"Learning Party" in Party Finder

[Velisra]

Is this still a thing for lower level content?

Here's the issue:

My aunt decided to try the game again after I told her that my husband, my daughter and I play. She tried FF over a year ago (probably before HW released) and quit because she doesn't like doing group content with random people. I can relate--I don't really like it either (it's very stressful for all four of us really), but I've gutted my way through it because I liked the rest of the game enough.

Since I mentioned that we'd have a group of four and that my daughter could tank and I could level a healer, she decided to give it a chance again since she wouldn't be grouping with random people.

When I said that, I completely forgot about the content that requires eight players. Oops. I feel really bad now that I've remembered about all the trials... and she's already bought CEs of ARR and HW.

So I'm wondering if it would be best to use the Party Finder to do this content rather than the Duty Finder, and label our parties "Learning Party." I remember seeing this suggested to new players when they needed to do Castrum Meridianum and Praetorium because of all the cutscenes.

Is this still a thing, or are there not enough new players around right now that would appreciate a learning party environment to make it an effective use of time? Would it take so long to find four others that it would just be better to use the DF and get it over with?

Would it be a good idea to contact players in the Mentor/Novice Network system to help with something like this?

TL;DR I'd like to make the 8 man trials as stress-free as possible for our group. Any other suggestions are welcome!

[Bdyer]

There are still learning parties but they are rare for any pre-60 content. You can either

-make friends on the server and level with them as well
-join a fc and use them to fill the gaps in a 8 man dungeon/trials
-que together and the 4 of you would just be placed with extra 4 randoms.

For the actual grind you could skip all of the trials and grind via dungeon roulettes or potd or fates. So over the course of the msq there would be a total of 11? Trials/ 8 man dungeons.

[bounddreamer]

Yes, you can absolutely make a party for 8-man content. Make sure to mention you are new (bonus) and want a few friendly, helpful players who will be patient with your four new folks.

There are absolutely still people around who will help you with this. I'd be happy to help, myself, but we're on different servers.

[Urthdigger]

There's plenty of people bored enough, or who need esoterics.

[Lelila38]

Asking on the novice network is also a good idea, I myself have run stuff with new players when asked through novice channel.
Also putting up a learning party on party finder will help, remember to state exactly what you want though, so make sure you mention no cutscene skipping.

Best of luck with that and enjoy the game

[EveK]

Another option is to use the "undersized party" option to enter the eight-person duties with only four (or you four plus whoever you find that's amenable to being patient and all). I had tons of fun doing Castrum Meridianum and Praetorium with only three people (me being the only 60).

[Velisra]

Thank you to everyone for the helpful replies! I think we'll try the "Learning Party" route when the time comes and see how that goes. I had also thought about the undersized party option and we may try that, though I'm not sure how well it will go with two of us at 60 (the tank and healer) and the others at 50.

Thank you all again, I appreciate the help. :-)

[Frizze]

A lot of the content, tank and healer at 60 would be enough. The fights might go a little slowly, but a tank who can barely be hurt by an enemy and a healer who has to TRY to run out of resources can get you through a lot of rough patches. And your other plans will work too. If you have friends/FC members who can help then enlist 'em, advertise your Learning Party via the PF, and if you still have a slot or two open that you want to fill the novice network is an excellent resource. Most of the players of this game are great, and im sure youll find what youre looking for if you ask and explain. Best of luck!

[Velisra]

Thanks for that info Frizze! :-) I thought that might be the case with having a healer and tank at 60, but good to have it confirmed.

[Sida]

To my knowledge, a good level 60 tank can solo most level 50 stuff if they really want to, add to that a level 60 healer and that should be more than enough. I three manned ifrit HM the other day for a friend who receny started the game and was at 50, while the other two were me on 60 heal and a friend on 60 tank.

As for novice network, I don't know how it is in your server but at least on mine there tends to be always mentors (and sometimes the longer standing novices) who like to jump in if asked to help some people get further in their careers.