Questing in Final Fantasy XIV

As any veteran of MMORPG’s knows, quests are a means for accumulating experience points, currency and items through the completion of certain objectives. The instructions for completing quests often come from NPC’s, or Non-Player Characters, who act as residents of a town or outpost. Typically, these NPC’s have an icon over them to indicate that they have a quest to offer, and the icon is green if a player has a sufficiently advanced level to initiate the quest. The background is red when they do not.

Story Quests

These are the quests given by major characters in the story. They have a unique icon that resembles an exclamation point surrounded by flames. These quests involve accomplishing major objectives that influence the events of the game world. Typically, there is extensive character interaction with the residents of the world, and the player learns more about the perils facing Eorzea by completing them. Completion also allows players to access more expansive parts of the game as they progress through the story.

Side Quests

The icons that represent these quests are simply exclamation marks set against a circular background. They allow a player to interact with more minor residents of the local area, and to complete tasks that result in experience points and currency rewards. While they are not required to complete, they offer players an opportunity to gain experience at a rapid rate, and are often entertaining.

Guildleves

Guildleves are a unique type of quest. They require visiting NPCs that are marked with “levemete” underneath their name. These NPCs are found at outposts all over the world. Every day, a player is allowed to take three guildleves. These allowances stack up to 100 total guildleves allowed.

After accepting a guildleve from the NPC, the player must go into their quest journal and accept the task. While doing so, the player has the option to increase the difficulty and attempt to receive a greater reward. When this process is complete, the target will be marked on the player’s map with a silver card icon. This is the objective that the player must reach in the time allowed.

While this is the protocol for battlecraft leves, there are also leves available for disciples of the hand and disciples of the land jobs as well. These involve gaining a certain amount of materials for gathering jobs, or creating a specific item for crafting professions. The rewards for all types of leves are significant, and provide an efficient means for players looking to increase their job level.

Guildhests

By locating NPCs marked as “battlewarden,” players can participate in small scale initiatives that require a group of players. Like other quests, they have an objective that must be completed. Much like duty finder, parties will be formed and players transported to the objective location when the party is complete. However, the monsters and tasks required to complete a guildhest require much more teamwork and effort than the individual quests.