Need a leveling server. Balmung Transfer later.

[Rhysati]

True, world transfer allows you to bypass the restriction, but it's not as hard to create a character on high pop servers as you think. Just has to be done in early, early morning or "Soap Opera" hours.

That used to be true with Balmung. Not anymore. Unless the server crashes, you aren't getting a character made on it no matter what time you try.

[Altena]

I am confused as to why you don't want to just continue with your current character? You have 40-odd levels you won't have to grind for later.

Even if you do decide to start fresh- honestly any server will suffice.
Duty finder queues are based on the data centre so it will be more or less the same regardless where you go.
Cross-world party finder is also a thing now so you shouldn't have much (or any) trouble finding groups for things until you transfer.

Perhaps you could simply choose a low-pop server that's in the same data centre as Balmung? That might be a good place to start.

If you want a bit more of an informed decision regarding server population, you can check out the official (or unofficial) census.

As far as class - if you wish to go for a Tank then I would suggest MRD. Gladiator/PLD isn't in the greatest place right now - and no one really knows how Stormblood is going to change that.
If you wish to go for healer - you honestly can't go wrong with SCH, although keep in mind you will be playing a DPS class until 30 if you choose this. CNJ/WHM is also not in the greatest place at the moment however again - we don't really know how Stormblood will change that.

In addition to that, the whole WHM / PLD being underpowered at the moment isn't even really a big deal. While they are less desired - it's honestly just the filtering down of the 1%ers who are doing speedruns etc causing everyone else to have negative stigma toward those jobs. You can beat any content in the game on those classes just like you can on the more desired WAR/DRK and SCH/AST. The difference really only effects those 1%ers that are speedrunning, and any class provided it is in the correct role is perfectly capable of clearing any content in the game.

So I guess my pointless post is spending a long time trying to say-
Play what you want, on any server that lets you create a character. It will mean very little (especially since you will be transferring), and being a multi-class game - which class/job you choose comes down to personal preference, and you can change your mind once you hit level 10 on your starting class anyway..

Finally on an end-note..
Play GLD/PLD if you are new to tanking and aren't that confident - it's a fairly safe and easy class to play compared to the slightly higher skill floor with MRD/WAR. Though many people (myself included) will swear by MRD/WAR in terms of enjoyment of the playstyle.

Play CNJ/WHM if you like bar pushing, or hate pet classes. Arguably a lower skill floor (like PLD) than your lvl 1 alternative. Play ACN/SCH if you like pet classes, like to DPS on a healer, or prefer the freedom of jumping between a Healer (SCH) and a DPS (SMN).

[Stormrider]

Was some solid lul time on Balmung after 3.3 could even make some in the middle of the day. If sleep is not an issue. Save the character data. Wake up slightly before maintenance ends and spam the login. Used to be a roughly 5 min window.

It is best even for a server like gilgamesh if you have a free fanatasia. Fill all the slots and then just fantasia later. Also remember to take a popular name so someone can ask you be deleted in another thread

[Grawbad]

@Altena It really is all about the ambiance of having tons of people running around the world no matter where I am at. That is it. Not worried about grouping or anything like that.


So, the following linked web site suggests that Leviathan and then Excalibur would be the next highest population servers after Balmung and Gilgamesh.
https://ffxivcensus.com/
That is going by looking under Realm Distribution (Active).

Anybody know the validity of that site?

[Stitches1974]

@Altena It really is all about the ambiance of having tons of people running around the world no matter where I am at. That is it. Not worried about grouping or anything like that.


So, the following linked web site suggests that Leviathan and then Excalibur would be the next highest population servers after Balmung and Gilgamesh.
https://ffxivcensus.com/
That is going by looking under Realm Distribution (Active).

Anybody know the validity of that site?

From Xcal. Very rarely do I not see someone running around.

[Altena]

Anybody know the validity of that site?

Also from Xcal. The hubs & citgies are always busy like every server, but general open world is a bit more barren as you would probably expect. I likely presume that this is the case for more or less any server though.

[Mixae]

If you are transferring to balmung anyway, you only have to wait 3 days to xfer. It literally does not matter what server you're on for those 3 days.

[Jetstream_Fox]

No matter where you go the open world will still be the same boring world. Really only the cities are going to be full, or people are going to be in houses/apartments. And seeing how you quit at 40, and you're not looking for a specific play style, not that you would be raiding or pvping at 40, I just don't know why you would want to use the money to transfer, just to see other people stand around. But hey whatever floats your boat.