The cities and classes of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

Welcome to this week’s edition of our regular Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn updates – the biggest one so far. A lot of you have probably played the first beta phase from 22nd February to 3rd March – barely enough time to get your hands on one or two classes in a single city, right? Well then, let us introduce you to the others!
You are free to start in any of the three cities – Gridania, Ul’dah or Limsa Lominsa! Most of you will want to get used to the game first, so you can play solo and get acquainted with everything. Up until level 15, you’ve got tons of local quests and adventures that await you – and from level 15 onwards, the whole world opens up to you as you get access to the airship and the other cities!
If you want to play with your friends, you simply have to choose classes with the same starting cities, and you can group up right away.
Once you have acquired a class, you can change to it at any given time (outside of combat and dungeons) by simply equipping the weapon associated with it. It’s that simple!
So, let’s get started, shall we?
Gridania – At one with the forest
Gridania lies in the heart of the Black Shroud, a huge, ancient forest. As you would guess, classes based in Gridania are in great parts based on natural harmony, hunting and surviving. If you like to start your game in tranquillity and natural splendour, this is your way to go.

The classes you will find here are suited to this abundance of natural resources. It is the starting city for:

• Archers, masters of the hunt with bow and arrow
  Archers are ranged damage dealers, specialists at keeping enemies at a distance while launching a hailstorm of arrows at them. Archers can later on train to become Bards.

• Lancers, able to tackle even the mightiest boar in their thick armour
  Lancers are melee combatants, able to inflict considerable damage to any enemy foolish enough to come into reach of their lance. Lancers can later on train to become Dragoons.

• Conjurers, calling upon nature’s magic to benefit their friends and haunt their foes
  Conjurers are well versed in powerful healing magic, preferably with a considerable distance between them and the enemy. Conjurers can later on train to become White mages.

Of course, there is also a rich industry based on the goods that the forest provides! As such you can find the guilds for the following classes here:

• Leatherworkers, experts at making tanned hides into sturdy armour
• Carpenters, masters at bending, twisting and sawing wood to fit their needs
• Botanists, which provide plenty of ingredients for all the other crafts

Check out the video below to get a glimpse of the different background tunes for Gridania:

Ul’dah – Jewel of the Desert
If trading is your thing, then the city of Ul’dah is for you. The trading capital in the middle of a vast desert was built by busy Lalafell traders and is very proud of the riches it has amassed over time. If you want to prove yourself in a harsh climate, this is the city for you.

The classes that call this bustling city their home are among the most fearsome of all of Eorzea.

• Thaumaturges, masters of destructive magic and constantly defying the call of darkness
  Thaumaturges rain down havoc on their enemies in the form of fire, lightning and ice from the side of the field, bringing a quick end to anyone standing in their way. They can train to become Black mages.

• Pugilists, able to wreak havoc with powerful fist weapons
  Pugilists are proud close combatants, pummelling their enemies and rivalling Thaumaturges in terms of inflicted damage. They can train to become Monks.

• Gladiators, skilful adepts of sword and shield
  Gladiators are front line fighters and always careful to not let their targets attack their friends. They can train to become Paladins.

Other guilds have also found the bustling markets and riches of this city very attractive.

• Goldsmiths, able to forge magically imbued jewellery out of gems and other precious materials
• Alchemists, concocting powerful mixtures to fuel allies and weaken enemies
• Miners, extracting plenty of precious materials from the earth and supplying the markets
• Weavers, turning the world’s most exquisite fabrics into fancy costumes or armour for the magically gifted

Listen to some of the background tunes of Ul’dah in the following video:

Limsa Lominsa – Bracing the Tides
If you always like a fresh breeze and green, fertile land next to a gorgeous beach, and the idea of seafood makes your mouth water, then Limsa Lominsa is the place for you. What was once a safe haven for pirates has become one of the most beautiful cities in all of Eorzea!

If you’re into fighting, you better be in it for good, as Limsa Lominsa hosts two renowned guilds for those willing to brace the sea itself:

• Arcanists, masters of magic through equations and formulae
  Arcanists calculate both attack and healing spells from their books – and to keep the enemies off them, summon magical beasts! They can train to become Summoners or Scholars.

• Marauders, masters of destruction with their trusty greataxe
  Front line fighters that every enemy should fear – and if not them, then their fearful, massive weapons that could probably sink a ship. They can train to become Warriors.

But nobody is to say that some old pirates wouldn’t know how to earn some honest money as well! You will find plenty of guilds to make you some money.

• Armorers, wresting iron and steel to host and protect the massive muscles necessary to swing big, destructive weaponry.
• Blacksmiths, supplying everything from culinary knifes to hulking greataxes
• Culinarians, able to turn almost anything edible into a healthy, invigorating and delicious meal
• Fishers, supplying culinarians and alchemists with a smorgasbord of sea fruits and fishes

And, last but not least, check out some of the background music that will await you as a visitor to Limsa Lominsa:

Wow, that article got a bit longer than I initially planned. Glad to see that you’re still reading! Do you think we should go into a bit more detail about the classes in a future update? If yes, please let us know in the comments!
And that’s it for this week!