Can you play Final Fantasy XIV completely solo? Which class is best for that? We explain how solo-friendly the MMORPG is.
For many players, it is important that modern MMOs offer them the option to play the content solo. This applies to almost half of the MeinMMO readers, for example.
Final Fantasy XIV offers many options for solo play for the lone wolves among you, especially after the numerous adjustments between the Endwalker patches. The concept of the MMORPG is designed to be as accessible as possible.
In this guide, we will look at how solo content works in FFXIV and which classes you should choose to achieve your goals in the MMORPG.
Also, check out our beginner’s guide for more helpful tips:
How much solo play
is in Final Fantasy XIV?
The answer to this question depends on how you define solo play
. Basically, you can play through the entire campaign of the game and all dungeons up to the endgame without ever having to talk to other players.
However, you will not always be alone. Some content requires you to join a group. This happens automatically, and you do not have to search for players or be a member of a guild yourself.
Here is an overview of the content:
These activities can be done solo
In the open world, you can do almost everything on your own. This includes, for example:
- Story and side quests
- Favors
- Daily quests from the Beast Tribes
- F.A.T.Es – spontaneous events on the maps
- Monster hunting in your bestiary
These activities make up a large part of the content at the beginning of the game and provide you with a lot of EXP.
For these activities you need a group
Instances are generally considered group content in Final Fantasy XIV. You need a group of either 4, 8, 24, or more people to master most of this content.
During the leveling process up to 90, there’s no way around this. These activities include:
- A large part of the dungeons
- Trials – major boss fights
- 8-man and 24-man raids
- The Deep Dungeon – an instance for leveling classes where you don’t need a fixed group composition of tank, healer, and 2 DPS.
If you enter these instances solo through the content search, you will automatically be grouped with the corresponding number of other players.
Almost all old content from FFXIV is kept relevant through dailies, so you should have no problems finding people for very old dungeons.
What is the Content Assistant System?
This is how it works: This special solo-friendly system was introduced with patch 6.1 and allows players to enter dungeons with NPCs. So if you don’t want to deal with other people in instanced content, you can enter some of the dungeons with a group of NPCs.
It doesn’t matter which class or job you play, NPCs will fill the remaining group slots. This saves you, for example, from the wait time for a group if you are out as DPS and have to wait a bit longer. In return, NPCs normally move slower than players.
In this way, you can play the game in many mandatory dungeons that are necessary for the story alone. Currently, all mandatory dungeons from the base game A Realm Reborn and all expansions can be played with NPCs.
Is there a “best solo class” in Final Fantasy XIV?
Yes and no. If you are just starting fresh in FFXIV and are in the process of creating a character, you will have the following options available:
- Gladiator and Marauder as tank classes
- Pugilist, Lancer, Archer, Thaumaturge, and Summoner as damage dealers (DPS)
- Druid as healer
At this point, you can choose the class that appeals to you the most from the in-game description.
- You can change it freely in the game if you don’t like it.
- You will be able to progress alone with all these classes in the game. This also applies to advanced jobs that are only unlocked at levels 30, 50, or 60.
Which class should I take now? In the open world, meaning in the activities listed above, none of the classes or jobs offer particularly large advantages or disadvantages. Even if a Druid can heal themselves, it does not necessarily make them better suited for solo play.
The difficulty of the content in the open world is designed to be manageable with all classes without major issues. From this perspective, any class is “the best” for solo play.
However, this does not mean that all classes are equal. Some are indeed better suited for players who prefer to play alone and quickly.
You can check which job suits you best in our guide:
That’s why some classes are better for solo players than others
The inequality
of classes arises from the differing needs for tanks, healers, and DPS in group play. It is a classic problem of MMORPGs that use the Holy Trinity
concept.
This leads to DPS players often waiting longer for their spot in an instance group compared to healers and tanks. Depending on the content and the time of day, waiting for a DPS can take between 5 and over 30 minutes.
In the end, it depends on your “solo priorities” which class is better suited for you.
- I want to progress through the MMORPG at my own pace: Then choose a class that appeals to you the most. In mandatory dungeons and boss fights, you will have to wait a bit longer for a group, but there is plenty of content outside of instances. You can craft or gather resources while waiting for a group, for example.
- I want to get to the endgame quickly: Tank and healer classes are more suitable for this. With these classes, you will rarely have to wait longer than 10 minutes for a group. However, as a tank or healer, you will take on more responsibility for the group than a DPS. It is your job to keep everyone alive.
Are there classes that are favored in the endgame?
The endgame usually consists of farming dungeons and raids to obtain better equipment or cosmetic items in MMORPGs.
While this is group content that cannot be mastered alone, there are ways to get by without a guild if you prefer.
Again, it is usually irrelevant which class you choose. The same rule applies as with other dungeons: DPS wait longer, tanks and healers have more responsibility.
This is the hardcore endgame content: In challenging content, it becomes more complicated for solo players. If you still prefer to play alone and without a guild at this point in the game, you have the option to participate in this content even when it is no longer available in the content search.
Players use the group search for this. In this feature of FFXIV, they can specify exactly which content they need people for and what their requirements are.
Again, tanks and healers are often more in demand. However, their responsibility also increases with the difficulty of the content. Especially healers often have a lot to do in epic raids.
If you are not deterred by this, then you can choose between these jobs:
- Tanks: Warrior, Paladin, Gunbreaker, Dark Knight
- Healers: Astrologian, White Mage, Scholar, Sage
For DPS, the current raiding meta determines how in-demand they are in groups, and it often changes after new balance adjustments.
What does it mean for me as a solo player?
If you intend to play solo in the endgame, it means two things for you:
- Familiarize yourself with the group search: Not every group search is suitable for everyone. Some players want to practice the first phase of the epic raid fight, while others are already close to the kill. So think beforehand about which type of group suits you best and don’t hesitate to create your own search with your own requirements.
- Bring patience: In random groups, the skill levels of players can vary greatly. Don’t expect quick and easy kills in difficult raids. You will often wipe, groups will often fall apart, but then you find a new one and continue.
And don’t be discouraged! I myself raided through the group search for a long time. It can be frustrating, but it works, and many players get their loot every week through this feature.
If you are still unsure whether the game is right for you in 2024, we have the right article for you: Is it still worth starting Final Fantasy 14 in 2024?
