In honor of all our new Warriors of Light, here's a guide on how to get the most out of Final Fantasy XIV's story. No spoilers, no referential jokes, just helpful info.

First, here's why you should trust me:

- I've spent eight years writing literary criticism of Final Fantasy games, and XIV has one of my favorite stories.
- I've led a XIV free company for six years and have helped DOZENS of new players love XIV's story with all the below info.

1/? Not only does XIV have a lot of story, it also has many different kinds of story!

- Main scenario quests (MSQ): the "main" story
- Job/role quests, for your chosen job(s)
- Side stories: Hildibrand, beast tribes
- Raid stories: Bahamut, Omega; Crystal Tower, Mhach, etc.

2/? There's also lots of worldbuilding in fetch quests, NPCs in towns, etc. When you're just starting out, just doing the MSQ is more than enough to get you the EXP you need, but do what feels most fun to you.

3/? Final Fantasy XIV's story is divided into expansions, and those expansions are divided into patches. Think of patches like shorter "chapters" after each expansion's story. Players often refer to expansions/patches individually, like so:

4/?
A Realm Reborn = 2.X (2.0, 2.1 - 2.55)
Heavensward = 3.X (3.0, 3.1 - 3.56)
Stormblood = 4.X (4.0, 4.1 - 4.56)
Shadowbringers = 5.X (5.0, 5.1 - present)

Example: "I liked [Heavensward/3.X], but my favorite part of that story was 3.4."

5/? Where's 1.X, you may ask? That's what's known as the "old" XIV story - the one that was in the game before the game was massively revamped. You learn all about 1.X in A Realm Reborn, so you aren't really missing anything.

6/? XIV is set in the world of Hydaelyn, and Hydaelyn has a LOT of lore: thousands of years of in-world history. It's sometimes fascinating, confusing, contradictory, or just plain weird. (For just one example, XIV's dragons came from outer space.)

7/? Feel free to get as much or as little out of XIV's lore as you'd like. If you're someone who loves unraveling details in worldbuilding, great! If that's not your thing, that's okay too: the game WILL explain all the details you really need to know, multiple times, in the MSQ.

8/? If you ever feel frustrated by the amount of info in XIV's worldbuilding but want to keep playing, there are other things you can do: Gold Saucer mini-games, crafting/gathering, and more. Or - honestly - you can skip the MSQ whenever you're just not feeling it.

9/? And if the sheer number of quest markers is super overwhelming (totally valid!), keep this in mind:

- Quest markers with a + on them unlock something.
- Quests with a picture header are usually more important, or are part of a storyline.

10/? XIV is created by a team of writers and localizers who are often working on the story simultaneously. Sometimes the scripts diverge slightly, or share different details - but one beauty of XIV is that no one language's script is more or less "correct" than another.

11/? The English voice acting gets MUCH better in Heavensward. I promise.

12/? XIV's story sometimes references past Final Fantasy games, but you don't need to have played other Final Fantasies to understand what's happening in this one.

(If you find yourself really loving XIV, I'd recommend Final Fantasies XII and Tactics!)

13/? XIV's story has plenty of powerful moments right from the start - but it's around 2.2 when the story really picks up steam. Try NOT to skip through A Realm Reborn! Part of what makes future expansions so meaningful is that they build off the emotional groundwork laid in 2.X.

14/? Job/class/role quests have their own unique stories that can draw you into the setting. Some of my personal favorites are gladiator, monk, and gunbreaker. And the dark knight quests MUST be experienced.

15/? You'll hear often that Heavensward has a better story than Stormblood. This is purely a matter of taste: the two stories have very different tones and aesthetics. Put very simply, Heavensward is high fantasy, while Stormblood is more of a political drama.

16/? Both Heavensward and Stormblood have their merits and their flaws. While it's alright to have preferences, dissing other people's favorite stories/expansions is unkind. You can and should refuse to be a part of it.

17/? XIV has some wonderful, well-written female characters - but unfortunately, as with most fandoms, female characters in XIV tend to get a lot more flak for things that are just as true of male characters. Take everything you hear about them with a big grain of salt.

17.X/? Yes, this includes Lyse.

18/? Many players, especially on Crystal/Balmung, find their own connection to XIV's story through roleplay. Don't knock it until you've tried it! If you think RPing as your own character could spark joy, go for it. And if you're looking for a chill place to start out, hit me up!

19/? SEEK YOUR BLISS. For real. There is SO much to take away from this game. Don't let anyone judge you for leaning hard into the things you love, even if it's super obscure. (Hell, I've dived headlong into random bits of Ala Mhigo lore and I've been there for years.)

20/? I cannot post this thread without namedropping Natsuko Ishikawa, one of XIV's lead writers. She has consistently created many of XIV's best stories, including the Bahamut arc, 3.4, the dark knight quests, and 5.0. I can't stress this enough: her work is phenomenal.

21/? Don't EVER be afraid to ask for help! This is less a story tip and more general advice: whether it's dungeons, talking about the story or figuring out what to do next, the vast majority of XIV's players are always down to share their love and knowledge of Hydaelyn.

22/END Find your crew! Seriously - XIV and its story are best enjoyed with friends, and Hydaelyn is a fantastic place to make friends.

Again: Seek your bliss. Have fun. Meet some great people. And I guarantee that those experiences will make for a great story of their own.

Thank you all so much for reading and sharing!

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