Final Fantasy 14's newest expansion, Dawntrail, has arrived to quite a bit of fanfare and discussion from the game's fanbase, with a heavy focus being on the MSQ (main story quest), which stars the Warrior of Light, the Scions, and the main protagonist, Wuk Lamat.

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Final Fantasy 14: All Dawntrail Zones, Ranked

Every Dawntrail zone in Final Fantasy 14 possesses their own unique properties, and these are all the zones in the game.

Dawntrail's MSQ can often take players several days or even a couple of weeks to complete, as the game strives to provide a compelling story for its audience. After the completion of Dawntrail, there is a wide variety of features and activities for players to complete or indulge in, with FFXIV being an MMO that gives players the freedom to play the game however they desire.

8 Collect Aether Currents

Collecting Aether Currents Across All Of Dawntrail's Zones Will Make Traveling Easier

Finding Aether Currents in Dawntrail from Final Fantasy 14

Throughout the MSQ, players must travel through scenic zones without being able to fly using their mounts. This is due to not having enough aether currents for each zone, which are found using the aether compass that leads players to the available aether.

After the MSQ, players can enter each zone to complete aether current side quests while collecting aether to be found in each location. Once all aether currents are collected, players can traverse through zones in only moments, allowing for events such as hunt trains to be more accessible.

7 Expert Dungeons

Post MSQ Dungeons That Offer More Of A Challenge

The Strayborough Deadwalk dungeon from Dawntrail in Final Fantasy 14

In Dawntrail's MSQ, players must complete six dungeons to progress through the story. As with every expansion, more dungeons are released later on to continually add content to FFXIV, with Dawntrail set to follow suit. After finishing the MSQ, players can immediately try out two expert dungeons in Tender Valley and The Strayborough Deadwalk, with players being able to pick up the dungeons from the NPC, Zeycihan, in Tuliyollal.

The second expert dungeon, The Strayborough Deadwalk, offers more of a challenge than regular dungeons, with players seeking harder content sure to find this dungeon appetizing.

6 Attain Tome Gear

Try To Get BIS Gear In Time For Raids

Wearing the Neo Kingdom tome set for Machinist in Final Fantasy 14

In every expansion, tome gear has been essential for going into savage raids, often giving a high enough item level to take on fights. Final Fantasy 14 offers players a variety of ways to collect Tomestones Of Aesthetics, with dungeons, roulettes, and hunt trains being the most popular methods for gaining tomes, which can be traded in for raid gear.

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Final Fantasy 14: The Best New Characters In Dawntrail

In Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail's tale of contested successions and warring kingdoms, several fantastic new characters are introduced to the narrative.

Even when tome gear can be upgraded upon when gaining gear from raids, much of the tome gear can be used for glamour, with many of the armor sets having quality designs that fit in with the expansion's themes.

5 Extreme Trials

Face Off Against Amped Up Versions Of Valigarmanda And Zoraal Ja

Zoraal Ja fighting the Warrior of Light and the Scions in Dawntrail's climax in Final Fantasy 14

FFXIV has a selection of trials that provide fun and challenging mechanics, with much carrying over into their extreme versions. After completing the MSQ, which features fights such as Worqor Zormor and Everkeep, players can head in with their own party or go into a party finder to try and complete the trials as an extreme.

While completing the extreme trials may be challenging, the rewards compensate for the hardships, as players can attain mounts or raid gear that can give a high enough item level to start savage raids on day one.

4 Normal And Savage Raids

Take On The Arcadion In Its Normal Or Savage Form

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One of the most significant parts of MMOs is the raid tiers — often released with every new expansion — with Dawntrail's new tier, The Arcadion, being highly anticipated. In these eight-person raids, players have four fights available in every tier, with a normal and savage version being available to attempt.

For more casual players, trying the normal version is a fun and enjoyable experience, as players can try out new fights with intriguing mechanics. For veterans and raid specialists, clearing the savage tier in statics is an impressive accomplishment many see as the crown jewel of Final Fantasy 14 and MMOs in general, providing both fun and a challenge for players who attempt the tier.

3 Design Dawntrail Glamour Sets Using New Dye System

Come Up With Costumes That Match Up With The Themes Of Dawntrail And Tural

Final Fantasy 14 Dye Changes

FFXIV's glamour system has become one of the game's most essential features, with the new dye system in Dawntrail enabling even more creativity for players to engage with. Players who use the dye feature can now use two differing colors to design a clothing item, providing more options to create unique and striking costumes.

The Best PC Builds For Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail
The Best PC Builds For Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail

Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail is out now. Here are some of the best PC builds (and upgrades) you can get to play it without any performance issues!

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In addition, Dawntrail's dungeons offer several interesting armor sets that can be utilized with the new dye system to create mesmerizing glamour. The new level 97 dungeon, Vanguard, features armor sets that are a highlight of Dawntrail, with the gear being perfect for trying out the dye system.

2 Level Additional Jobs

Level Alternative Jobs To The New Max Level Of 100

A male miqo'te Viper with their swords drawn, from Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail.

With the multitude of jobs in FFXIV, many players alternate between jobs during each expansion, as the game offers roles that each have their own unique design and abilities. As Dawntrail raises the maximum level to 100, players can level each of their alternative jobs to engage in the latest raids if they wish to participate.

Besides being the max level for raid purposes, if a player is able to level all 21 jobs to level 100, The Outrunner mount is given to players to honor their achievement in Dawntrail.

1 Try Out Pictomancer And Viper Jobs

Play Dawntrail's New And Exciting Jobs

Official art of a male miqo'te Pictomancer from Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail.

In Dawntrail, the expansion offers two new and exciting jobs in the Pictomancer and Viper, bringing an additional caster and melee DPS to FFXIV. Starting at level 80, Pictomancer and Viper are perfect to try out once the MSQ has been completed, giving players the time to experiment with the job as they aim to reach max level.

With both their flashy actions and animations, the roles make for entertaining gameplay that is sure to become fan favorites for many who try out the new jobs.

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Final Fantasy 14 (2010)
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Released
August 27, 2013
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Developer(s)
Square Enix
Publisher(s)
Square Enix
Genre(s)
MMORPG
Final Fantasy 14