Returning Player Questions

[Rayvein]

So while I am not a New Player, I am returning after a long delay to finally try out Heavansward content, and have run into a couple questions.

For more information; when I last played Coils T5 was the hardest raid at the time when I played, so it has been quite a long time since I played again.

When i came back, I decided to reroll from scratch on a new server with some friends on the PS4 (used to play on PC, but got PS4 base game + heavansward for 50% off).

I just recently hit 50 again on my preferred class WHM, and got hit with the swarm on unlock quests.

So questions are, what is exactly required to unlock Heavansward content? I understand that the MSQ are required to progress, but what about all the other quests like Odin, and all the Hard Mode unlock quests?

Is there any point now to do the Relic Reborn quest chain, beyond unlocking Thryus for Glamour purposes?

Thanks for any help.

[Niwashi]

The MSQ of all the 2.x patches is required before entering HW content, along with all the trials and dungeons it incorporates. Some of the others are useful for unlocking Level 50 Roulette (at least, I don't think all of those are included in the MSQ), but the MSQ is the only gating for entering Ishgard.

The Relic Reborn quest chain provides a cool looking weapon, which if fully upgraded would be useful through perhaps the first 2/3 or so of HW leveling, but there are other weapons that can be acquired much easier that can do the same. The initial non-upgraded Thryus would probably be just glamour even when you first get it, and by the time you reach 60, even a fully upgraded Nirvana Zeta would turn into a glamour item. (If fully upgraded to Zeta, you get glamour versions of each step along the way.) You also get a job specific title for the initial Relic Reborn quest ("The White" in the case of WHM), and another title ("Z") for completing all the upgrades on any ARR relic.

You do NOT need to have done any part of the ARR relic in order to get the HW relic, but if you have a fully Zeta upgraded ARR relic, you do get to skip one step (a quite long and grindy step from what I've heard) of the quest to get a HW relic. While that's a nice nod to those who did all the relic grinding as it came out, it's not worth a full relic to zeta grind just to avoid one step of the new relic's grind. Personally, I'd recommend perhaps doing the initial Relic Reborn quest, which is varied enough to be interesting and gives you both a cool looking (glamour) weapon and a title. But it's probably not worth bothering with all the long grindy upgrade steps after that unless you're a completionist who finds the sense of accomplishment rewarding in itself (which is what I'm doing, but I'm kind of crazy that way ).

[Rayvein]

Yeah I did the original WHM Relic quest on my first character, but left before all the Zeta nonsense, so wasn't entirely sure what was going on with that, or if I needed to do it for the HW Relic.

Thank you for the advice / info.

[Frizze]

Niwashi had the short of it. The only requirement for HW access(aside from buying the expansion) is finishing the 2.x MSQ. The unlocks being thrown at you are all optional content. The trials and dungeons required to advance are only unlocked via the MSQ. The main purpose of those extra dungeons and trials for most people is a source of exp, poetics, and glamours. In the long run its definitely worth it to have the roulettes unlocked, so i would say to do at a minimum the dungeons when you have time. If you enjoy the trials then get all those done too. And Niwashi, as i remember it, only 2 or 3 of the dungeons appearing on the 50 roulette are part of the MSQ(keeper, snow, maybe one other).

I will also add for Rayvein, they did make the old relic easier then it would have been when you did it. Still much more work then other options you have available, but not quite as bad as it was.