any tips for a new player not feeling challenged enough?

[Lars_Krachen]

HI
First, a small introduction: I am a former WoW, Aion, BDO player, but mostly WoW. I was looking for a new MMO because i feel bad, supporting a company like blizzard.

So i came back to FFXIV (i had a lvl21 rogue from years ago). It was quite a steep learning curve to find orientation where to look for what and what specific things like dutys mean etc. but after a few day's i got it all now.

After a few daiys there are some things i love: The artstyle, the graphics, the way that the game sometimes takes itself not so serious. I also looked at some class guides and the class fantasy looks great to me and also the combo system etc.

However right now, i am in my mid 30's (job lvl) and i have three buttons i have to press one after another (except my many defenses, but i dont take demage, so what) and my few CD's. I just feel like there is no skill expression.. the only thing i see expressed is my fill to hammer 1 2 3 for another two minutes until a boss is down. I really miss some complexity or dangers, in duty's or in the overworld.
I also find myself skipping through MSQ, which consist of porting here, porting there, kill something, port again and again.. it feels like a system to drain gil more than following a big story.

i am not shure what to do.. If i don't like the game after 150+ hours, i am wasting my time rn (also, my account is not a free account). However the mounts, the community, and the gamee as a whole looks promissing. (sidenote: i wanted to get an umbrella, but guess what: i can't because its locked until later)
There are some things in my head:
1. The game looks nice for my gf, too. So i could play with her together later, which is a good +
2. My impulsive mind tells me to buy a dancer job level boost, to see if i like the later game (and its so hard to resist that part of my brain)
3. Maybe a ARR skip would be an option
4. What should i do, to make the process more attractive

[NovaStella]

If you're skipping through the MSQ? Buy a story skip and level your job through roulette/dungeon spam. It'll go a lot faster. Doing the MSQ is only fun if you read it, otherwise it's just a chore.
The MSQ is a lot more fun when it's like, 2-3 hours every few months, not 400 hours all at once. You can replay it through New Game+, on an alt, or even just watch the cutscenes in an inn room if you feel like you missed out later on.

You're right that this game has a lot more to offer than just a visual novel, so if that's the part that's off putting to you I'd encourage you to focus on what you do like instead!

[Jeeqbit]

It was quite a steep learning curve to find orientation where to look for what and what specific things like dutys mean etc. but after a few day's i got it all now.

It is, but as you have most likely figured, many things are just fancy terms for things you know ie. FC = guilds, PF/Party Finder = Group Finder, Duty = instance/dungeon/raid/etc.

There is a novice network on each world that mentors (with a crown icon) can invite you to where you can ask questions like that, since Google and reddit can be outdated given it's an ongoing/changing game.

i have three buttons i have to press one after another (except my many defenses, but i dont take demage, so what) and my few CD's.

Over the years they truncated actions so that there aren't too many at higher levels. That had consequences for lower levels where there is hardly anything. This is useful for some players though, because for many people this is their first MMORPG and actually doing dungeon mechanics at first with anything more complex than that would be a lot for them - especially when the default controls make the game harder to play.

I really miss some complexity or dangers, in duty's or in the overworld.

There isn't much difficulty in the open world, beside hunts which are meant for a party or multiple parties.

I also find myself skipping through MSQ, which consist of porting here, porting there, kill something, port again and again.. it feels like a system to drain gil more than following a big story.

The story is really good and it is a story-driven game. But they don't really know how to design it any other way than constant cutscenes leading into the next fight, and they waste time showering you with praise. Unfortunately, if you skip it, you likely won't understand any of the story that comes after. All expansion stories are connected to eachother, as well as the rest of the game's lore.

Even when the newest content releases, it is all behind loads of cutscenes and story, and the music and mechanics and aesthetics are all based upon the story.

There are people that buy skip packs though and enjoy the game. It can just make you less excited for a patch, in some cases, without understanding the lore reasons why everyone is so excited.

It's possible to watch the story via YouTube as well so that you can skip over parts easily, in the event you buy a skip pack.

[OliviaLugria]

Quit

Like no joke. At end game, you’re only going to the last raid tier to look forward to, so that’s 4 fights. Then there will be this expansion’s ultimates which is 2 more.

I don’t think it’s worth the investment, especially buying the skips… that seems like a waste.

I dunno, the game just isn’t made to be challenging… I understand wanting to play a game with your gf, maybe something like baulder’s gate or even genshin impact multiplayer could be a more fun co op experience.

[Jeeqbit]

At end game, you’re only going to the last raid tier to look forward to, so that’s 4 fights. Then there will be this expansion’s ultimates which is 2 more.

Regarding this, that is true for most raiders because most people that raid only focus on the "newest" ones that affect gear progression. However, there are smaller communities of raid enjoyers that do it purely for the joy of it, and not for rewards, and they do all of the old raid content with the tighest sync (Minimum Item Level, Silence Echo aka MINE).

For them, they have all past 69 savage raids, all past 44 extreme trials, all 3 criterion dungeons, and all past 6 ultimates.

It's also the case that people continue to do older Ultimates long-term because they can't be done unsynced (which means you can't overpower it with higher level gear; it forcefully syncs).

That said, not everyone sees these things as the level of challenge they want - many people are content with just the Extreme trials for example, which are easier but not as trivial as dungeons and other story content. Others find contentment in the social aspects of the game, such as treasure map parties, hunts, unsync farming, RP, venues and performances, achievement hunting, etc.

I understand wanting to play a game with your gf, maybe something like baulder’s gate or even genshin impact multiplayer could be a more fun co op experience.

It's true for sure that this game isn't good for doing the story together. It's not like SWTOR or some other games where it'll synchronize all the cutscenes and let you into eachother's story instances. But it does let you do dungeons, trials and raids together.

[Lars_Krachen]

Thanks for the many helpful answers. I decided to skip ARR and look up the story i missed. I must say, its refreshing for me to just do sidequests or pvp or duty, just as i wan't it.

Regarding playing with my GF: its more "to play the same game" instead of "do the MSQ together". If i am excited for something and she can relate to that its a different thing than telling her something about a game she does not know.

And also: We are already very much into genshin impact. We have a different pace for shure, she does more story and i am more invested into grinding and challenges. But we both talk about the same game, thats my hope for FFXIV as well.

I did a few levels yesterday and two job quests. The variety already feels better then before and i am looking forward to finaly unlock dancer or pictomancer. I think a part i have to learn is also to not just rush to the endgame concent but just take my time and enjoy the game at the content i am in right now, but i think thats a process