10 FFXIV Content Drought Time Sinks When Content Gets Stale

Here are some things you can do to get through the upcoming FFXIV Content Drought.

We're all excited for the next FFXIV Expansion Dawntrail which is scheduled to be released sometime in the Summer of 2024 but till then we have to survive the 7-8 month-long content drought that is upon us. And while the release of Endwalker's final patch 6.5 will mend some of the pains that come with waiting, it won't be enough.

So we've compiled an extensive list of things to work towards or do in Final Fantasy XIV while waiting for the next expansion.

10 Things to Do during the FFXIV Content Drought

1. Level All Your Jobs

Tired of doing your daily, weekly roulettes? Are the Tomestones just no longer worth the grind and cap too early? There is good news for you. Final Fantasy XIV features 20 Jobs for you to level. (Technically BLU doesn't count but who's counting?)

If you want to master FFXIV and or find your new favorite Job, maybe just want something to do. Just pick a new job and start leveling. It is generally recommended to learn at least one Job of each type to become a master of the game but it also adds more flavor to those weekly reclears.

Luckily, within groups, Jobs tend to play similar in concept to each other while featuring their distinct flavor. So give it a go, especially since some of the Job questlines are some of the best content in the game.

2. Catch Up On Old Content

If you've joined Eorzea recently, chances are you've skipped some of the older raids and trail series to get to Endwalker's current endgame content. Now is a good time as any to try and slowly clear out all those blue quest markers with the + next to them.

Not only will you unlock more content for your roulettes (because getting later Omega fights in Raid Roulette is always a delight) you also have the opportunity to catch up on some old tales. Be it following the Ivalice Questline which includes the Return to Ivalice Raids and the Bozjan front or chasing the secrets of the Four Lords.

With the current ongoing Tataru's Grand Endeavour questline, you'll even get some nice conclusions to the older stories. And you never know when stories from older content will become important in the MSQ.

3. Level Crafters and Gatherers

If you've been enjoying the combat-focused content of FFXIV, may we interest you in the slower content? Crafting and Gathering in FFXIV are a game in itself. Both feature quite extensive mechanics that other MMORPGs can only dream of.

There are currently 8 Crafters and 3 Gatherers for you to learn, gear up, and master. And who doesn't dream of being self-sufficient?

4. Buy a House, Decorate, Stay Forever

To some, buying a house in Final Fantasy XIV is where the game begins and starts. If you check the XIV housing-related websites and Twitter/X you'll start to realize that Ultimate encounters might not be as hard as everyone claims they are.

Buying a house takes time, patience, and luck unless you move to one of the less populated servers. And thanks to cross Datacentre traveling you don't have to say goodbye to your friends.

Trust us, once you own a house in FFXIV the way you perceive the game will change completely. Suddenly it's no longer about getting the best gear or the newest weapons. Instead, you keep trying to upstage your neighbors by having a fancy garden and a Paissa House.

5. Make Money

Virtual Currency is very important. How else could you buy those inflated new gear pieces of that glamour you always wanted? Sure doing regular content rewards you with some Gil and that accumulates over time. But don't you want more? Think about that house you always wanted to buy.

Since there is a lot of time until Dawntrail releases, why not try and make some money off the Crafters and Gatherers you leveled? Maybe bully your friends and Free Company into weekly Treasure Hunts. The possibilities are nearly endless.

6. Fill the Fishing Log

Fishing the the best thing in Final Fantasy XIV. Anyone who claims anything else is either a liar or is trying to play a trick on you. Not only is Fishing both relaxing and incredibly stressful it's also a great way to kill time.

Sure you can spend every few hours Ocean Fishing, slowly working towards that World Class Troller title you always wanted. But why not aim for more? The Fishing Log is extensive and some of the rare and legendary fishes require planning that makes even Ultimate fights pale in comparison.

7. Clear an Ultimate, Maybe More

Speaking of Ultimates, now that all the raids are out and everyone is slowly getting geared up to the max, why not try going after one of those? Sure, your average Ultimate encounter chews through more statics than trying to get a Week 1 clear on an even-numbered patch but it's still worth trying.

The only thing you need is 7 fellow maniacs you either convince that this is a good idea or follow up on any recruiting call on the various discord servers and Party Finder.

Be warned though. While Ultimates aren't extremely hard, they require a lot of time to clear and master. Your average progression time usually lies between 20-40 hours depending on if you're going in blind or not. Find yourself a group that is willing to waste several evenings, potentially not making any progress on some of them.

8. Fill the Blue Mage Spellbook

More enjoyable than Ultimate Encounters is the Blue Mage Spellbook. Rejoice in having to learn the moves of foes you'd either rather forget or hope you never have to see again. Leveling Blue Mage is easy, but going after every spell is tough. Not much.

But it is a great project to work on to keep you busy until the next major patch lands or until you finally give up on playing FFXIV.

9. Finish all those Side Quests

Side Quests (the golden ones) are an underrated aspect of FFXIV. Veteran players will often tell you to skip those and ignore them forever. Sure the rewards are nothing to write home about serve at best as a nice little experience gained in between roulettes. But that's not the reason why they're worth doing.

Most of the Side Quests dotting the Critically Acclaimed MMORPG landscape usually tell stories that teach you a little bit more about the world and its inhabitants. If you're into the worldbuilding of FFXIV and its characters you should definitely consider questing through your favorite zones just for this.

10. Get a Friend to Play

One major way to reinvigorate your interest in Square Enix's MMORPG is getting a friend to play through it. The community is notorious for gathering around unsuspecting sprouts to relive all the traumatic events of its narrative through them.

Towards the end of an expansion is always the best time to get into FFXIV. Most people are just waiting about and are usually available if you're looking to fill out a party to tackle the various Trails and Raids. And if you've successfully brainwashed them into getting into XIV, you'll have someone new to play with come to Dawntrail.

Keep in mind that with 6.5, the popular free trial of FFXIV is extended up to level 70. That includes the base game and the award-winning Heavensward and Stormblood expansions. And thanks to the recent efforts of Square Enix, you can even play through most of the campaign with AI companions.

Check out our Summary of the latest Letter from the Producer Live here and our summary of the Dawntrail presentation from the Las Vegas Fan Fest here. For more on FFXIV stick with us here on ESTNN