Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn – Disciples of the Land Starter Guide

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn was designed from the ground up with ease of use in mind. That thought process carries over into the disciples of the land classes, Fisher, Botanist and Miner. There’s no combat to be had in these jobs, just surveying the land to acquire various items, many of which will be in high demand by the crafting classes, especially at higher levels.

You won’t be able to start your adventures as a Fisher, Miner or Botanist. Instead, you’ll need to complete the level 10 quest for your starting class, then head to Limsa Lominsa to the Fisherman’s guild, Ul’Dah to the Miner’s guild, or Gridania to the Botany guild. Speak with the receptionist at the guild to unlock the classes. Once you have the classes unlocked, they have a quest line just like any other class. In addition, they have levels just like the battle classes. Early on these levels can only be found in the cities that house their guilds. Botany levels are found in Gridania, Miner levels are found in Ul’Dah, and Fishing levels are found in Limsa. However, you can fish, mine and harvest anywhere.

Mining and harvesting are very similar in nature. Once you reach level 2 you’ll have the ability to locate areas in which you can mine or harvest. Use these abilities to find tress or rocky alcoves. They’ll sparkle, making them fairly noticeable. Simply click on the glowing location to start mining or harvesting. You’ll see a list of items with a percentage depicting the chance of obtaining the item. The higher your gathering stat, the more successful you’ll be at obtaining items. With each item you obtain, you’ll earn experience points.

As you level up your Miner and Botanist, you’ll learn new skills. Some will make it easier to find places to mine and harvest, while others will increase your chances of gathering items or finding high quality items. GP is the stat that determines how many skills you can use. Each skill requires a specific amount of GP to use. If you run low on GP, you will have to wait for it to slowly replenish (which does not happen while you’re actively mining or harvesting).

Perception governs your chances to obtain a high quality (HQ) version of the item you’re gathering. The higher your perception rating, the more likely you’ll be to find HQ items. There are also skills that increase your chances to find HQ items. You’ll learn these as your level increases.

When you reach level 11, you’ll be able to equip a secondary tool, which opens up more options. For example, the Botanist gains access to a scythe. This allows him to harvest lush greeneries instead of being limited to trees. You’ll find different items using the scythe than you would using the hatchet. Learn which items are used to create high-demand gear and you can make a killing in the market wards.

Fishing is slightly different than mining or harvesting. You’ll need to make sure you have bait to fish. You can buy bait in many different locations, but at first you can get everything you need from the Fisherman’s guild in Limsa. Fishing is fairly straightforward. Toss your rod in the water, and when you feel a tug, reel it back in. Where you fish and the type of bait you use will determine which creates of the sea you can obtain. Fish are used quite a bit in cooking recipes and in crafting for alchemy and other various crafts. If you can find rare fish, they sell for quite a bit in the market wards.

The disciplines of the land may seem a little slower paced compared to the more battle-ready classes, but they’re in the game to be a more fun and soothing activity. It doesn’t take much mental power to spend a few hours mining. In fact, it can be very relaxing. So put down your weapon and try out one of the three disciplines. You may be surprised at how fun they are!