Finding Your Way Through Ffxiv's Main Story Quest
I spent about six months going through the Ffxiv MSQ system when I first picked up the game. It’s not as straightforward as you’d think. You log in, a little marker pops up on your map, and you just follow it. But here’s what nobody tells you: there are multiple main story questlines, they overlap in weird ways, and if you skip around even slightly, you’ll lock yourself out of content for hours. The Official Guide recommends going through everything in order. I tried that once. Ended up spending four hours waiting for a single quest to unlock because I’d completed a side quest that triggered a branch I didn’t know about. Lesson learned.
The Ultimate Ffxiv Msq List Every Main Story Questline Order And Guide
Here’s how it actually works. Ffxiv splits its main story into several arcs. Each arc covers a different expansion. You start with A Realm Reborn, then move through Heavensward, Stormblood, Shadowbringers, and Endwalker. That’s five major questlines total. Within each one, there are sub-arcs that can feel like separate games. I keep a simple spreadsheet tracking my progress. Quest name, zone, objective type, and whether it’s part of a cutscene chain or a fetch quest. Takes me about ten minutes to update after each session. Without it, I’d lose track constantly. The game’s journal does a decent job, but it doesn’t tell you which quests are story-critical versus optional lore skips.
What Actually Happens When You Follow the List
You complete a quest. A cutscene plays. The next quest unlocks automatically, usually in the same zone. Sometimes it’s across the map. Once I had to travel back to a zone I’d cleared three hours earlier because the quest marker appeared there instead of where logic suggested it should. The game doesn’t always warn you about these teleportation jumps. Key thing to understand: not all MSQ content is linear. Some expansions branch. Heavensward has its own side questline that runs parallel to the main story. If you’re not paying attention, you’ll miss it. I did. Found out later I’d skipped about six hours of story content because I thought it was optional.
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Common Pitfalls I’ve Run Into
First problem: level locks. Certain main quests won’t unlock until you hit a specific level. The game tells you when this happens, but it’s easy to ignore. I once spent twenty minutes trying to progress past a quest that required level 50. My character was level 47. Stupid mistake, but it happens. Second issue: dungeon locks. Some MSQ chapters require you to clear a specific dungeon before advancing. You can’t skip it. You can’t do the quest without the dungeon. Period. I’ve seen people try to rush through and get stuck for days because they didn’t realize the lock existed. Third problem: retainer and housing stuff. Occasionally, MSQ quests tie into housing or retainer systems. These can be confusing. I once missed a quest step because I didn’t have a retainer hired yet. Had to go back and hire one, then return to the quest giver. Wasted about an hour of my time.
How to Actually Use the Questline List Effectively
Open your log. Look at the current quest. Check what zone it’s in. Plan your route before you start moving. I usually map out the path on paper or in my head. Saves me from running around randomly and wasting time. Takes about thirty seconds to plan. Worth it. If the quest is far away, consider using a chocobo or other fast travel method. The game offers these options. I’ve used them plenty. Fast travel costs gil, but it’s cheaper than walking for twenty minutes across a large zone. When you hit a branch point, pay attention to what the NPC says. Sometimes the dialogue hints at which path leads to the main story. Other times it’s subtle. I’ve missed these hints before and ended up doing optional content instead of main story. It’s frustrating. But it’s also part of the game’s design.
My Personal Workflow
1. Open quest log and identify the current MSQ step.
2. Check the zone and distance to the objective.
3. Plan a route using fast travel if needed.
4. Complete the quest.
5. Update my spreadsheet with the new quest and any notes about branches or locks.
6. Repeat. This routine takes me about five minutes per session. Most of that time is spent updating the spreadsheet, not actually playing. But it keeps me organized. I’ve tried winging it before. Results were terrible.
Where to Find the Official Questlist
The game itself has a quest tracker. It’s in the upper right corner of your screen. Shows your current objective, the zone, and a mini-map marker. Use it. It’s accurate for the most part. For more detailed lists, there are community wikis. They’re usually up to date. I’ve found a few that have outdated information, so double-check the dates. One site I used listed quests from a patch that was released two years ago. The content had been removed or modified. Wasted about an hour following incorrect info. Reddit and Discord communities are also helpful. People post when they find bugs or missing steps. I’ve learned about several hidden quest requirements from these sources that the official guide never mentioned.
A Note About Level Requirements
Some MSQ chapters have hard level locks. You cannot proceed without being the required level. The game will gray out the quest and show you the required level. I’ve seen players try to force their way through anyway. It doesn’t work. You’ll just stand there looking confused. If you’re stuck on a level requirement, focus on the current zone’s side quests. They’re usually designed to help you level up. I’ve completed entire zones without touching main story just to hit the required level. It’s a valid strategy. The game expects you to do this sometimes.
What I Wish I Knew Before Starting
I wish someone had told me about the branching questlines earlier. I spent weeks thinking the game was broken because quests wouldn’t unlock. Turns out I’d missed a step somewhere. The game’s quest system is more complex than it appears at first glance. I also wish I’d paid more attention to NPC dialogue. Some quests require you to talk to specific NPCs in a certain order. If you skip the dialogue, you’ll miss the quest trigger. I’ve done this multiple times. It’s annoying, but it’s also how the game is designed. Finally, I wish I’d kept better records of my progress. My spreadsheet helped, but it wasn’t perfect. I’ve lost track of which quests I’d completed and which I hadn’t. A more detailed log would’ve saved me hours of confusion.
Final Thoughts on Using the MSQ List
The Main Scenario Quest system in Ffxiv is well-designed but not always intuitive. It rewards players who pay attention to detail and plan their routes carefully. It punishes those who rush through without understanding the underlying structure. My best advice is to slow down. Take your time. Read the quests. Check the zones. Use the tools the game provides. And don’t be afraid to ask for help when you’re stuck. The community is generally willing to assist, especially in Discord servers and Reddit threads. I’ve played Ffxiv for over three years now. I still run into MSQ issues occasionally. It’s part of the game. But having a solid questlist and workflow makes the experience much smoother. I recommend every player adopt some kind of tracking system, even if it’s just a simple notebook or a phone note.
The game gives you everything you need to succeed. You just have to know where to look and how to use it. The MSQ list is one of those things. It’s not obvious. But once you figure it out, it changes how you play entirely.
