Suggestions / advice

[Daenerys_Sedai]

So I just resubbed a few days ago and have only logged in once (just to pop in). I will be installing Heavensward once it arrives.

For those who have stuck around since 2.0 launched or perhaps even those who only recently joined the game and are now end-gaming, I hope that you'll be able to provide some advice / suggestions.

I quit just after 2.4. I had end gear (not quite BiS) on my SCH for turn 10, but my static broke shortly after, and I ended up quitting for RL obligations.

Any suggestions for what to do to catch up? I've been reading the substantive patch notes to get an idea of what's changed, but some of the quests, etc. that they add most people never wind up doing anyway.

Thanks in advance!
Dae

[Claymore65]

Welcome back!

First things first, you'll have to do the Main Story Quest. As in ARR, many end game things in Heavensward are gated by it, so I'd get right on that. Periodically you'll be given decent gear throughout it and the MSQ for the patch content, so gearing up shouldn't be too much of a concern. I would focus on getting the MSQ done, then you can get into end game. The plot for Heavensward is actually pretty solid (in my opinion it far exceeds the story for most of ARR), so have fun with it!

Once you hit 60, you can start gearing up in various ways so you can enter the most recent dungeons, raids, and the like. I'd suggest grabbing dungeon gear along the way, and then saving up tomes of Scripture (the current tomestone) and spending tomestones of Lore (the uncapped tomestone) as you go. With that equipment you should be able to enter most endgame content.

[SessionZero]

Yeah, completing the MSQ first is key. From there you'll have a lot of HM dungeons to unlock for your various roulettes, but most can be unsynced with geared 60s now for easy first clears. After that it's time to farm tomes and clear Alexander.

[Deus_ex_Machina]

What claymore65 said, do MSQ and you'll get i115 HQ crafted gears as a reward. BUT!!!!!! 1st thing 1st teleport to Gridania and to the Halloween event!!! it's like the best event yet!

[Daenerys_Sedai]

thanks all! great advice. Out of curiosity, is the relic weapon still a thing? or has SE finally dropped that?

[SessionZero]

thanks all! great advice. Out of curiosity, is the relic weapon still a thing? or has SE finally dropped that?

It is. It's called an Anima Weapon now and it's more or less the same process as the old 2.X relic questlines.

[Annah]

thanks all! great advice. Out of curiosity, is the relic weapon still a thing? or has SE finally dropped that?

ohhhh the relic is still a thing lol.

Matter of fact, a new relic upgrade has dropped today. I am a relic junkie (as others has stated, this one is an Anima weapon...basically your weapon is a...well...spoilers

But they have nerfed the first step considerably

[Shirai]

Welcome back, as one who came back himself a not too long ago;

Like others said before me, finish the Main story quests, and unlock and do the different dungeons along the way.
Gear wise, once you unlock Heavensward, the main story line plus a couple of side quests should cover your basic needs but do unlock Clan Hunts at the Forgotten Knight as soon as you can for easy access to iLevel 200 gear once you reach level 60. This should give you the edge you need to easily start running the basic level 60 Heavensward dungeons quickly.
For leveling, Once you reach above the 50's the exp you need to level up skyrockets, the MSQ isn't enough and spamming side quests while possible, is slow. For that you can run Palace of the Dead, it gives a ton of experience points for every 10 floors you clear and aside from that can give you a nice iLevel 235 upgrade-able to 255 weapon to start with while you work on your Relic, if you even want to bother.

[Deus_ex_Machina]

thanks all! great advice. Out of curiosity, is the relic weapon still a thing? or has SE finally dropped that?

Zodiac relics was swept under the rug and serve as glamours now. Although you can trade in your Zeta to skip the 1st step of the new Relic Quest

Upon being a lvl60, you can start a new relic quest line. The Anima Relic.

Steps:
1. Farm Luminous Elemental Crystal (18 total) by doing fates in HsW zones. Or trade in your Zeta Relic. (get i170)
2. Complete 10 dungeons with your new relic. (get i200)
3. Unidentified items + crafted items to progress (i210)
4. Farm 5x Aether Oil with tomes or "Gift of Archmagus" (i230)
5. Farm Umbrite from tomes and Crystal Sands from multiple other means - this is the customizing stat phase (i240)
6. Farm 50 singing cluster with tomes, daily duty roulette and weekly leveling roulette quest (i260)

[Berethos]

Clan Hunts at the Forgotten Knight as soon as you can for easy access to iLevel 200 gear once you reach level 60.

To add to this, you can also get the items to upgrade the gear to 210 from Centurio Seals as well, minus one of the rings (unique items so you can't stack the same ring). That will get you into pretty much every four man dungeon besides the two most recent, and you'll likely have the upgrades you need anyway before you unlock them.