About Heavensward

[BaconMan8910]

Hi. So, I'm new to FFXIV and am currently playing the base game (A Realm Reborn).

Having never played the game before, I'm wondering if I should bother getting Heavensward, yet? Should I play through ARR for a bit, first? If I install Heavensward, can I still play through the main quest line of ARR? What does Heavensward add?

I'm kind of just looking for some advice on the matter from someone with a bit more experience with both the base game and the expansion.

Thanks!

[Enkidoh]

Welcome to Eorzea!

Pretty much all of the new content added with Heavensward actually requires you to have completed ARR's storyline all the way through to the final patch story quest, so you have a long way to go before you actually reach this point. Hence you can easily get by without getting the expansion just yet, other for these two exceptions:

1. The level cap is raised from the default ARR level of 50 to level 60, so it you want to level beyond this point to 60 you must have Heavensward installed and registered.
2. The au ra race are added to the game and are only available on character creation if you have Heavensward installed.

These are the only two Heavensward additions to the game that you can access right at the start - everything else requires you to complete the original ARR and the five patch storylines first before you can access the new content. And yes, even if you don't have HW installed, you definetely still have access to all the original game and all the content added in patches (up to the final 2.55 patch).

As for what Heavensward adds, that's a tough question - specifically it adds new areas (the city state of Ishgard which until now has been closed off, the Coerthas Western Highlands, the Dravanian Forelands, the Dravanian Hinterlands/Idylshire, the floating continents of the Churning Mists, The Sea of Clouds and Azys Lla, numerous new dungeons and trials, and the ability to actually fly in those new areas on specific flying mounts. There are also new FATEs, Hunt monsters, new end game Raids (Alexander and the Void Ark), new storyline and side quests, new Job quests, new friendly beast tribe daily quests (from the Gundu Vanu tribe) and much more. There is a lot I haven't mentioned, but despite what some people feel there is a lot to do, perhaps too much.

Don't feel daunted though! Don't be in a hurry to get to thus point, take your time with ARR's story and content as the expansion and all it's content will still be there no matter how much time you take to reach it.

[BaconMan8910]

Thanks. I appreciate the help. ^-^

[Shug]

1. The level cap is raised from the default ARR level of 50 to level 60, so it you want to level beyond this point to 60 you must have Heavensward installed and registered.

Not really. I have ARR on my PS4 and Heavensward on PC, and I can still play in the ARR zones on my PS4 with my lvl 60 monk. I just can't go into Ishgard or anything until I buy the exp, which I wont since I mainly play on PC now.