What would you do first on Dawntrail?

[Fyrebrand]

The real answer is "wait in queue to log in, get error messages."

After that, probably just be amazed at how different everything and everyone looks with the new graphics update. It's going to be a pretty wild experience seeing it for the first time. A Realm Re-Reborn!

MSQ for sure, but I'm not going to try and rush it. Probably unlock the new jobs, especially Pictomancer which I'm pretty hyped for.

Uninstall

[Eastwall]

Work on pictomancer glamour

[Carin-Eri]

I intend to do the MSQ, at my own pace, and digest the story. As @TheMightyMollusk said, avoiding spoilers might be challenging, particularly since there'll be those who treat the MSQ as if it were some sort of race, but avoiding FFXIV social media as much as possible should offset that a little - just hope that players here remember to spoiler-tag posts.

Again, I'll be approaching the new MSQ content with a 'enjoy the story' mindset. I actually really like the premise of Dawntrail and can't wait to see where they go with it. The only aspect of this I'm undecided on is which job to play through the new content with.

[KageTokage]

Speedrun MSQ so I can get it out of my system sooner then later.

[Jeeqbit]

I'll probably fantasia with the apparent free fantasia we are getting.

Then I will probably level Viper as much as I can and do roulettes. Then start the MSQ. I usually do roulettes each day still to get Scholar up, which knocks out a Healer and Magic DPS role while I also take a tank up via quests.

[ForsakenRoe]

Hand in a stockpiled WT journal for half a level on pictomancer
Get, complete, hand in the current week's journal for another half a level on pictomancer

After that, story as a 90 class, but yeh, free level up for one of the new classes upon logging in is a pretty good deal

[Tint]

Trying on new gear at the market board and look what new pets there are.

[Jeeqbit]

Shared FATE (if it still exist still)

We are getting FATEs, so it will. They had to add the Shared FATE reward system because nobody saw the point in doing FATEs for experience anymore and that has not changed.

avoiding spoilers might be challenging, particularly since there'll be those who treat the MSQ as if it were some sort of race, but avoiding FFXIV social media as much as possible should offset that a little

My recommendations are:

• Click the Event tab and stay in it. So you only see NPC conversation and can't see player chat in the other tabs.
• Close discord (or at least disable all notifications in all of the user settings, all overlays, desktop notifications, sounds and keep to servers you know won't have spoilers).
• Don't check youtube, twitter, facebook, or anywhere. I often struggle to avoid checking YouTube. One time I caught a glimpse of Crown of the Immaculate in my feed mid-MSQ.
• If you have social media alerts that could spoil from these locations, either disable phone notifications entirely or don't check your phone.
• World Visit to the most dead DC/server (such as Dynamis) so you don't see endgame mounts everywhere that could spoil.
• Disable all titles and minion nameplates in case they imply anything.
• Reduce character and object rendering to Minimum.

just hope that players here remember to spoiler-tag posts.

These forums usually go silent for several days. The most spoilery posts you usually find on release is in the bug and localization forums, just reporting honest bugs that have been observed, or more specific forums complaining about job changes as usual.

[GoatOfWar]

I'll first wait to see if it's even worth my money.

[Jettinson]

Unlock classes and enjoy the viper/pictomancer mayhem. It was fun with all the reapers day 1 on alliance roulette.
After trying those, going to MSQ... I do not want to rush the story but at least want to enjoy it with a decent pace