So... I never got that minion from retainers...

[TomTom1968]

The concept of "you can do everything with one character" brought me to the Game and I liked how it was in the beginning (pre 2.3). It was indeed possible to have either well equipped combat classes and DOL/DOH. 100% of the Content and items were accessible. No recipe too hard to make, all minions to obtain via crafting (with human requirements), by running dungeons or doing maps. But with each new patch, they make it more and more impossible to obtain everything with your characters because of the requirements they have set. Something about their philosophy has changed or maybe they do not find another way to keep it "challenging". But for me it isn't challenging but more frustrating because I can't (and don't want) to spend my entire spare time with the Game just to keep able of what I was used to do with way less timely efforts.

If you do not pay for 4 retainers, you will never get all minions. If you do not equip your DOL very well, you can't do the highest ventures. When I compare the retainer DOL to my combat DOL it is a Joke. My tank wears my old BML gear and he can go on every venture he likes because it is just about the Item Level (don't take that as a hint to change it and make it ACC or main stat depending, SE lol). It took zero efforts to get him there. My Fisher in opposite can no longer do the highest venture although he has all the AF in HQ (even overmelded) and at least the ilevel 55 accesoires in HQ and also overmelded. But I would have to give him the Level 70 Fisher tool and probably upgrade at least a part of the accesoires and meld them to gain access to the highest Venture again. And I am surely not again fishing Sovereigns for the Level 70 tool or craft for a week to get 10 FC3's and a Master Demimateria for the 75 tool.

[ZodiacSoldier]

My Fisher in opposite can no longer do the highest venture although he has all the AF in HQ (even overmelded) and at least the ilevel 55 accesoires in HQ and also overmelded. But I would have to give him the Level 70 Fisher tool and probably upgrade at least a part of the accesoires and meld them to gain access to the highest Venture again. And I am surely not again fishing Sovereigns for the Level 70 tool or craft for a week to get 10 FC3's and a Master Demimateria for the 75 tool.

The ilevel 70 weapon makes all the difference. I gave my Fisher the level 70 rod, the ilevel 55 HQ AF gear and HQ accessories (the old stuff not the ilevel 55 1 star ones) with only 1 or 2 melds using grade 1 / 2 materia and i was able to send them to do the XV explorations. The fishing rod is a pain to get, but the second one is ALOT easier to get since you have the upgraded rod. Took me like 30 hours to get the first Rod, (spent a weekend or two getting it) and it only took about 10 hours to get the second one. Just get a controller with vibrate and watch netflix.