Feasibility of levelling with a friend using NG+?

I'm trying to get my girlfriend into playing FFXIV, and I think I was finally successful in convincing her to give it a try.

I was planning on picking up a class I haven't leveled yet (probably BLM, NIN, or WHM), but I faintly recalled hearing somewhere that going through the story in NG+ didn't actually give quest experience; it's just a way to replay the quests.

If this is the case, how feasible is it to level a new job alongside a new player, as a character who has already been through the entire story?

I know that you get no EXP if there's someone in your party that is too high level, but..

I'm pretty sure you don't get any exp from NG+ period. As far as leveling alongside someone there's dungeons and roulettes like there always has been. I would use those.

I really don't think New Game + is going to help you with this at all. You wouldn't be able to join in her personal MSQ instances -- just in open world or in Duty Finder stuff, which you can already do anyway. Best thing you can do is just be available to hang around, help when needed, and queue for dungeons and trials together when they come up.

it gives no exp... and also dungeons give extra exp when you finish them for the first time. you'll have a LOT of exp to get through other means additionally if you wanna do the msq at the same time

You could try to keep up to her level with some roulettes and other things while she is logged out. If you get to a quest that is a higher than your level, you could switch to your main, then switch back to fight the enemies at the appropriate level.

Truthfully it’s better to just let her play on her own, then joining her when she needs members for dungeons etc.

Obviously don’t know her, but if she is anything like my wife, she could feel immense pressure to move faster or to stick to the main story, when she’d really like to just wander around and gawk at scenery.

It’s kinda like going to the mall together. Its still fun, but when you are alone you can just bounce between shops on a whim and not have to explain to anyone why you are going where your going.

If you are really serious to level together, consider making a second character to do the MSQ together.

Not really viable unless you're with them the entire time on a new character or grinding on the side while they progress. I've dealt with this a few times now.

One of the biggest problems with the game is that the multiplayer is basically tucked away behind a shelf of full length JRPGs. This really should have been addressed, at least verbally, before another ARR revamp, if we're looking to improve new player experience.

Going forward they likely either need to have make a selectable starting point with the new plotline or turn to seperate the MSQ into a more of pure story experience and make gameplay progression horizontal from it.

Having people 400 hours of content behind their friends or demanding someone play 320 hours of content to use the second hit of their AoE is absolutely preposterous game design. I have completely given up on trying to bring new people in until something changes.

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Originally Posted by Mapleine

Not really viable unless you're with them the entire time or grinding on the side while they progress. One of the biggest problems with the game is that the multiplayer is basically tucked away behind a shelf of full length JRPGs.

Either gotta make a selectable starting point with the new plotline or turn the MSQ into a glorified visual novel with gameplay progression horizontal from it.

Someone not enjoying their ARR cutscene is bad but being being 400 hours of mandated content behind their friends or having to play 320 hours of mandated content to acquire the second hit of their AoE is absolutely preposterous game design.

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You’ve already had this conversation in another thread, with lots of responses.

tl;dr if you forgot:
- Those 400 hours of content is the game.
- There is practically no “now I’m at at endgame where the real gameplay starts!”.
- There is a plethora of “endgame” content at the end of each expansion. You need not be 90 to start any of it.

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Originally Posted by NegativeS

I'm trying to get my girlfriend into playing FFXIV, and I think I was finally successful in convincing her to give it a try.

I was planning on picking up a class I haven't leveled yet (probably BLM, NIN, or WHM), but I faintly recalled hearing somewhere that going through the story in NG+ didn't actually give quest experience; it's just a way to replay the quests.

If this is the case, how feasible is it to level a new job alongside a new player, as a character who has already been through the entire story?

I know that you get no EXP if there's someone in your party that is too high level, but..

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I haven't used NG+ myself but as I far as I know it's the quest rewards (including XP) that are disabled. You should still be able to get XP when doing the dungeons. The Armory bonus (for leveling a job lower than your highest level job) will help make up some of the difference, along with any of the XP bonus items you might have that your friend doesn't.

It doesn't hurt to give it a try to see how it goes, or at least enjoy the story with your friend even if you have to do some extra XP grinding on the side.

edit: I just did a quick test. I was getting XP from open world mob kills and FATEs (along with gil and GC Seals from the FATEs) as usual while in NG+ mode. While I could not interact with the hunt board in NG+, I suspended it to grab a set of hunt bills then resumed NG+. I was still able to get the normal XP and seal/gil rewards for completing the hunt bills.

If you and your friend are willing to do the occasional piece of open world side content as you go (other than quests), it might turn out to be very viable.

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Originally Posted by Mapleine

Not really viable unless you're with them the entire time on a new character or grinding on the side while they progress. I've dealt with this a few times now.

One of the biggest problems with the game is that the multiplayer is basically tucked away behind a shelf of full length JRPGs. This really should have been addressed, at least verbally, before another ARR revamp, if we're looking to improve new player experience.

Going forward they likely either need to have make a selectable starting point with the new plotline or turn to seperate the MSQ into a more of pure story experience and make gameplay progression horizontal from it.

Having people 400 hours of content behind their friends or demanding someone play 320 hours of content to use the second hit of their AoE is absolutely preposterous game design. I have completely given up on trying to bring new people in until something changes.

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This game isn’t designed for you as you just suggested scrapping the whole game in favor of being some WoW clone made for toxic sweaty poopsockers who want to zoom extreme endgame crap that maybe 1% of mmo players ever care about at all.

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Originally Posted by NegativeS

I'm trying to get my girlfriend into playing FFXIV, and I think I was finally successful in convincing her to give it a try.

I was planning on picking up a class I haven't leveled yet (probably BLM, NIN, or WHM), but I faintly recalled hearing somewhere that going through the story in NG+ didn't actually give quest experience; it's just a way to replay the quests.

If this is the case, how feasible is it to level a new job alongside a new player, as a character who has already been through the entire story?

I know that you get no EXP if there's someone in your party that is too high level, but..

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You are probably better off just making an alt and starting from scratch too. It really isn’t bad especially if you want the sprout tag for a job you really aren’t familiar with. Sometimes it is nice to get a fresh start and focus rather than the mess that is an endgame character with a dozen or more jobs and packed armory chest. You don’t really lose anything in making an alt.

It'd be real nice if leveling via NG+ were a thing. Something i hope they add to it some day. It may take longer but i'd enjoy it way more than just grinding out dungeons endlessly. But for now you're out of luck.

As you probably remember yourself, there's very little in the levelling experience that really benefits from having a second player alongside you. Many things are forced to be done solo; very, VERY few things, other than dungeons and maybe FATEs, even benefit from having a second player there.

If it were me, I'd just hang out and chat with her while she's levelling. Maybe carry her around the map in a 2-seater mount if you've got one early on, until she's more confident.

If she absolutely insists that she won't play with you unless you level together, make an alt character. But ... if she still feels that way after she sees how irrelevant being in a group is ... I'd wager she's not interested in the game itself at all, just hanging out with you.

When you're in a party doing the same quests, a few types of quest objectives are shared, like the purple zones with mandatory fights in the overworld. But they're very few and balanced around solo play, which makes them a huge joke with 2 or more players.

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Originally Posted by Roflcopter

You are probably better off just making an alt and starting from scratch too. It really isn’t bad especially if you want the sprout tag for a job you really aren’t familiar with. Sometimes it is nice to get a fresh start and focus rather than the mess that is an endgame character with a dozen or more jobs and packed armory chest. You don’t really lose anything in making an alt.

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I second this! Having a separate character made specifically to only play with your friend is the best way to cooperatively play through the MSQ. Don't underestimate the Power of the Sprout when leveling a new job; especially a tank or healer. I had tanxiety for the vast majority of my time in the game and avoided it like the plague for nearly eight years. When I decided to play through the game again on a fresh character I went with a tank job to take advantage of the Sprout and "First Time Here" notification to garner some slack from folks. It didn't take long to get over the anxiety and come to enjoy tanking. I even decided to level PLD on my main; something I never thought I'd do.

In addition to the above, having an alt will let you play your main without worry when your friend's not on. It's a win/win.


On the other side of the coin, there's a lot to be said for letting a new player go at their own pace and do what they want without the pressure of having to stick lock-step with a friend. I tried the alt + wife thing and it didn't work out because she felt she couldn't go do what she wanted when she wanted. There's so much to see and do outside of the MSQ that it can be frustrating to the new player to feel as though they can't do it for fear of causing issues with their leveling partner.

Either method's valid, you just need to have a candid discussion about what you both want and what would work best for the two of you. Then it's up to you to respect their decision.