Leveling vs MSQ

[Dreakon13]

So I started playing FFXIV a month or two ago, I have DRG at level 50 and I'm approaching that with PLD (probably going to main DRK once I get there). I don't have a ton of time to play each day, about enough time to do my daily leveling duty finder once after work, if that... and maybe some extra over the weekend to play around outside of the duty finder.

I feel like this strategy is helping me level somewhat quickly and it's given me some practice learning the basics of tanking in actual groups, but I've barely gotten anywhere in the MSQ. I'm constantly getting higher level but I feel like my character is increasingly under-geared and I personally feel I'm a bit underdeveloped in terms of how well I play the game because I'm never really doing more than level 15-25 ARR dungeons (since that's all I've unlocked so far).

My question is, is it advisable as a newer player to stop doing the leveling duty finder roulette and focus on the MSQ for a little while? If I don't really have time for both? Or would the answer be a resounding 'it doesn't matter'? I feel like completing the MSQ would not only open up quite a bit more of the game to me, plus it'd open up the expansion content... but man is it a bit of a slog to get through. I've definitely enjoyed doing the duty finder. I don't want to stunt my characters or my own development though by ignoring the MSQ and find myself in a rut of being over leveled but under developed for everything.

With the level syncing... it seems like I could find myself being the worst level 80 in the game soon.

[m3eansean]

I would recommend progressing the MSQ as well. You will unlock/have access to many more parts of the game. Leveling roulette is usually intended for players leveling another job after they've maxed out one (usually by doing the MSQ).

[Niwashi]

This game is definitely focused around its main story, with most content being unlocked through the MSQ. For people who have time to do both, it can be a good pattern to advance one job with the leveling roulette while doing MSQ with another, but if you only have time for one or the other, MSQ generally ranks highest in priority.

You can still do the roulette occasionally when you get tired of questing and want a change of pace, but try to stay near enough to on-level in the story so that you can unlock level appropriate dungeons/trials.

[savageink]

I'd always suggest focusing on MSQ first on one class. Due to armory bonuses every other class will take less time to level afterwards. If you find yourself levelling ahead of the MSQ then skip the sidequests and save them for a different job. Roulettes are great but really the bonuses are built for people who have already done them as an incentive to rerun older content.

[Iscah]

As others have already said, MSQ is key to all your progress. Dungeons and later zones of the game (including the city where you unlock DRK) are all locked behind your story progress.

On your specific question about feeling undergeared: you only really need gear to match the level of the content you're doing. If you're doing Lv25 quests with a Lv50 character, it's okay to be wearing Lv25 armour.

[Shadygrove]

In your situation forget leveling for a bit and do the MSQ. You cannot unlock DRK until you finish 2.55.

The MSQ provides EXPs....

[MistakeNot]

My question is, is it advisable as a newer player to stop doing the leveling duty finder roulette and focus on the MSQ for a little while?

Absolutely. You need to do the MSQ sooner or later. Roulettes you can skip almost completely on your main job if you want to - you can earn enough Exp without them.
Almost everything in the game is gated by the MSQ one way or the other.

[Pettie]

Also the MSQ has been updated since ARR and actually gives decent gear to help you level with.