New player, Have some basic questions need answering.

[Ghostookami]

Hi, Im new to FFXIV, couple of my friends decided to get it so i figured id join them. So far its been really fun (only level 10 lol). I have played FFXI before but was very late to the party as i didnt pick it up till it came on the xbox360 and even then i didnt stick around for more than a couple months so i really didnt get anywhere in it. Im liking XIV a lot more than XI though so far and am looking forward to staying with this game for a long time. That being said i have some basic questions.

1. Is there some sort of auction house in the game? im in the city...uhh..Limsa Luminsa (i think thats how you spell it). And the map legend doesnt say there is one so i figured id ask anyway. I know in XI there was an AH and a lot of the lower level gear was cheaper to buy from there than it was the shops so thats why im asking, dont want to go spend a bunch of gil when there could be an AH and i could get the same or better for 1/3 the price.

2. If there isnt an AH, where do lower levels get gear? should i just buy from a vender somewhere in the city? or should i craft my own.

3. Do you get gear from quests and how often should i be upgrading gear while leveling.

4. Do different venders in the game sell things at different prices? or if i say, find a vender that sells a bow for 1k gil, is another vender going to have the same bow for the same amount? or would another vender sell it cheaper/higher.

5. When im looking at gear from a vender it has a "optimal level". whats that mean? Im level ten and i see some gear that has an optimal level for like..12-13 and its yellow, but i also see gear that is optimal level 18, can i use that level 12-13 or the level 18? not sure how this works.

6. How do most people make money? Do you earn significant amounts of gil questing to support buying upgrades or should i level up crafting a bit and sell some things to keep my money flow up.


Those are all the questions i have at the moment, if i think of any more ill edite/update my post.

Thanks

[HiirNoivl]

Is there some sort of auction house in the game?

There's a market ward. It's an instanced area and you want see it on the map. In Limsa it's north of the Aether plaza. You want to go to the Uldahn Mercantile Area and do a search there for lower gear.

If there isnt an AH, where do lower levels get gear?

At your level it would be worth it to gather/buy mats and make your gear yourself.

Do you get gear from quests and how often should i be upgrading gear while leveling.

There are some miniquests that give you items and gear. You can get gear from leves. You can also get gear from dungeons like Shposhae which is east of Limsa (for level 15ish gear) or from TotoRak (Level 30 gear). You can get higher level gear from Lower NMs also.

how often should i be upgrading gear while leveling.

It depends on how fast you're leveling and what content you're doing. I upgraded gear every 10-12 levels back in the day.

Do different venders in the game sell things at different prices?

Nope

When im looking at gear from a vender it has a "optimal level". whats that mean?

It doesn't mean anything. Wear it if you find it useful and your character can equip it.

[REDace0]

Hi, Im new to FFXIV, couple of my friends decided to get it so i figured id join them. So far its been really fun (only level 10 lol). I have played FFXI before but was very late to the party as i didnt pick it up till it came on the xbox360 and even then i didnt stick around for more than a couple months so i really didnt get anywhere in it. Im liking XIV a lot more than XI though so far and am looking forward to staying with this game for a long time. That being said i have some basic questions.

1. Is there some sort of auction house in the game? im in the city...uhh..Limsa Luminsa (i think thats how you spell it). And the map legend doesnt say there is one so i figured id ask anyway. I know in XI there was an AH and a lot of the lower level gear was cheaper to buy from there than it was the shops so thats why im asking, dont want to go spend a bunch of gil when there could be an AH and i could get the same or better for 1/3 the price.

There is. In Limsa Lominsa it's called the Southern Islands. In Gridania it's the Lotus Gardens, and in Ul'dah it's The Dunes. However, just outside the adventurer's guild in LL (where Baderon is) There should be an NPC in a suit-looking outfit that can teleport you directly to any of the three Mercantile Houses in the Southern Islands. In these rooms you'll find NPCs in the same suit-looking outfits that provide item search and purchase services.

However, since people level so quickly, gear below the 20s typically isn't sold on the markets at all currently, with the possible exception of weapons.

2. If there isnt an AH, where do lower levels get gear? should i just buy from a vender somewhere in the city? or should i craft my own.


The NPCs in the adv. guild near Baderon should sell weapons and armor up to L20. There's a wider, but more expensive selection at the appropriate guild. By the time you reach L20 I'd recommend you find a linkshell to help you. You can look up recipes on the Lodestone or mooglebox and ask LS-mates or others to make items for you. You should be able to buy the materials cheaply from the mercantile houses. Be sure to tip your crafter!

You could also take up a crafting profession and make your own if you like. Local levequests will provide materials in addition to the XP and gil rewards.

3. Do you get gear from quests and how often should i be upgrading gear while leveling.

Yes. Some rewards are listed on the guildleve. You may also run across chests in the field during a regional levequest, which will often contain additional items. You will want to upgrade your armor every 10 levels and your weapon every 5, roughly. Sidequests given by NPCs (look for the '!') also can reward gear.

4. Do different venders in the game sell things at different prices? or if i say, find a vender that sells a bow for 1k gil, is another vender going to have the same bow for the same amount? or would another vender sell it cheaper/higher.


No. As far as I know all prices are the same globally from NPC vendors.

5. When im looking at gear from a vender it has a "optimal level". whats that mean? Im level ten and i see some gear that has an optimal level for like..12-13 and its yellow, but i also see gear that is optimal level 18, can i use that level 12-13 or the level 18? not sure how this works.

Optimal means you can equip it, as opposed to "required", which means you can't. If you don't meet the optimal requirements, you won't get any of the bonus stats, like INT, Gathering, or Attack Power, and the base attributes, such as Defense, will be significantly or dramatically reduced, depending on the level gap and whether the class matches as well. Non-optimal gear also wears much faster. These penalties apply for failure to meet either the optimal level or "favored class" requirement. Generally, it's better to stick to optimal gear.

Those are all the questions i have at the moment, if i think of any more ill edite/update my post.

Thanks

Please do! I like answering questions.

/10charchar

[REDace0]

6. How do most people make money? Do you earn significant amounts of gil questing to support buying upgrades or should i level up crafting a bit and sell some things to keep my money flow up.

Doing levequests and your main scenario quests both provide nice gil rewards. Apart from that, gathering materials, farming materials from mobs, and crafting items, all to sell. Keeping up with your main quests and doing your guildleves should provide you with enough gil to get any DoW or DoM to 50, from there you have more options, including the ability to continue in leveling parties to convert gear into materia, which can be very profitable.

There's this thread on the FFXIV reddit that also has some tips.

[Ghostookami]

awesome thanks for the response guys, i do have another question i just thought of.

Back when i was trying out FFXI on the 360 i got to a point where soloing was nearly impossible! It seemed like you always HAD to have a group once you reached a certain level to progress, it was find a group or grind lower level mobs forever which is mainly i think what turned me away from that game, i like to party with others and would do so more often if i could but it was just a pain find groups.

So far ive been able to solo everything, but will i reach a point when i cant? or can i go through solo the whole way (minus instances ect of course)

[RathSkybreaker]

awesome thanks for the response guys, i do have another question i just thought of.

Back when i was trying out FFXI on the 360 i got to a point where soloing was nearly impossible! It seemed like you always HAD to have a group once you reached a certain level to progress, it was find a group or grind lower level mobs forever which is mainly i think what turned me away from that game, i like to party with others and would do so more often if i could but it was just a pain find groups.

So far ive been able to solo everything, but will i reach a point when i cant? or can i go through solo the whole way (minus instances ect of course)

You can solo to 50 in this game, obviously it goes way faster if you get in a group. Like ... 100x faster.

[REDace0]

You can level everything solo. Many quests you can solo, but there are also many that require as much as a full party of 8, even in the Grand Company storyline. Leveling in a group is significantly faster, but solo isn't too slow, especially with leves.

Since you have to work with others to experience FFXIV, I would find a linkshell as soon as you can. Try your world server forums.

[Ghostookami]

ok ill search around for a LS, thanks for the tips, seems like a nice supportive community so far

[RathSkybreaker]

ok ill search around for a LS, thanks for the tips, seems like a nice supportive community so far

Just careful of the trolls / flamers on the forums.

Also a LS is the best thing you can join in this game.. I notice you're on Excalibur :O I have a few friends there that might help you out if you need advice.. Delea Raven , Key Cat, Nuinn Nomii (sp perhaps).. they are good people and a solid endgame shell to join once you get to that point in your career.

Cheers~