Side quests still sucks.

As nice the extra story telling is and getting to know the locals. The flow of them and the rewards continues to be atrocious.

Instead of giving a reasonable amount of exp for being finite, it's about the same if not less than doing a fate.

The quests are also prone to send you running back and forth between locations you've already been at multiple times. A problem made worse by the fact that you can only track 5 quests at a time, yet get 10 thrown at you after a msq.

Ideally, the side quests should have been unlocked more gradually, and pointed in the general direction of the accompanying msq. Not how it's done now where you have already left a hub only for more quests to appear there after multiple main story quests, or have multiple side-quests given at different points send you there.

How it is now is just... frustrating.

I used to share all the same frustration and sentiments when doing side quests while working my way through the expansions. Now? I just don't do sidequests.

The forumula is the exact same so there is no novelty or shock when the game just dribbles more exclamation points onto the map after you turn in another msq. I am at utter peace since opting to leave them alone and my momentum of the msq remains unspoiled. There are far sensible times to choose to come back to these. Traveling through cutscene city that is the msq isn't it because that also gets quite tiring. I understand there are people who can't move on until they've done these and many who don't tire out. But as someone in the camp who absolutely does tire out, I made the right choice for me.

I really wish they gave a reasonable amount of experience so you could do some light alt leveling with them. Would be finite of course but would be nice for the first couple alt jobs you level.

The Pelupelu sidequests are sort of OK (not good), they are just your usual MMO fetch quests. On the other hand the Hanuhanu quests are hot fecal garbage, its all just either collect/carry reeds and/or carry stuff (often reeds) to the temple and back (across the far side of the map). Doing this without flying is an exercise in absolute tedium. My advice is, if you are a completionist, leave them until you have flying and then take as many as possible to minimise the excruciating amount of travel monotony.

Previous expansions had varied side quests where you were helping villagers against criminals or getting to know the people or whatnot, sure there were a good number of fetch quests but there was variety, Dawntrail is pretty much the vast majority simply fetch quests and super uninteresting ones at that (carry reeds from one village to another, carrying offering across map then be told to take it back). Excruciating.

Even FATEs' experience is not good for being similar to them... between that and questing, I'd stick with FATEs because at least with those you can get something extra (gemstone vendor unlock + gemstones).

I don't understand why there are so many for such little exp. Fewer side quests with better exp gain would be better. There's so much filler

The XP and gil count do suck but I do enjoy their continuity and you can see NPC's in the first zone and then second zone again with a few of the stories.

Sadly its almost better than the MSQ in some ways.

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Originally Posted by GrizzlyTank

As nice the extra story telling is and getting to know the locals. The flow of them and the rewards continues to be atrocious.

Instead of giving a reasonable amount of exp for being finite, it's about the same if not less than doing a fate.

The quests are also prone to send you running back and forth between locations you've already been at multiple times. A problem made worse by the fact that you can only track 5 quests at a time, yet get 10 thrown at you after a msq.

Ideally, the side quests should have been unlocked more gradually, and pointed in the general direction of the accompanying msq. Not how it's done now where you have already left a hub only for more quests to appear there after multiple main story quests, or have multiple side-quests given at different points send you there.

How it is now is just... frustrating.

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Just a quick tip for efficiency - remember if you go into your quest log, you can actively choose which quests are tracked. When I've picked up a bunch, after finishing the requirements for a few, I set the undone ones as tracked, and it lets me make sure I can just turn them all in at once instead of realizing I missed a couple and have to make another round.

I'm NGL I just reached the 3rd map (fully uncovered 2) the story has strong ARR vibes and isnt amazing, frankly im a little bit bored but the sidequests are infuriating, they give a mediocre amount of xp with a small amount of gil and send you backwards and forwards across the map, I usually don't mind them but I'm alrdy bored and then there's the sidequests.

they have to triple the amount of exp a yellow quest rewards. i know even that wont be enough for some people but i think being able to lvl up one job through side quests would be appropriate

There are some side quests that are amazing. Revolting Refreshments from ShB come to mind. It's easily my favourite sidequest in the game. That being said, unless I know a yellow quest is worth doing, I usually don't bother with them. The gear they give is easily and quickly outleveled, the XP and gil is abysmal. That and the vast majority are "collect 10 bear asses".

The biggest reward that you get by completing the side quests is their deletion from the map forever to stop bugging you again.

I would like them to be better designed and give more exp but the MSQ already gives so much exp you have to level two jobs at once to avoid letting a bunch of it go to waste.

100% agree! They are boring, not rewarding. Having an NPC explain this huge back story to only realize you need to kill 2 rats then go back to the said NPC is atrocious.

Wait, so you're telling me the MSQ hasn't been a side quest all along? :confused:

I've been enjoying the side quests a lot this xpac. I do them as they unlock, so there's not usually an overflow of them that way. The exp seems okay if you do other things with it, like 6 FATEs in every zone (To unlock the riding map), and one DR here or there (Being doing FL DR for the Reward track once a day). Currently got my Sage and my Viper around the same level doing this method, and been tossing some EXP for side quests towards my Pally every now and then as well. Viper 96, Sage 95, Pally 92 almost 93.

That being said, def not against an EXP increase on side quests.

I have to agree there, theres no good rewards for doing Side quests, no pets, mounts, treasures, weapons, armor to be rewarded, unlike WoW or other mmo's that make Side quests actually good and rewarding. Sense of exploration have always sucked in FFXIV, theres no secret treasures and stuff to find like in WoW.

Getting really sick of constantly getting Food items or money as rewards for quests, sometimes materia too, nothing else interesting.