Starting cities: initial storyline quests 1-15 Can they be played?

Hey I just started this week. Got to the part where I was sent out as the envoy (for Gridania). Found out that when I got to the new cities where other classes start, that I couldn't do that cities storyline, and by that I mean it's initial main storyline mission.

Like in Gridania, where I go through the whole thing that ends up with me at the defend the guardian tree fight.

Being someone who really enjoys thoroughly going through storylines, it made me sad to find out I wouldn't be able to play through those and see them unless I rolled a different character (which in this game isn't something you're want to do).

I was talking to someone in game about it and they told me that I could play all those quests, IF, I switched to that city's grand company faction.

So my question is, is that true? Is there a way so that I can play through that 1-15 storyline, play through Uldah when I level pugalist, The piratey town when I level something from there?

No, that's not true. I started in Gridania, joined the Limsa GC, and the only way I got to play those quests was by making a new character starting in that city (ACN).

You are essentially missing 3 quest lines (introductory one to city and surrounding lv.1-5 areas, lv.5 one after equipment check, and lv.10 one). Each consists of 6 to 8 steps that should give you 3 or 4 levels worth of xp. They are basically the quests where you interact with the Scions of Dawn and establish your reputation with the city leaders.

Not the Main Scenario quests. After you join a Grand Company the main story quests are the same for everyone no matter what City State you started at. You are going to have to make alts in order to that. I was in Beta so I do Gridania and Uldah during that and did Limsa at launch!

Aww dang :( That's sad to hear. Thanks for letting me know though.
I'd really really been hoping I could play through those on my character. I mean sure I can roll and alt, but I'd only play it to get through those storylines really. I just kind of wish my main could go interact with all of that too.

Well, you're not really missing that much. Apart from some narrative differences the actual flow of the story is the same for all three cities, so the only thing that differs between each city is the npcs, the setting and the backstory that is given. But gameplay wise, all three cities' starting storylines are identical in execution.

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Originally Posted by Viciouspen

I mean sure I can roll and alt, but I'd only play it to get through those storylines really.

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At least the different part is all isolated to the beginning of the game.

Levels 1-15 are all different quests (equivalent in gameplay execution, as Enkidoh mentioned, but different in the stories that are going on). Then the next few quests have just some slight dialog differences (mostly amounting to which NPCs will greet you as an old friend and which greet you as a stranger they've heard good reports about). And then there's a level 17 quest that will have different NPCs involved depending on where you started and which NPCs you met there. But then that's it and it's the same story from there on.

It would be different if the starting-city differences extended further into the game, requiring a more lengthy commitment to an alt in order to see them, but 17 levels worth isn't too bad for getting to see the other cities' storylines.

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Originally Posted by Niwashi

At least the different part is all isolated to the beginning of the game.

Levels 1-15 are all different quests (equivalent in gameplay execution, as Enkidoh mentioned, but different in the stories that are going on). Then the next few quests have just some slight dialog differences (mostly amounting to which NPCs will greet you as an old friend and which greet you as a stranger they've heard good reports about). And then there's a level 17 quest that will have different NPCs involved depending on where you started and which NPCs you met there. But then that's it and it's the same story from there on.

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Yeah but the difference is not as tiny as like, just talking to this npc or that is it? I mean like in Gridania there was the whole thing leading up to the guardian tree fight, and in other areas there are different things. those are the storylines you miss out on though I'm guessing.

Well, yes and no. Sure there are different characters and the actual story details differ, but the problems that all three cities face during the starting storylines are revealed to all have the same shared source - ala

the Ascians

, thus connecting all three city storylines together. And as I mentioned in my previous post, the actual flow of the story and gameplay is the same regardless of which city you choose. So really, there's not much you're actually missing out on to be honest.

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Originally Posted by Viciouspen

Yeah but the difference is not as tiny as like, just talking to this npc or that is it? I mean like in Gridania there was the whole thing leading up to the guardian tree fight, and in other areas there are different things. those are the storylines you miss out on though I'm guessing.

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The first 15 levels of quests tell significantly different stories (despite having some parallels between them). My point was that that's true only of the first 15 levels. After that, there are a few levels of minor differences, and then they all merge into being the same. So if your only reason for creating alts is to see these stories, it would suffice to take those alts through just the first 15 or 17 levels. You can stick with just a single main character beyond that and not miss anything.