FFXIV

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I'm not much of a gamer, but FFXIV grabbed my attention back in 2019. I got pretty good at the game and did savage and ultimate raiding for a while. However, since starting college, I don't really have the time to raid anymore, so I've shifted my focus to the real endgame: glamour.

Some Intro

I started playing FFXIV in mid-2019 and quickly finished the story as a Bard. When I reached the endgame, Ruby Weapon was the latest content. That experience was intense and a bit traumatic, but it pushed me to join a static. We cleared Eden's Verse and I had a great time!

Raiding quickly became the most fun part of the game for me. I love optimization and parsing. After Eden's Verse, I cleared Eden's Promise, then the Unending Coil of Bahamut (Ultimate), and finally Asphodelos. I also reached Phase 4 in Dragonsong's Reprise as a Dancer and gave Abyssos a shot in Party Finder as a Scholar, but life got busy, and I realized I just didn't have the time to commit to raiding as I used to (and I prefer raiding with a static anyway).

As you can see, I kind of hit my peak during Asphodelos, but I would have loved to join parse parties and for even bigger numbers (lol).

These days, I stick to playing healers, mainly White Mage, which makes for a relaxing time running daily roulettes. If I ever get back into raiding, I think I'd keep to healing. The Eden Ultimate is tempting, but finding the time is tough. I also have lingering hopes of clearing Dragonsong's Reprise and The Epic of Alexander when time allows.

I'm also quite fond of Eureka and PvP. After reaching 5000 Frontline kills, I earned the title "The Hand of Mercy," which I've proudly displayed ever since. I occasionally head back to Eureka to farm for relics, and having full elemental BiS gear definitely makes the grind a lot smoother.

I mostly log on just to see my character. She's not a Warrior of Light, but I adore her.

Story Stuff

While I don't always focus on the story in FFXIV, there have definitely been standout moments, characters, and expansions that caught my attention. One of the earliest instances when the game made me feel something was during the battle against Garuda. The atmosphere, coupled with the tense buildup, left a lasting impression, and the soundtrack from that fight remains one of my favorites to this day.

Shadowbringers holds a special place in my heart, as it was the current expansion when I first started playing FFXIV (it probably helps that I enjoyed Heavensward patch story). If I were to choose a favorite patch, it would definitely be 5.3. It met all my expectations, and made me feel a level of emotion that I haven't felt in the game before or since.