Feasibility of levelling with a friend using NG+?

[Roflcopter]

I'm trying to get my girlfriend into playing FFXIV, and I think I was finally successful in convincing her to give it a try.

I was planning on picking up a class I haven't leveled yet (probably BLM, NIN, or WHM), but I faintly recalled hearing somewhere that going through the story in NG+ didn't actually give quest experience; it's just a way to replay the quests.

If this is the case, how feasible is it to level a new job alongside a new player, as a character who has already been through the entire story?

I know that you get no EXP if there's someone in your party that is too high level, but..

You are probably better off just making an alt and starting from scratch too. It really isn’t bad especially if you want the sprout tag for a job you really aren’t familiar with. Sometimes it is nice to get a fresh start and focus rather than the mess that is an endgame character with a dozen or more jobs and packed armory chest. You don’t really lose anything in making an alt.

[Averax]

It'd be real nice if leveling via NG+ were a thing. Something i hope they add to it some day. It may take longer but i'd enjoy it way more than just grinding out dungeons endlessly. But for now you're out of luck.

[Jennah]

As you probably remember yourself, there's very little in the levelling experience that really benefits from having a second player alongside you. Many things are forced to be done solo; very, VERY few things, other than dungeons and maybe FATEs, even benefit from having a second player there.

If it were me, I'd just hang out and chat with her while she's levelling. Maybe carry her around the map in a 2-seater mount if you've got one early on, until she's more confident.

If she absolutely insists that she won't play with you unless you level together, make an alt character. But ... if she still feels that way after she sees how irrelevant being in a group is ... I'd wager she's not interested in the game itself at all, just hanging out with you.

[ReynTime]

When you're in a party doing the same quests, a few types of quest objectives are shared, like the purple zones with mandatory fights in the overworld. But they're very few and balanced around solo play, which makes them a huge joke with 2 or more players.

[Illmaeran]

You are probably better off just making an alt and starting from scratch too. It really isn’t bad especially if you want the sprout tag for a job you really aren’t familiar with. Sometimes it is nice to get a fresh start and focus rather than the mess that is an endgame character with a dozen or more jobs and packed armory chest. You don’t really lose anything in making an alt.

I second this! Having a separate character made specifically to only play with your friend is the best way to cooperatively play through the MSQ. Don't underestimate the Power of the Sprout when leveling a new job; especially a tank or healer. I had tanxiety for the vast majority of my time in the game and avoided it like the plague for nearly eight years. When I decided to play through the game again on a fresh character I went with a tank job to take advantage of the Sprout and "First Time Here" notification to garner some slack from folks. It didn't take long to get over the anxiety and come to enjoy tanking. I even decided to level PLD on my main; something I never thought I'd do.

In addition to the above, having an alt will let you play your main without worry when your friend's not on. It's a win/win.


On the other side of the coin, there's a lot to be said for letting a new player go at their own pace and do what they want without the pressure of having to stick lock-step with a friend. I tried the alt + wife thing and it didn't work out because she felt she couldn't go do what she wanted when she wanted. There's so much to see and do outside of the MSQ that it can be frustrating to the new player to feel as though they can't do it for fear of causing issues with their leveling partner.

Either method's valid, you just need to have a candid discussion about what you both want and what would work best for the two of you. Then it's up to you to respect their decision.