New player looking for a guide to the game

[Joeydunno]

I've just recently delved into the game properly with a new chapter (level 12 gladiator) and I'm wondering about all the dungeons in the game and at what level can I start tackling dungeons?? Also I'm interested in how much content in a realm reborn do I need to go through before I can get to the heavenword content ??

Thank you for reading

[Niwashi]

The first dungeon is at level 15 (immediately followed by a couple more at 16 and 17). Here's a good listing of them:
http://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/wiki/Dungeons

To reach Heavensward, you'll need to complete the entire Main Scenario from A Realm Reborn (2.0 and all the 2.x patch quests). So just keep following all the quests with the fiery ring around the quest icon. (I wouldn't worry about Heavensward just yet, though. You'll get more out of the game if you focus on where you're at. You'll reach Ishgard soon enough, but in the meantime, enjoy your travels through the rest of Eorzea.)

[Grant_Wilshire]

Sorry to piggyback on this thread :

Is it true that if you don't have Heavensward you will cap at 50 and even if you get Heavensward later you will not get that lost experience back?

Also if I buy Heavensward do I have to transfer my character somehow or will it see I already have ARR and just update the software?

Also for the original poster - the dungeon unlocks at level 15 or higher, but you have to be given the quest in the game to unlock each dungeon so they start to show up in your duty finder.

[thejthar]

Sorry to piggyback on this thread :

Is it true that if you don't have Heavensward you will cap at 50 and even if you get Heavensward later you will not get that lost experience back?

Also if I buy Heavensward do I have to transfer my character somehow or will it see I already have ARR and just update the software?

Also for the original poster - the dungeon unlocks at level 15 or higher, but you have to be given the quest in the game to unlock each dungeon so they start to show up in your duty finder.

Yes if you don't have Hevansward you cap at 50 and experience you earn won't go to the next level until you activate Heavensward on your account. Once activated you won't need to transfer you character or any thing. If you haven't, I don't remember where in the launcher it is, you might need to download HW in the launcher and their should be a check box somewhere to tell it to do that. Other than that you will be good to go.

[Frizze]

Joey - The link from Niwashi is all the dungeons and raids currently in the game(with one exception for a new non-traditional dungeon from the most recent patch). It also includes a link to the quest that unlocks each of them. In this game, no instanced content is unlocked automatically - everything is gated behind some quest or other. Most of them you automatically do just by advancing the storyline, but there are many of them that are totally optional as well. In addition to the dungeons and raids, there are also a variety of trials you will be asked to complete(think of these as 4 or 8 man boss fights with important NPCs like Ifrit) As for how much ARR content, you have to finish all the pre-HW storyline quests(the ones with the fiery quest icon). Nothing else is required. The story will send you to ishgard when the time comes.

Grant - That is correct. Any exp you earn while capped is lost. If you still have content you want to do before getting the expansion you can always try leveling multiple classes to spread your pre-50 exp around. Otherwise, a lot of people get the expansion shortly before they hit 50 so they wont lose any exp. For the record, a lot of the quests right at that moment dont give a ton of exp, so you wouldnt be losing too much. When you buy the expansion you get a registration code. You add this to your current account on the mogstation website, and the rest happens automatically when you log in.

[LunaFaye]

For the record, a lot of the quests right at that moment dont give a ton of exp, so you wouldnt be losing too much.

Wrong, as I have shown in many other threads on this forum, after reaching level 50 and than ending up with doing the side quests, daily roulette's, trials and dungeons you need to unlock anyways etc. gets you to level 55 without skipping most of the content, and level 53 with skipping most ARR content, when entering Ishgard. The first part of the heavenwards msq together with the first 2 maps/zones can easily get you to 60 if you're not skipping anything. So that would give you plenty of ARR dungeons that you might have skipped, and the whole msq including their dungeons from 3.1 - 3.35 for your other characters.

I would recommend buying the expansion as soon as possible or lose out on the exp.

[Gemina]

Wrong, as I have shown in many other threads on this forum, after reaching level 50 and than ending up with doing the side quests, daily roulette's, trials and dungeons you need to unlock anyways etc. gets you to level 55 without skipping most of the content, and level 53 with skipping most ARR content, when entering Ishgard. The first part of the heavenwards msq together with the first 2 maps/zones can easily get you to 60 if you're not skipping anything. So that would give you plenty of ARR dungeons that you might have skipped, and the whole msq including their dungeons from 3.1 - 3.35 for your other characters.

I would recommend buying the expansion as soon as possible or lose out on the exp.

I'm pretty sure she was just referring to the 2.x MSQ's to get to Ishgard. There are 100 of them and each quest grants 4800 exp, which won't even get a character halfway from 50-51. If you do side quests, FATEs, roulettes etc. Of course you're going to get crazy exp from them. Most things you unlock post 50 (lv50 relic, HM dungeons/primals, Frontlines, Odin instance, etc.) are not required to progress the MSQ, which is what you need to do to get to HW, and there is a TON of other things a player can do while they're grinding the MSQ on their main(s). Things that will make them a little more self sufficient going into 3.0

2.x is amazing, and so many just blast right trough it. I encourage for OP to take his time not only with 1.0 content, but the 2.x content that follows afterwards.

[Frizze]

I'm pretty sure she was just referring to the 2.x MSQ's to get to Ishgard. There are 100 of them and each quest grants 4800 exp, which won't even get a character halfway from 50-51.

That is absolutely what i was remembering and refering to. Before that the story quests had been rewarding like a quarter mil each, then it dropped to less then 5k for the 100 quest string that gets you into Ishgard. Someone doing "everything" will certainly end up with more. But i also didnt want to argue on the forum about it with someone who has taken part in "many other threads on this forum" about the subject.

[Edar]

For the most part you'll find the best guides in YouTube, just type the name of the dungeon + guide or tutorial and you'll get a ton of results. Some lvl. 50+ dungeons changed since its release so pay attention to the date of the guide and try to look for newer guides.

Having said that for a young Gladiator looking to be a great Paladin gdoggcasey guides are the best I've found:

gdoggcasey's Tanking Guide for Beginner Gladiators