Just finished PS4 trial... Question!

[Nutz]

Well dang ok thanks you just made up my mind. Not going to wait 4 months lol...

Brings me to my final question! How long does it take to get to 50 and start raiding?

It really depends on how much you play and how you play (for example I read everything but a friend of mine skips all quest text). I would estimate about 40 hours of play time give or take to get your first class to 50, but that could vary wildly based on role and what you concentrate on. I think it probably takes another few days at least to unlock and run all of the post 50 dungeons and to start gearing up. Shouldn't really take too much time from there to be able to enter at least old raids and soon FCoB (Final Coil of Bahamut -- current raid) if you're so inclined.

Also, I can almost guarantee that Heavensward will not be out within 3 months. Usual patch cycles are 3 months and the final 2.X patch is later this month, though it's a bit unusual itself in that they're splitting the story between it and subsequent minor patches, so if anything it might be longer than 3 months.

[Niwashi]

How long does it take to get to 50 and start raiding?

It depends on how single-mindedly you focus on that as being a goal. If you restrict yourself to only a single job, race through the quests while skipping their stories, and focus just on leveling up as fast as you can, it's possible to hit 50 within a couple weeks.

On the other hand, if you explore the world, talk to every NPC you can, try out all the different classes, and take your time enjoying the stories, well, that's the way I treat the game and it took just over a year to get my first 50. (Oh, I also divide my attention between multiple characters to some extent, although Y'kayah has sort of become my main. And, although for the first 7 or 8 months the game was out I was playing several hours every day, it eventually trailed off to a more casual schedule. Now I only play maybe a couple times a week on average.)

Really anywhere within that 2 weeks to a year range is pretty reasonable. It all depends on how you play.

[ElazulHP]

Thanks everyone! Just picked up the game last night and am having a blast! Cya all out there!

[Eltaire]

Or should I wait to purchase when the two will likely be bundled together?

You'd likely be waiting a year or so for the game to be bundled together.

What I'd suggest is buy the base game now, and look at purchasing the expansion only after you have gotten through all of the A Realm Reborn content. There's quite a lot of it there, so you're not likely to burn through it all quickly unless you're a hardcore player.