Trust system

[Reggs]

Hi everyone,
Pretty much brand new player here, initially starting with 1.0 and quitting shortly after. I mostly play solo these days due having to afk a lot, sometimes for 10-15mins at a time (kid aggro, I have 3 of em :-). This was fine when I was raiding in WoW as I was able to find a guild with like minded folks.

I've been getting into the MSQ, going thru ARR and the expansions and realized there's forced grouping to finish the MSQ. My first grouping experience in FFXIV was pretty bad and left a sour taste to be honest and I decided to boost a PLD to 70 and solo the dungeons/trials right up to Susano in Stormblood (cant solo), then decided to buy the main scenario completion book so I can get started with Shadowbringers. I initially thought I would be able to solo the Shb MSQ due to the trust system.

But ..... it looks like there's a trial fairly early on in Shb MSQ and it looks like the trust system is only for dungeons? Am I SoL? Is it safe to assume that if I want to progress the MSQ, then I will have to group up eventually? Thanks.

[SrahaTia]

Yes, the trust system is only for dungeons in Shadowbringers, you will have to group with players for trials.

[Reggs]

Ok thanks and is the only way to unlock regions through the MSQ? Is there any other way to unlock regions? Thanks.

[Enkidoh]

Ok thanks and is the only way to unlock regions through the MSQ? Is there any other way to unlock regions? Thanks.

The maps are indeed unlocked only via playing through the main scenario (as the msqs take you to these new areas). Early on access to most of the maps are opened up fairly quickly but there's still two main areas that are not until you proceed to the revelant parts of the story (to say nothing of parts of some of the maps do not become accessable to later either, like the eastern half of Kohlusia). There's only three trial battles you have to do during the ShB main scenario (Titania which I assume is the one you're referring to, plus

Innocence, and the final boss; Hades

so it's not actually all that bad and not like you have a trial battle in every area (and I say that as someone who loathes having to party with people too).

Proceeding through the story also helps to unlock flight in those regions too (assuming you've also been completing the side quests that reward aether currents and collecting the currents on the map) - as it is the very final region you can unlock flight will not gain that til you complete the whole scenario, so there is extra reason for doing so.

[Frizze]

Yeah, getting to the end of the current content requires 4 trials. The one at level 73 that youre probly at, two later in the main ShB story, and a final one during the patches. If you pass the current one, you will be able to open up every region except the last one before you get to the second trial, and the third is to end the main story. In terms of time commitment, most trials are done in 8-10 mins so kid aggro has less time to build up. But other players are going to be part of it. Im sorry you had a bad experience, but i would tell you that the vast majority of groups arent bad.

[Reggs]

Thanks for all your responses, it's much appreciated. I do admit, 99% of the community I've encountered so far have been very pleasant and helpful.

[DPZ2]

If you have joined a Free Company, and there are other members of the FC who could do the Trials when you're available, I'd urge you to consider asking them. It takes a lot of the pressure off of you when you are working with familiar players.