Best way to do the 2.0-2.55 Story to access Ishgard?

**Seraphyel** · 09-02-2015 11:57 PM

Hey there,

I just became 50 yesterday. I played FF XIV on PS4 few months ago but lost interest. After they announced the Astrologian, I totally knew that's gonna bring me back into the game because that job is just awesome.

Now here's the issue: I need to go through all the story stuff from ARR to unlock it... okay, can understand those requirements but reality is a bit different.

As I said, I just hit 50 yesterday and started doing the main quest - and it took me hours of waiting in the tool to get a proper group and it was totally annoying doing it.

Why?

1. It takes forever to get a group: I am a White Mage and I usually have to wait +60 minutes.

2. The groups are rushing through the content, I can't enjoy the cutscences or the actual story because literally nobody is waiting or helping with tactics.

I managed to kill Ultima Weapon and I think now the real struggles start to finish the 100 (LOL!) left story quests to unlock Ishgard (would be nice if Playstation Store would tell potential buyers that they need to finish ARR completely before they're able to access Ishgard).

Right now I have no Free Company - should I get one just for doing those quests?

What's the best way to do them? I read many of those upcoming quests are group quests in dungeons or something like that...

I really want to play Heavensward but I don't know if I can force myself doing that bunch of quests because it's just painful (my biggest issue is that the access is tied to group content I can't handle alone).

Would somebody be so kind to help me? Give me some kind of guide or best way how to finish those quests or what I should do?

Thank you very much.

**Waeksyn** · 09-03-2015 12:10 AM

The best way is to just grind it out. Seems like you enjoy cutscenes and story. Don't sweat it. Just follow the quests and enjoy the journey!

**Seraphyel** · 09-03-2015 09:26 PM

Originally Posted by Waeksyn

The best way is to just grind it out. Seems like you enjoy cutscenes and story. Don't sweat it. Just follow the quests and enjoy the journey!

I really want to do that but I dislike playing as a White Mage. And I already got a Black Mage and Scholar at +40, but they're quite boring as well (I already played them at the ARR Relaunch on PC). The only thing that keeps me motivated right now is the fact that I'll be playing a class I really like, that's fresh, enticing and new (I saw many gameplay videos and I loved it).

I just don't understand why the access is locked behind so much group content. I have no issues in doing those quests, but you have to wait for a 4 / 8 player group so long and it just stops you from continue playing. Right now I do the story until I get a dungeon, than I enter the queue and do 30 minutes something else until the dungeon opens - and that's not satisfying at all.

Can somebody tell me at which level the new jobs start? 30?

And I heard something about that if you reach level 50, the other classes and jobs you level get a 50% XP bonus, is that true?

Thanks!

**Colorful** · 09-03-2015 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by Seraphyel

snip

Yeah, Dark Knight, Astrologian and Machinist all start at 30. It's not having a class at 50 that'll give you the bonus iirc, but just having one class higher than the one you're trying to level should do it. 1-49 is a 100% bonus, and 50-60 is a 50% bonus.

**Amberyl** · 09-03-2015 09:46 PM

Originally Posted by Seraphyel

I just don't understand why the access is locked behind so much group content.

It only looks like a lot because you chose to return so far behind everyone else. Relative to the actual time it was deployed over, it was light, at best.

Kinda only have yourself to blame, I'm afraid. Keeping the HW gate will be one of the most effective ways of combating RMT, outside forcing everyone to use a security token.

**Catwho** · 09-03-2015 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by Seraphyel

I really want to do that but I dislike playing as a White Mage. And I already got a Black Mage and Scholar at +40, but they're quite boring as well (I already played them at the ARR Relaunch on PC). The only thing that keeps me motivated right now is the fact that I'll be playing a class I really like, that's fresh, enticing and new (I saw many gameplay videos and I loved it). Thanks!

Hate to break it to you but Astrologian is known as "other white mage" - it plays identical to WHM below 30. If you don't like white mage, you may not like AST all that much either. Yeah, the spells are prettier and have different names, but it really doesn't start to differentiate past level 40+ anyway.

**Seraphyel** · 09-04-2015 12:15 AM

Originally Posted by Catwho

Hate to break it to you but Astrologian is known as "other white mage" - it plays identical to WHM below 30. If you don't like white mage, you may not like AST all that much either. Yeah, the spells are prettier and have different names, but it really doesn't start to differentiate past level 40+ anyway.

I just like the style more. But I'll see that, thanks!

Originally Posted by Tint

they should tell you that you actually have to play the game you bought? c.c,,

No, they should explain that the new stuff is locked behind a grind-wall of story quests. I knew that those things are locked but I bet many players don't. The thing is, when you buy something you're supposed to use it after you bought it.
_____

Let's be honest, it's impossible to lock all upcoming expansion packs behind the main scenario. It just won't work. Some players just don't want to do quests at all and I think it's not very clever to lock new content behind a massive amount of boring and dull story quests (I just teleported around the last half hour to tell NPCs stuff, that's no fun at all).

**Nyalia** · 09-04-2015 01:32 AM

Originally Posted by Catwho

Hate to break it to you but Astrologian is known as "other white mage" - it plays identical to WHM below 30. If you don't like white mage, you may not like AST all that much either. Yeah, the spells are prettier and have different names, but it really doesn't start to differentiate past level 40+ anyway.

^ This. I mean, the classes don't play identically, but healers pretty much have the same basic mechanics. Only small things change, like AST has weaker heals but random weak buffs. AST can also switch between a WHM-copy and an SCH-copy. If you don't like SCH or WHM, I don't really understand why you think you'd enjoy AST so much more?

The "new" jobs aren't terribly new. They just look a little different and mix things up a bit for players who've played the other classes to death. AST is very similar to WHM or SCH depending on stance. MCH is just a skin for BRD with a few different tricks but the same exact mechanics. DRK doesn't do much that WAR doesn't already do (except give me migraines from that stupid and ugly aura). I mean, sure, DRK has that MP seesaw, but it's not terribly different than WARs and wrath/abandon.

The new jobs don't have revolutionary new mechanics. Heck, even the other new-ish job, NIN, isn't that different from DRG (basic gameplay-wise - positional melee attack combos, a couple DoTs, and several off-GCD hits and buffs).

This game favors balance over unique basic mechanics. The most unique classes are the ones you have already dismissed as not enjoying - neither BLM nor SMN play like any other class.

Basically:

MCH ~= BRD (ranged DPS, party MP/TP regen at the cost of DPS, stationary cast-stance)

WHM ~= Diur AST (strong heals + regen with minor support) (WHM has more healing, AST has more support)

SCH ~= Noct AST (weaker heals that also create shields with minor support) (SCH fairy buffs ~= AST card buffs)

NIN ~= DRG (~= MNK, but more different than the other two are similar) (melee DPS, positionals, DoTs and off-GCD skills as major damage dealers, buffs that need to be maintained through constant use in combat) (MNK feels different to me than the other two because of stances changing what skills you can use and the need to keep hitting to keep Greased Lightning up, but really, MNK stances ~= combos and Greasted Lightning ~= Huton ~= Blood of the Dragon)

BLM = unique (the drastic MP seesaw mechanics are unique compared to other classes)

SMN = unique (DoTs as primary damage source, pet, flexible and strong off-GCD skills that you can use 3 of every 60 seconds)

WAR ~= DRK (this one is a bit weaker than the others. I'd argue that PLD is different from WAR/DRK, but I currently main PLD and haven't played much DRK, so I can't really say that with any confidence) (tank with temporary resources that are built up and expended, active mitigation, higher DPS)

PLD ~= unique-ish (tank with support skills and passive mitigation, lower DPS)

**Dramatic** · 09-03-2015 12:13 AM

Hi! I was in a similar situation to you. Me and my boyfriend play together, and we hit 50 a few weeks after HW came out. It seems daunting, but honestly getting to HW doesn't take too long. We have really limited play time to at most 3/4 hours a few evenings a week because of work schedules, and it took us about 2/3 evenings to do it. Most quests are go here>do this>go back. There are things you'll need a group for, but the DF times weren't that bad really, however my boyfriend plays a PLD so maybe that's why it was fine for us. The longest wait time was for steps, and that was only maybe 10 minutes.

Perhaps joining a FC and befriending a tank to come along with you might help with the queue times?

**OfTheWhitewind** · 09-03-2015 12:27 AM

Honestly just take your time and enjoy the story. I fell into the "gotta rush through this to get to where everyone else is" trap a few times too so there are a few parts in the story I rushed through. I regret it now because I've forgotten some parts of the 2.0 story as a result.

Currently working on the story at a slower pace now. It might keep me from Heavensward stuff longer since I'm taking my time but it's worth it.

Joining an FC would help a lot with story required dungeons and trials. You'll especially want a tank or healer with you. That'll help a lot.

Thread: Best way to do the 2.0-2.55 Story to access Ishgard?

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Display

Hybrid View

Best way to do the 2.0-2.55 Story to access Ishgard?