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This is a collection of hints and links for those moments when you’re not quite sure what to do in the early days of your FF14 adventure.
I thought I’d put together a quick summary of the things new adventurers tend to get confused about…
Ooh, then let me be the one to explain! There’s really only one thing to think about when you set out on your adventure! ♪
▼ Just look for this sun-like “！” mark (the Meteor Mark), and talk to whoever has it — that’s all you need to do!
You don’t have to think about anything else!
FF14 has all kinds of settings and systems with an incredible amount of freedom, but you don’t need to worry about any of that. Just follow this “！” mark, keep moving forward, and a truly wonderful adventure will unfold before you. ♪
That’s it. We’re done here!
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Wait, that’s seriously it!? I mean, it’s true, but… 💦
It is the truth, but maybe let’s go over a few more of the things people tend to get stuck on. (lol)
So, while there really isn’t much you need to overthink, here are a few things summarized in a guide-like fashion.
…Actually, FF14 has all sorts of official guides written up in lovely detail, so whenever you’re lost, those will answer everything.
Here, I’ll also point you toward exactly where to look for those.
- How do I start playing FF14?
- Character Creation
- Choosing a Class
- Choosing a Home World
- Controls
- Reading the Game Screen
- How to Progress Through the Story
- Battle & Combat
- I Want to Try Glamours!
- I Want to Ride My Chocobo! (Mounts)
- I Want to Take Beautiful Screenshots! — Group Pose
- When You Have Other Questions…
How do I start playing FF14?
Before anything else, you’ll need to install FF14 to begin your adventure.
If you’re still on the fence and want to try it out for free first, we’d recommend starting with the Free Trial!
Character Creation
FF14 has all sorts of races to choose from, but there’s essentially no difference in stats between them, so pick whichever one you like — it’s completely fine! You’ll also choose a birthday and a guardian deity, but again, neither has any gameplay impact. It’s purely a matter of preference.
Take your time, ponder to your heart’s content, and bring your ideal adventurer to life!
By the way, we’re Lalafells! ♪
As a note: if you’d ever like to change your character’s appearance later, you can do so using an Fantasia (obtainable in-game or purchasable from the FF14 Online Store).
Choosing a Class
Your starting location will vary depending on which class you choose, but honestly, you don’t need to think too hard about it. Just go with whichever one looks fun — your instincts are good enough!
For reference, the classes generally break down like this:
- Gladiator / Marauder — Tanks, specializing in defense
- Conjurer — Healers, specializing in restorative magic
- Pugilist / Lancer / Archer / Thaumaturge / Arcanist — DPS, specializing in dealing damage
But really, just follow your gut for your first choice.
As your adventure progresses, you’ll eventually be able to play every class, so there’s no need to stress over it!
Choosing a Home World
You’ll need to select a “server,” but any choice works just fine!
If you have a friend who’s already out there adventuring, picking the same World as them might be a nice idea.
Also, depending on the timing, there may be Preferred Worlds available — these come with bonuses like boosted EXP gain for a period of time, so choosing one of those is a great option too.
Controls
When you first start, you’ll be asked whether you’d like to use a gamepad (controller) or mouse & keyboard. If you ever want to change this later, you can do so from the Main Menu → System Menu → Character Configuration.
For a clear breakdown of how controls work:
Reading the Game Screen
All sorts of things are displayed on-screen at once.
You can fully customize all of it to your liking, but when you’re just starting out, there’s no need to touch any of it — the defaults work just fine.
To learn what each element means:
How to Progress Through the Story
As Norico-chan mentioned earlier, just follow the Meteor Mark “！” — and that really is all there is to it.
Talk to any NPC with that mark floating above their head, and you’ll advance the main story.
The other markers you’ll see are side quests and the like. They let you explore the world and its lore in greater depth, so we’d encourage you to take them on if you have the time — but if you just want to see the main story as quickly as possible, following the Meteor Mark alone is perfectly fine.
Battle & Combat
As you advance through your adventure, you’ll encounter battles and take on dungeons.
There’s a place in-game called the Novice Hall — we’d highly recommend visiting there to learn the basics of combat. You’ll naturally find your way there as the story progresses.
I Want to Try Glamours!
In the early days of your adventure, you’ll mostly be wearing gear obtained as quest rewards or bought from shops. But as you progress through the story, you’ll unlock Dyes and Glamours.
It can feel a little frustrating at first not being able to dress up the way you want, but for now — focus on the story! It’ll open up before you know it.
And once you unlock Glamours, Norirow Note has loads of glamour recipes to browse! Feel free to take a look for some inspiration. ♪
I Want to Ride My Chocobo! (Mounts)
Your beloved Chocobo and all manner of other mounts are waiting for you, but just like Glamours, you won’t be able to ride them right away. Keep making your way through the story and you’ll unlock them in due time — so for now, keep your eyes on the adventure ahead!
I Want to Take Beautiful Screenshots! — Group Pose
Affectionately known as “GPose,” FF14 comes with a wonderful feature for capturing stunning photos of your adventures.
We’d love for you to take pictures of all kinds of moments — memorable scenes from your journey, snapshots with friends, all of it. ♪
When You Have Other Questions…
If you ever want to adjust screen settings, can’t figure out the controls, or have any other questions at all, the official UI Guide page covers a wide range of topics. We’d highly recommend checking there first!
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So, that’s a quick summary of the things that tend to trip people up in the early days of an adventure — how does it look?
Fufu, honestly, most of what you said was just “go with your instincts!” and “no need to change the settings!” w
Well, that really is the gist of it — when you’re just starting out, there’s no need to overthink anything. Just keep progressing through the main story, and the controls will naturally become second nature.
And once you’ve found your footing, FF14 has an enormous amount of settings you can customize to your heart’s content — peeking into Character Configuration and System Configuration can be a lot of fun once you’re ready!
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▼ If you’re still on the fence about starting FF14, please take a look at this too!
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That’s all for this record — a beginner’s guide summary for those just setting out on their Eorzean adventure!
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