If you are new to Final Fantasy XIV and leveled your first battle class to level 50 or above, then you can find helpful information about important side quests for level 50-80 here. If you are under level 50, check for Important Side Quests in FFXIV Level 1-50.
There are four things you need to know first:
- If your character is at the current level, but you still can't see the quest, then check for your main story quest level. It needs to be at that level too, or beyond it.
- If you don't know where to get the quest, you can copy the quest's name and check it on Gamer Escape. It will show you the NPC location and the rewards, typically including EXP, FF14 Gil, and/or items.
- I will not mention things you automatically unlock from doing the main story quests or your class and job quests because they are your top priority.
- Those quests are only for your first battle class, no crafting and gathering content because you can always get them later.
At level 50, when the main story takes you to the Heavensward city, you can then unlock the Heavensward's new jobs:
Astrologian Specialization: Unlocked upon completion of Stairway to the Heavens side quest.
Dark Knight Specialization: Unlocked upon completion of Our End side quest.
Machinist Specialization: Unlocked upon completion of Savior of Skysteel side quest.
Level 51
The Dusk Vigil Dungeon Access: Unlocked up completion of For All the Nights to Come side quest. (This is a side dungeon.)
Aether Currents
In certain Heavensward, Stormblood, and Shadowbringers zones, attuning to Aether Currents will allow some Mounts to fly in the zone. Most zones have 15 Aether Currents that you need to get. One comes from the main story quest, four come from side quests, and the rest you need to find in the field and click on them. You can check your progress in the travel menu under Aether Currents.
Flying in Coerthas Western Highlands: Unlocked after finding field Currents and completing Purple Flame, Purple Flame main quest and Bridge over Frozen Water, Baby Steps, For All the Nights to Come, and Protecting What's Important side quests.
Level 53
Rank 1 Heavensward Daily Hunts: Unlocked upon completion of Let the Clan Hunt Begin side quest.
Flying in The Dravanian Forelands: Unlocked after finding field Currents and completing Mourn in Passing main quest, Some Bad News, Stolen Munitions, The Hunter Becomes the Kweh, and A Lesson in Humility side quests.
Level 55
Flying in The Churning Mists: Unlocked after finding field currents and completing Into the Aery main quest, The Bathing Bully, Road Kill, Waiting to Inhale, and Hide Your Moogles side quests.
Level 56
Rank 2 Heavensward Daily Hunts: Unlocked upon completion of Better Bill Hunting side quest.
Level 57
Flying in Sea of Clouds: Unlocked after finding field currents and completing Bolt, Chain, and Island main quest, Clipped Wings, Honoring the Past, Flying the Nest, and Sleepless in Ok' Zundu side quests.
Level 59
Flying in The Dravanian Hinterlands: Unlocked after finding field currents and completing Forbidden Knowledge main quest, Louder than Words, Ebb and Aetherflow, Taking Stock, and Saro Roggo's Common Life side quests.
Level 60
Elite B Rank Heavensward Weekly Hunts: Unlocked upon completion of Elite and Dangerous side quest.
Wondrous Tails Access: Unlocked upon completion of Keeping Up with the Aliapohs side quest. (Big amount of EXP)
After you hit Level 60 and finish Heavensward story, you can unlock many side Dungeons, Trails, and Raids, but you can ignore them and move on to Stormblood.
If you want to do some of them, I recommend Trials (Warring Triad), and The Lost City of Amdapor (Hard), The Fractal Continuum Dungeons.
At level 60, when the main story takes you to Stormblood city, you can then unlock two new jobs:
Dancer: Unlocked upon completion of Shall We Dance job quest.
Gunbreaker: Unlocked upon completion of The Makings of a Gunbreaker job quest.
Level 61
Stormblood one-star Hunts Access: Unlocked upon completion of One-star Veteran Clan Hunt side quest.
Level 63
Stormblood two-star Hunts Access: Unlocked upon completion of Two-star Veteran Clan Hunt side quest.
Heaven-on-High: Unlocked upon completion of Knocking on Heaven's Door side quest. It is available after completing Tide Goes in, Imperials Go Out main quest.
Flying in The Ruby Sea: Unlocked after finding field Currents and completing Tide Goes in, Imperials Go Out main quest, The Price of Betrayal, Pulling Double Booty, The Sword in the Stone, and The Palace of Lost Souls side quests.
Level 64
Flying in Yanxia: Unlocked after finding field Currents and completing All the Little Angels main quest, Something Smells, Fly, My Pretties, Whacking Day, and Wolves and Weeds side quests.
Level 66
Flying in The Azim Steppe: Unlocked after finding field Currents and completing Glory to the Khagan main quest, Words Are Very Unnecessary, Sheep Snatcher, Forty Years and Counting, and Mauci of the Seven Worries side quests.
Stormblood three-star Hunts Access: Unlocked upon completion of Three-star Veteran Clan Hunt side quest.
Level 67
Flying in The Fringes: Unlocked after finding field Currents and completing The Silence of the Gods main quest, Magiteknical Failure, The Hidden Truth, Unexpected Guests, and Eyes Bigger than Her Stomach side quests.
Level 69
Flying in The Peaks: Unlocked after finding field Currents and completing Liberty or Death main quest, Saint Sayer, Out of Sight (Quest), A Hunger for Trade, and Closing Up Shop side quests.
Level 70
Flying in The Lochs: Unlocked after finding field Currents and completing Stormblood (Quest) main quest, Are They Ill-tempered, If I Were a Fish, It's a Zu Out There, and A Rite to Rest side quests.
Stormblood Elite Hunts Access: Unlocked upon completion of Elite Veteran Clan Hunt side quest.
At level 70, It is the same as Level 50 and 60, so there are many side Dungeons, Trials, and Raids too, but you can put them off till later. If you want to do some of them, I recommend Ivalice Raids storyline, which is for your Shadowbringer's relic weapon later. To unlock Ivalice Raids, you have to complete Dramatis Personae side quest first.
Level 70
Shadowbringers one-nut Hunts Access: Unlocked upon completion of Nuts to You side quest.
Level 72
Flying in Lakeland: Unlocked after finding field Currents and completing Logistics of War main quest, A Jobb Well Done, An Unreasonable Request, Imperative Repairs, and The Astute Amaro side quests.
Level 73
Flying in Il Mheg: Unlocked after finding field Currents and completing Acht-la Ormh Inn main quest, The Forbidden Lran, Delightful Decorations, The Path to Popularity, and A New Amaro side quests.
Shadowbringers two-nut Hunts Access: Unlocked upon completion of Two Nuts Too Nutty side quest.
Pixie Quests: Unlocked upon completion of Manic Pixie Dream Realm side quest. (They give insanely good EXP.)
Level 75
Flying in The Rak'tika Greatwood: Unlocked after finding field Currents and completing The Burden of Knowledge main quest, What We Do for Family, The Great Deceiver, Suit Up, and Stand on Ceremony side quests.
Level 76
Shadowbringers three-nut Hunts Access: Unlocked upon completion of How Do You Like Three Nuts side quest.
Level 77
Flying in Amh Araeng: Unlocked after finding field Currents and completing a Fresh Start main quest, Work to Live or Live to Work, Scavengers Assemble, Charmless Man, and A Vein Pursuit side quests.
Level 79
Flying in Kholusia: Unlocked after finding field Currents and completing Extinguishing the Last Light main quest, A Plankless Task, Village of Woe, A Disagreeable Dwarf, and Fugitive of Fear side quests.
Level 80
Flying in The Tempest: Unlocked after finding field Currents and completing A Greater Purpose main quest, Koal of the Cups, Debate and Discourse, Community Cohesion, and Responsible Creation side quests.
Shadowbringers elite Hunts Access: Unlocked upon completion of Too Many Nutters side quest.
Stone, Sky, Sea Access: Unlocked upon completion of Yet Another Striking Opportunity side quest. (It is a way to figure out what your DPS is like.)
You are at max level now, so you can freely pick any of these side Dungeons, Trails, and Raids. If you don't know where to start, I suggest you start with Sorrow of Werlyt trials. It is available after completing Ruby Doomsday side quest. (The story is really good.)
There are two side dungeons you should do too because they are amazing.
- The Twinning Dungeon Access: Unlocked upon completion of By the Time You Hear This side quest.
- Akadaemia Anyder (Duty) Dungeon Access: Unlocked upon completion of Akadaemia Anyder side quest.
The Bozjan Southern Front Access: Unlocked upon completion of Where Eagles Nest side quest. (It is related to your relic weapon.)
Ronka Minion
Since you are at max level now, there is a level 70 side quest you should pick up, and it gives you a minion.
The Great Serpent of Ronka Minion: Received upon completion of Protectors of the Wood side quest. It can respond to certain emotes, but I am leaving it for you to test out what emotes it responds to.
In the end
I hope the information here can help you to safely reach the max level and save your time from doing all the side quests or prevent you from escaping important side quests.
Now you can do pretty much everything you feel like doing, such as crafting, gathering, fishing, or pick up the dungeons you have skipped.
If you feel like owning a house, then you can buy one! But if you are short on FFXIV Gil, I recommend you MmoGah to buy safe and fast FFXIV Gil. If you want to play other classes/jobs but don't want to go through all the leveling again, just so you know, they also provide FFXIV Power Leveling. You can bookmark MmoGah for your future needs.
