Go West, Craftman (or, how to get to Idyllshire)

Have I missed something, or is the only way to get here by going through the MSQ? I assumed it was because the entrances to the surrounding zones seem locked, but sitting here I just realized you get the quest very early in HW and wondered if I missed a different route to get there with 60 crafter(s)?

Thanks, sorry if it's a stupid question. My google-ability has completely failed to find an answer.

ARR had a ton of stuff locked behind the MSQ.

HW is no different.

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Originally Posted by Roth_Trailfinder

ARR had a ton of stuff locked behind the MSQ.

HW is no different.

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ARR didn't lock you out of being able to get to specific overworld zones if you hadn't gotten far enough into the MSQ. A sufficiently determined (or adequately escorted) brand new player could get to Mor Dhona immediately following the intro quests if they wanted to.

But yes, the answer is that it isn't possible to get to Idyllshire until you advance the MSQ to the point where it takes you there.

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Originally Posted by PirateCat

ARR didn't lock you out of being able to get to specific overworld zones if you hadn't gotten far enough into the MSQ. A sufficiently determined (or adequately escorted) brand new player could get to Mor Dhona immediately following the intro quests if they wanted to.

But yes, the answer is that it isn't possible to get to Idyllshire until you advance the MSQ to the point where it takes you there.

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Access to and from Limsa Lominsa, actually the whole La Noscea region, is locked away by the MSQ. If you start in Limsa you cannot leave La Noscea until you reach far enough in the MSQ. If you start in Gridania or Ul'dah you cannot go to any La Noscea area until you reach far enough in the MSQ.

The point in question is early on, when you are told to go visit the other two Heads of State and are finally given access to the airship travel system.

So, yes, not only was the "lock stuff behind MSQ" precedent set by ARR, so too was the "lock areas away behind MSQ" precedent.

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Originally Posted by Roth_Trailfinder

So, yes, not only was the "lock stuff behind MSQ" precedent set by ARR, so too was the "lock areas away behind MSQ" precedent.

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In all fairness, while this lock may, indeed, be there, there's a world of difference between a single lock at level 15, after which you can go anywhere you like, and what they have in Heavensward, where almost every zone (all but West Coerthas, Dravanian Fore, and half of the Sea of Clouds) is locked behind varying degrees of Main Scenario progression - and even the zones you CAN access have many places accessible only by flight, which is ALSO locked behind Main Scenario progression. It's such a different design philosophy that I'd hesitate to even call the level 15 thing a precedent at all.

To the Original Poster, it seems pretty clear to me that a lot of SE's design decisions when it comes to crafting and gathering are made with the assumption that you'll finish Main Scenario BEFORE you put any kind of real effort into any crafting or gathering job. This was likely intended as an anti-RMT measure; I'm not certain how well it actually worked in that regard, however, as RMT are pretty darned resourceful, but it probably slowed them down, at the very least.

You need to be 58 on a DoW/DoM job and through all the MSQ up to that point to start on DoL/DoH scrips.

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Originally Posted by Roth_Trailfinder

Access to and from Limsa Lominsa, actually the whole La Noscea region, is locked away by the MSQ. If you start in Limsa you cannot leave La Noscea until you reach far enough in the MSQ. If you start in Gridania or Ul'dah you cannot go to any La Noscea area until you reach far enough in the MSQ.

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Okay, I might not be remembering this part (since it's been forever since I made an alt in Limsa and I haven't specifically tried this) but weren't there ships? I know access to the airships were locked behind MSQ, but there's a ferry too. Was that locked off as well?

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Originally Posted by PirateCat

Okay, I might not be remembering this part (since it's been forever since I made an alt in Limsa and I haven't specifically tried this) but weren't there ships? I know access to the airships were locked behind MSQ, but there's a ferry too. Was that locked off as well?

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Yes, the ferry was locked with the airship.

!f you are starting in Limsa, you can get out "early" if you want to as long as your FC house is in another area. Soon as you get the ability to teleport to it you are free! This works no matter where you start out as long as your FC house is elsewhere.

Still doesn't help with the major annoyance of gathering and crafting being gated behind the MSQ in Heavensward. In most games it has always been my first priority to get those things up first, so that my character has a solid foundation to go on.

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Originally Posted by Orspeth

Still doesn't help with the major annoyance of gathering and crafting being gated behind the MSQ in Heavensward.

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Among my many complaints about HW crafting and gathering, this is the top one for me by a huge margin. I don't want to have to run dungeons just to be able to fish! I LOVE fishing, and I pretty much HATE dungeons. I've had the Library sat in my journal for weeks now and simply don't want to run it (even with friends who have offered).

In ARR I had all crafts and gathers at 50, in their original AF gear, before I'd even beaten Garuda storyline (it was my nemesis at the time). Being gated behind storyline to do the things I enjoy has killed the game for me. I'm going to be taking a break when my sub runs out in a few weeks, and not sure I will resub. I also will probably not bother with future expansions if they are likely to follow a similar pattern.