Can New Players Go Straight to FFXIV Dawntrail? Answered

The launch of the Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail expansion is almost upon us! If you’re a new player in FFXIV, though, you might be curious if you can take part in Dawntrail right away or if there are requirements you need to meet before you do so.

Is FFXIV: Dawntrail Playable Right Away?

Unfortunately, the Dawntrail expansion is not something you can hop into right after you install FFXIV and log in for the first time. In fact, there might be some mid-level players who can’t even partake in Dawntrail, as the expansion requires you to meet a specific threshold before unlocking the expansion.

Dawntrail can only be started once you complete the full Endwalker main story quests (MSQ) and all the post-Endwalker MSQ up to Patch 6.55. This means you have to essentially complete the entire main story and all of the Endwalker quests that follow the main story to start the Dawntrail expansion.

Related: FFXIV Reveals All Upcoming Dawntrail Job Actions

For FFXIV veterans who are on their third or fourth account, this might seem like no big deal. However, newer players who have never experienced FFXIV before or are still working through the MSQ for the first time will likely see this as a massive hurdle. In terms of time commitment, you can get through the full Endwalker MSQ and the post-Endwalker quests in roughly 30 hours if you do nothing else in FFXIV and skip through all the dialogue. Of course, that time commitment could be longer if you die, mess up a quest, or partake in any side activities.

My best recommendation for anyone who hasn’t completed the Endwalker MSQ yet is to take a few days and solely focus on those quests. If you can spend several hours a day working through Endwalker, you should be able to start the Dawntrail expansion within a week of starting Endwalker. However, newer players shouldn’t blow through Endwalker just to get to Dawntrail, as you might miss out on some great quests or crucial tutorials that make your life easier in FFXIV.

Regardless, though, that’s the main requirement to starting the Dawntrail expansion. After the Endwalker MSQ is complete, you’re ready to head into the lands of Tural in FFXIV.

Final Fantasy XIV is available now, with the Dawntrail expansion available on July 2, 2024.