My first question now is how far to go until i loose sprout status.
Hello to anyone taking time out of their day to read this,
I though id Just write a little about my experiences going through A Realm Reborn as its my first MMO and I've enjoyed it tremendously.
To start off I'll share why I even started this journey in the first place. It was out of want for a game that both allowed me to sink a large amount of time, actually progressing something while also allowing me to put my own spin on the character I played as.
Around 3-4 months ago I was fully burnt out of ratwheel multiplayer games and had just finished 100%ing Cyberpunk when I was left with no other idea of what to sink my time into. (I briefly considered buying a horse for a hobby but after some quick math realized I was not quite in that tax bracket). After giving monster hunter a try and giving up due to wilds abysmal optimization. My youtube recommendations landed Jocats guides square on my feed. I'd been aware of the game for some time and though, eh fuck it why not, got to try an mmo atleast once right?
150 hours, a concerning amount of money and a few new friends later. I've finally stopped wanted to punt Alphinaud through a wall every time he speaks. Merely punt him *affectionately* out the window.
My (second don't ask about the first) Character Eliyah Rostal
Starting off I knew I wanted to play a healer, so conjurer being the only choice landed me in Gridania, and to this day I still consider it my "home" in the game. starting off was a bit rough, I adapted to the tank controls faster than I though I would tbh. The gameplay drew me in at the start mostly, the writing was pretty shocking although Mother Miounne had my ass firmly planted and listening every time she spoke.
First time in Limsa was very crowded so i tended to avoid the main etheryte.
After progressing more and unlocking Limnsa I spent a lot of time wondering around just looking at the sights, the world was surprisingly beautiful. These early/mid times I don't remember much off. I do distincly remember making a wild dash across the country side to the town where the glamour quests are, praying the whole way i didnt get jumped by a mob twice my level. Unlocking drip was mandatory objective in any game that has it in my eyes.
I also caved at this point and started paying for a sub around this point as well
And thus mogstation firmly planted its claws into me.
Dont judge me okay, Its not a mog addiction its a mog solution to the state of early game drip.
After acquiring some swanky new duds I continued to progress the main story until level 30, until I ran into a problem. You see I had wanted to play scholar as my job and didn't realize you had to level arcanist to unlock it. After a little hissy fit, I finally knuckled down and grinded another 30 levels.
And boy was it worth it, The arcanist job quest was a step above the Conjurer one, and while I quite liked E-Sumi-yan and the ever annoying younger sister. The schizo arcanist guildmaster, K'lyhia and the rest where such an entertaining group to follow that I was actually really sad when I looked it up and found out there completely absent from the rest of the game.
The scholar Quest was aight I guess, I just had so much fun headcannoning Eos as having a aggressive Scottish accent and the tongue of a sailor, that I didn't really pay attention the most of the questline.
And now we get onto one of my orignally least favourite parts of the game. The Scions.
Minfillia gave me the ick on day dot, I'm not sure why she just seemed to nice I guess, too performative. Yda and her handbag dog where a pretty enjoyable duo tho.
What really solidified my dislike of the scions was post the Ifrit fight, Thancred informing us that the scions where gonna put down all the randoms caught in the fight. The right choice for the scions to make I'm sure. But it definitely made me think these guys where up to some sketchy shit.
When I got to the point in the story where the empire attacks the waking sands, i was mid conversation with a friend and was slagging the crap out of the group when i saw the first bodies on the floor. Some insane tonal whiplash and really made me go damn this game actually has some balls. (albeit the next 3-5 hours of fucking around before we rescued anyone kind of annoyed me.) Still wasn't fond of the group but it gave me a little more respect for them as a whole.
Shes hiding something Eos, im sure of it. \"what the fuck kind of name is Louiswoix\"
This was around he time I started to become more fond of Alphinaud as a character. I'm not sure what made me do a 180 on him but at some point he stopped being annoying and started being endearing. I really enjoyed any questline involving him, even as some fatigue started setting in as I started to realize how long this game actually is. (Seriously there is a review on the steam store saying you can get to the latest patch content in 180 hours, which I genuinely believed for a while.)
Drip shamelessly stolen from (https://ffxiv.eorzeacollection.com/glamour/289235/divine-judgement).
Jumping forward a decent amount to late ARR, there was a noticeable increase in the quality of the writing. With even the random side quests even being super enjoyable to read through. I also gave Crafting and mining a go around this time. However i soon found my true calling standing on the piers of Limnsa rod in hand. (Take that statement as you will.)
I also started buying more and more mogstation items and a few phantasias to try out some stuff. (at this point I'm starting to think the horse may have been the cheaper option.)
The Introduction of the Moenbryda felt like it came out of left field, I also called that she would die as soon as she got introduced. Although i never expected how janky her death cutscene would be. Not a bad arc but i felt the writing slip a little and-
NEVER MIND LOCKED IN, ASS TO SEAT.
Okay but in all seriousness the quests leading up to the bridge fight where alright but the fight was so hype especially the ending that the questline is like now easily top 3 just due to the one fight.
Aymeric was too smooth of a bastard to not like, I know he's playing me somehow I just don't care. (even if he does look like he needs a better shampoo.) I loved the Hawkeye and Mustang sort of dynamic he kind of has with Lucia and I hope it gets explored more later on.
Never though this game would have the amount it does going in.
Finally getting into the last few quests. The detail on these will be a little more than what I have above. (My memory is pretty shite so beyond hype moments and aura I don't remember much of the moment to moment of the earlier parts. (Outside of K'lyhia, seriously squenix free my girl, she's to cute to let rot in forgotten NPC jail. Oh and the zombie detective quests where fire as well)
I even went out and made a fancy outfit for the banquet, atleast ill look fab for the mugshot
I knew the raisin wasn't going to live to see the next expansion as soon as the handmaid started acting sus with the bottle. The writers at this stage are to good to leave a checkovs gun like that unfired. Albeit I didn't expect that we'd get framed for it.
*Insert speed laughing gif here*
Watching thancred's date get interrupted made me chuckle a little, Alphinaud getting betrayed by the blueberries came completely out of left field and genuinely shocked me. Telejdi being completly blatent with the fact he just offed the monarch is simultaneously criminally stupid and insanely on brand for this idiot. Like how has noone one offed this SOB yet he's the most blatantly seditious bastard I've met since that time I briefly worked with a Texan.
Watching him get cut in half was very satisfying though
Raubros crashout was the most valid ive seen in a long time, especially when
This grinning bastard started running his mouth. The whole fight and escape sequence was surprisingly well animated considering the engine limitations their probably working under.
The scions last stands made me feel pretty bad, after all I've given them lip for they still covered our retreat out of there. Even though I would have preferred ditching Minfiliia first instead of last. (Atleast thancred does something in the story other than saying "nooo"). I Liked Yda and Papa limos exchange but I adored Thancred an Y'shtola's back and forth. Really sold the idea that this is a group thats been working and relying on each other for years.
After catching a lift with a surprisingly familiar face, I was super happy Alphinaud also managed to escape. I was really expecting the random Lala to be the next heir to the sultanate but no he's just some random guy, fair enough I guess. He got Alphi's ass out of the fire so that counts for something. respect for staying behind in Ul'dah. Coups like that can be nasty I'll be surprised if the monetarists dont purge most of Rauhbahns supporters.
Seeing Alphi so down actually tugged at my heartstrings a little. His (at times over placed) confidence was what mad him such an entertaining character to follow. As much as I gave him shit I did honestly think he was the only other sane person in the MSQ at times, especially when it came to the politics between the city states. (seriously how is Gridania the most stable of the three, its economy is 90% it flower crowns and Mother Miounne's pies.) So seeing him down in the dumps made me want to just give him a pat on the shoulder and a, "you did your best buddy."
Holy shit she's hot (K'lyhia still beats her on the cuteness scale tho)
Getting the reveal of the Ninja ladies face was pretty cool. I'm assuming this is around the point when they either teased or begun adding the Au ra as a race right?) either way I was wondering where she was during the minor civil war that kicked off. Nice to see she wasn't forgotten about.
Urine ranger being in contact with the Convocation was not something I expected, after the Moenbryda quests he was one of the ones I least expected of being sus. (I'm watching Minfiliia like a hawk I know that other shoes got to drop at some point.)
Finally Heavensward here we come.
All in all its been a very fun journey.
The community has been the best part of the experience, from the wonderful creatives over on youtube getting me into the game, to the insane glam artists coming up with incredible outfits and colour combos to steal and especially to the random roegadyn and miqo'te who stood in limsna back flipping with me for nearly 4 hours as I queued for LOTA.
This subreddit and the selfless efforts of the wiki staff for making sure no sprouts questions go unanswered. (even the stupid ones.) and to every player who carried my ass through the many raids and dungeons to get to this point.
I'd give a loud cheers and say I owe you all a beer but paying out on that is probably more expensive than the horse idea.
So ill just say cheers lads, ladies and everything inbetween. This game was all I was looking for and more.
(PS if your confused about the names, I gave up trying to pronounce some of the names when explaining the game to a mate in discord hens calling Urianger: Urine ranger and Nanamo: raisin etc)
Still reading but to answer your question you wont be losing your sprout status until you reach the first MSQ for Dawntrail and have at minimum 300 hours
300 lol. I finished DT and have nowhere near that
I had 300 long before I got to DT
I just started playing in December tho
Legit asking, not bashing, but did you watch cutscenes or skip things? I’m trying to wrap my brain around getting through six expansions and their in between content in both under 300 hours, and a month and a half at most
I could maybe imagine it being possible if you don't do any side content and just focus on the MSQ. The main story pumps you with enough exp that I don't think it's super necessary to do most, if any, side quests.
They had to have skipped cutscenes lol, im nearing 600 hours and im on shadowbringers
skipped the whole MSQ up to dt
MSQ skip. and skipped all scenes.
I played most of ARR and was bored to tears being 10-15 levels ahead of all the content. skipping was the best thing I could do to keep content paced with my level. just doing class quests and MSQ shoots you so far ahead with the xp buff, I think they might be buffing from being in a preferred server too.
once my xp buff wears off I plan to make a new character and play the MSQ again slowly just to experience it all.
I had to play through all of DT and skipped most of that until area 4 onwards which I watched.
But just imagine, you could still be in ARR after getting massively side tracked with fishing
I plan to get sidetracked once the xp buff wears off. that way things are going I'll likely have most class at 100 by then. I have 4 at 100 now and working on 3 more which are all 70-80 atm
You're a unicorn, i had over 2k long before i reached DT
I only just stared so if you payed any expansion before DT then you would've been stopped up in each expansion.
i started mid December. and got MSQ skip which lands you at DT start. still have to level up to get there tho.
That's something else entirely then, buying a story skip would obviously have you reach the end game faster, leveling up to 90 takes nowhere near that long.
What would be incredible is not having bought the skip at all
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Yeah but that's irrelevant to what OP had asked, they didnt skip the story, realistically nobody who is playing through the story is going to get to dawntrail in less than 300 hours, outside of maybe if they skip every single cutscene, dialogue and never do any side quests ever
Your case is just normal, because you simply skipped over the majority of the game
I had just shy of 300 by the time I made it to HW. :P
you can get rid off the icon with /nastatus off
Or you can just turn it off manually.
Glad you’re enjoying it! ARR is better than a lot of people on here like to say.
For the record, Pipin (the Lalafell who rescued Alphinaud at the end) is Raubahn’s adoptive son — not just some rando ;)
We were introduced to him before this moment, right? Like I vaguely remembered him during that scene but it did feel like whiplash when he suddenly showed up.
Nope! That's his first on-screen appearance.
He was mentioned before then though iirc. Unless he first “appeared” in one of those short stories. I don’t remember.
It’s really funny to me that you like ARR Alphie, my friends and I couldn’t stand him until post-ARR/Nanamo Assassination. He’s such a snot-nosed little kid who thinks he can solve all Eorzea’s problems, and he treats the WoL like a tool he can throw at problems.
Thinking the Scions are sus early on is interesting, it never even crossed my mind that they could be malevolent when I was playing (though I did call that the Crystal Braves were sus pretty early on)
Honestly I felt the same way about the Scions as OP did at first. The way Yda and Papylymo were introduced made me suspicious. Like, I didn’t think they were bad guys/antagonists, but that there’s definitely something deeper and more sinister going on about them. And when they formally invited my WoL to join, I was actually so hesitant, I had to search for spoilers on whether this would be a good idea or not. Not helping that during ARR, the WoL felt more like the Scion’s attack dog against Primals (come current patch, they still are, but now they feel like the de facto leader of the group).
As it turns out, they're just the most socially awkward of the team.
I think a lot of that is due to the VA's delivery. Thankfully they fixed that with the replacement in HW.
Fantastic read, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I noticed at the very beginning you mentioned tank controls. You might want to check out the character settings general tab and try out the two different movement styles.
I find people who didn't grow up on mmos like WoW tend to prefer 'Legacy type' more. (hilariously this is based on FF11 movement style, which is why its called legacy)
Otherwise just wanted to mention, most folks move the character in 'Standard type' by hitting 'w' and holding down right click to 'drive' with the camera. (this naturally turns 'a' and 'd' into a much more useful strafing maneuver)
If you're on a controller, disregard, but I think controller is legacy by default.
I usually just use middle mouse auto walk then steer with the camera these days. Mainly to make traveling long distances more comfortable.
Thank you for this write up! I have about 5,000 hours on my main, but recently made a new alt specifically to play through the story again because I was sad I couldn’t remember a lot of it (through to Stormblood patches already.)
I really enjoyed reading your first impressions of everyone, having just been through and re-introducing myself to it, knowing everything I know now.
I am also an ARR enjoyer, so I love your excitement for it. Saying that, it still falls 3rd from the bottom in my own expansion tier list, so you really do have a lot of good things to look forward to! (Heavensward is number 1 in my opinion.)
I hope you continue to write one of these every time you finish an expansion!
I been playing for 3 years, and still have my sprout... status.
I have good news for you regarding HW, then. The VA change is a substantial upgrade.
Remember my first impressions of Alphi being how much I hated him for being snobbish, and then after the Waking Sands massacre he slowly grew on me before at the end of post-ARR I wound up growing fond of him.
OP, this was amazing to read, thank you, fellow K'lyhia fan o7 Enjoy the game! The story only gets better from now (with a couple of low points but mostly really good). The dungeons and trials also improve vastly throughout the expansions. I can also tell you'll enjoy Shadowbringerssss <u<
Just a minor note, you losing your hat in some cutscenes isn’t a bug - the devs really want players to see their characters emoting during certain plot developments, so they’re set to turn off your headgear in case you’re wearing a full face helmet.
ah thats funny, id started roleplaying that the hat was a gift from my WOLs deceased father (its why i try to keep in every outfit) so getting captured and it disappearing in the cutscene let me roleplay that one of the Amalj'aa had stolen it. So when it came time to fight them again I picked one and just DOT him to death to make him suffer.
It's not required content but, I would recommend doing coils of Bahumut if you like the twins. If you have any friends that are hugh level I would ask them to run you through it they can one shot the bosses? It's blue content Uriungaer gives you and it explains a lot of the twins relationship and it makes a plot point later in the story a lot more satisfying. Also if you like Alpha now he gets a lot lot better next expansion there is a reason he is a really well liked character don't like the voice actor change catch you though. Also smile it better suits a hero, let us know what you think when you get done with HW it is an amazing expansion and very very well written
Just saw you were asking about Au-Ru they were not a playable race at first and apart from the edibles we knew nothing about them at this point in the story Dorn forget about her she will show up again later and be super important
Love this! Thanks for sharing your journey with us!
I kinda wanna start a new character because ARR has changed so much since I played thru it (2013-14) but I’m not even done with MSQ yet on my main lol