quests, at least alone, as they come to you. If I tried this quest at level 40, I would've stood no chance.

I posted awhile ago about the drastic changes to that dungeon. It isn't really fair low level players and there could have been better placement of them. Also even with the Enmity changes the 'Summon/Dash' Strategy works really well still.

[Crevox]

Also even with the Enmity changes the 'Summon/Dash' Strategy works really well still.

It's basically what I was doing, but with a 30 minute time limit, I had to get greedy. With my MP starting to wane, I did get a bit reckless, which resulted in my death. Another attempt would probably be easy, but, yeah, not gonna bother right now for a staff I don't need.

[bungiefanNA]

It definitely seems like you shouldn't try to do the quests, at least alone, as they come to you. If I tried this quest at level 40, I would've stood no chance.

Trust isn't usable in time limited areas at this time, so no boss fights in separate battlefields. Remember, a lot of these quests are ~10 years old, when the game was focused around needing a party to do just about anything. You need to be way over level to solo them. Focus on getting to level 99, then do quests. This is what I have been telling you all along. If you're not questing with a party, save it for when you are max level.

[Xantavia]

Should I be doing my artifact armor quests?

I've done almost all of them and don't regret it. Sure the storyline is a nice bonus, but I like having the full sets and taking interesting screenshots of me posing in it all across the world.

It's also not bad armor to use for your first time fighting Maat. Gives you something to wear at the mid-levels. (Wish they had kept that idea for RUN and GEO. Stupid level 99 artifact armor. )

[Crevox]

Trust isn't usable in time limited areas at this time, so no boss fights in separate battlefields. Remember, a lot of these quests are ~10 years old, when the game was focused around needing a party to do just about anything. You need to be way over level to solo them. Focus on getting to level 99, then do quests. This is what I have been telling you all along. If you're not questing with a party, save it for when you are max level.

I figured this was the case, yet other people in this thread told me otherwise...

[Zeargi]

My other suggestion is also this, Do you have The Carbuncle's Mitts? SMN has LOTs of optional you can get. The Evoker's Ring, Yinyang Robe, Carbuncle's Mitts, Karura Hachigane, The Austere's/Penance Set. As a Level 99 SMN, I still use the Carbuncle Mitts for the fact that they help make Carbuncle Free of his Prep cost. The Austere's set is ugly, but has a good boost to -Blood Pact and is great for SMNs until they get some AF pieces. You will need help if you're going after the Mitts, but if you have anyone that's a lvl 99, they can easily destroy the Mob you have to kill, plus there's a chance of get a Light Spirit pact, which is always a help for you. If you were on sylph, I could give you my old Austere's and help you with those mitts. But there are people on Asura that will help you, I'm sure.

[Crevox]

My other suggestion is also this, Do you have The Carbuncle's Mitts? SMN has LOTs of optional you can get. The Evoker's Ring, Yinyang Robe, Carbuncle's Mitts, Karura Hachigane, The Austere's/Penance Set. As a Level 99 SMN, I still use the Carbuncle Mitts for the fact that they help make Carbuncle Free of his Prep cost. The Austere's set is ugly, but has a good boost to -Blood Pact and is great for SMNs until they get some AF pieces. You will need help if you're going after the Mitts, but if you have anyone that's a lvl 99, they can easily destroy the Mob you have to kill, plus there's a chance of get a Light Spirit pact, which is always a help for you. If you were on sylph, I could give you my old Austere's and help you with those mitts. But there are people on Asura that will help you, I'm sure.

Someone actually helped me get the mitts... but we weren't really going for them. Someone helped my friend and I get a coffer key from that temple place for the Aht Urhgan travel quest, and while we were there, he said we should kill an NM and they dropped. I guess only he drops them, but I'm happy he was nice enough to go out of the way to not only help us, but get me the mitts.

As for the rest of the stuff, I don't have it. No one is selling any of the austere/penance, and even if they were, they seem extremely expensive. I don't have anyone to help me get the rest, but as I will be going for Fenrir, hopefully I can get the Evoker's Ring from that... if I can actually do all the quests...

[Bearstar]

You just need to focus on a few things at a time. Leveling and raising reputation is what I recomend first. Missions can as well, but depending on your nation there are quests that must be done along side the missions, like the Star Onion Brigade in Windurst and the Cornilia quests in Bastok, which require leveling reputation to access.

FFXIclopedia is a good site for beginners. I think it's more user freindly than BGwiki.

You're coming in at the end of a 11 year storyline so you will be seeing alot of zone-in cut scenes for high level activities like A crystaline prophesy and A shantotto assention, just ignore them for now.

This is a little more advanced, but because of the zone-in triggers it is actually do some parts of the storyline in the wrong order. Namely Rise of the Zilart, Chains of Promathia, Apocolipse Nigh, and A Crystaline Prophesy. Do them in that order.

Also in the wiki guides you will see (Optional) for some steps. NEVER SKIP OPTIONAL CONTENT!!! They give importaint information for understanding what's happening in the story and also importaint prizes like the Portal Charm for Windy 3-2.