Yikes gathering is way too confusing

[Kaiserdrache]

Gathering isnt confusing, it becomes from Level 50 onwards just way too miuch of an overcomplicated grindfest, thats all.

They need to removed these nonsensical garbage, that is timed nodes and the even more so nonsensical nodes, which spawn only a specific times that are shown with just only ??? and where you don#t see, where you find the item that you wan,t so that you have to waste first mostly all of your SP, just to be able to see, where you need to chop at to get somethings ..

Really overcomplicated and ridiculous becomes it first from Level 60 on in regard of it becoming a nonsensical grindfest, when you have to collect or create collector items.
Not to mention the heavy gear treadmill you are underlying from 50 to 70 just to be able to successfully craft and collect something without mindboggling low chances.
Yes, therefore are naturally certain skilsl there to buff these chances up.. but they SP costs are way too high for the kind of way of how way too slowly the player gets more SP through equipment in this game, that you are basically permanently independant on using this silly SP potions when you are doing something that shoudl give you some exp boosts like a crafting/collecting charter, which is sadly aside of the giving of stuff to one of the 3 factions the only way of effectively leveling the craftign/collecting jobs fast together with the exp buff items from doing squad missions or from your guild paired together ...
Otherwise levelign these jobs from doing actually normal collecting stuff (unless you craft/collect something NEW) is slow af... and its about time, that with the next expansion SE does somethign with the rebuilding of Ishgard for the craftign and collectign jobs, to make the levelign part from 50 to then 80 a more fun and not so grindy ultra boring snoozefest.

What this game needs are also Quests for Crafters and Collectors, when you get exp for something, that doesn't actually require of you to collect or craft a specific thing.
Combat Classes have thousands of quests that help them to level up, but crafters and collectors have absolutely none at all... not very seriously well planned through game design in my opinion there when one side literally has hundreds over hundreds of quests to do within level 1 to 69 and the other side has 0 to do in regard of quests and gets exp only through crafting/collecting things or bringing that stuff to one of 3 factions for some serious exp boosts or hoping to make soem good collector items at the later end of the game to get some serious exp boosts that are like 30 to 50 times+ as much of what you'd get of doing a craftign/collecting of an item of your appropriate level range ...

By these misdesigns you can clearly see, that crafting and collecting jobs, either have not been made by the same developer team, that also made the combat classes, or these jobs simply didn't got from begin on the same focus of attention, as like the combat jobs, which you can see, that the crafting/collectign gear level at Leve70 is even significantly lower, than that of combat classes, which have currently the highest Ilevel of 405 in equipment, where crafters/collectors aren't equal to that and can have so far maximum only Ilevel 340!! - at least thats the highest I know of and see everywhere ...

[Iscah]

What this game needs are also Quests for Crafters and Collectors, when you get exp for something, that doesn't actually require of you to collect or craft a specific thing.

A quest needs to have a specific objective! On the other hand, you are free at any time to just go out there and hit gathering points to obtain items. While you don't have a "quest" to hand in for EXP, you earn it from the gathering itself, and then you can sell the items! (Unlike levequests where the items just vanish into the aether and you only get the EXP.)

Money earned from selling gathered items can then be spent on better gear which lets you gather higher-level items (= more EXP) or the same level more efficiently.

Also invest in "survival manuals" from either your GC or (higher bonus) from the scrip exchange. You'll also get some from completing class quests. They'll boost your EXP gain while gathering.

[Shadygrove]

-snip-

Gathering is optional content, if it annoys you don't do it.

I like gathering. I don't much use levequests, which ARE quests BTW, because I would rather gather for EXPs.

I do not mind the crafting and gathering grinds, I do mind the raiding grind so I don't raid. That's how you do it.

Oddly enough I did the Yo-Kai watch grind (twice) and I am liking the Eureka grind. Never did a relic before, didn't even like the look of the grinds.

[Brightamethyst]

What this game needs are also Quests for Crafters and Collectors, when you get exp for something, that doesn't actually require of you to collect or craft a specific thing.
Combat Classes have thousands of quests that help them to level up, but crafters and collectors have absolutely none at all....

Pretty sure leves, ixal, moogle, and namazu dailies already exist.

So there are only two options, pay million's for "Starter end game gear" or grind for weeks for "Starter end game gear".. *shrugs*.. if that's the only two options, it's not like I have much choice.

No one said that. The high end stuff will always be expensive and/or a grind, but the starter stuff isn't. You can buy NQ level 70 i290 tools and left side gear from vendors in Kugane, and one week worth of custom delivery turn ins will get you enough yellow scripts to buy most, if not all of the blue i350 accessories. That's more than enough to get started while you grind of save for the better gear.

[Dmhlucky]

Upgrading gear is a basic in any MMO. You get the added bonus in this one with the job quests often giving you level appropriate gear.
If you choose only 1 gathering job, you are limited to 1 "free piece every 5 levels, but if you level all 3, thats 3/5 main pieces free, and Main and offhand tools free.

Getting accessories isn't hard either, and you don't Have to go with the Best if you are just leveling. You can grind in items you have decent rates on and sell them either on the AH or Stores, or craft if available.

Ignore the guides. Just find points your level and harvest. Do levequests if you can, they are Great for leveling, and occasionally will reward you with gear or useful items.

Use your abilities (if that wasn't already obvious) to improve your gathering rates into an acceptable level if needed.

I think in general, you are over complicating one of the simpler elements of this game.