The Celestia Citizen (“Luck of the Irish” Edition)

Final Fantasy XIV News

FFXIV x FFXV Crossover Event (Runs from 2/28/2024 to 3/13/2024): Link

DDoS Attack & Network Technical Difficulties – General Notice (Event Occurring on 3/2/2024 from 208AM to 225AM PST): Link

FFXIV Patch 6.58 (Scheduled for 3/19/2024): Link

Crystalline Conflict – Season 10 (Ends 3/19/2024, with announcement of final results same-day): Link

Little Ladies’ Day & Hatching-Tide (Double Event, Runs from 3/14/2024 to 4/1/2024): Link

FFXIV Release on Xbox Series X/S – Includes FFXIV Starter Edition Availability in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (Releases 3/21/2024): Link*

*Note that the Starter Edition perk for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will be available from 3/21/2024 to 4/19/2024

PAX East 2024 – Live Broadcast Panel featuring Yoshi-P (Scheduled 3/21/2024 to 3/24/2024): Link

10th Anniversary Celebration “Wrapup” with The 9th 14-Hour Broadcast Event (Scheduled for 4/12/2024 8PM PDT): Link

Free Company News and Social Events

Changes to the Discord FC Server

In February, the Discord FC server was adjusted with a new layout for numerous channels, as well as the incorporation of new bots & features to modernize things. For details on what has changed, please refer to the Discord Server direct link here.

Crafting Requests – Update

One significant change was also rolled out for the Crafting Requests channel. Refer to the Discord server for the announcement via link here.

Regarding Botting

An FC member was found suspected of botting, and found as guilty before being removed from the FC. This is a reminder that botting is against the FFXIV ToS (Terms of Service). It is also against the Free Company’s Charter as posted on the Celestia website. Refer here for the link to the charter, and refer to the Discord server via link here for additional details.

Beyond the Light Interview

What is your in-game character’s name?: Luna Kadashi

What race are you currently in-game?: Miqo’te

What drew you into your current choice of race?: I like catgirls in general and thought keepers of the moon looked better than seekers of the sun (mostly due to the eyes and the color of their “paint” on the face which goes better with my hair color), so here I am. Nya.

When did you first start playing FFXIV?: January 2021

What drew you to pick up and play FFXIV?:

I’m a completionist and XIV is a MMO that feels like it wants to be completed (to a reasonable extent). I like that I can set myself a goal, reasonably plan out what the end route to that goal is, know what the exact steps and the rough time to complete those goals are, and go do it and get my reward.

Very little content in XIV has a RNG loop associated with its reward. Fishing, MGP grinding (woo cactpot ^^), and dungeon/alliance raid glamour are the main things that come to mind. Everything else is deterministic and reasonable, or is able to be bought via gil if it’s a RNG grind item from side content like Eureka or V&C dungeons.

This is a huge breath of fresh air coming from most other MMOs that heavily gate things via RNG. I don’t get dopamine from getting a 1% drop rate mount that I’ve been grinding for months on 10 characters, I get a sense of relief that the RNG is over. I get personal satisfaction in crossing things off of my virtual checklist. This lets me engage in all aspects of the game which is probably part of why I’m more satisfied than some of the other regulars here.

There are other reasons too. I like that XIV keeps the player power curve pretty low throughout a patch and throughout an expansion. I like that ilevel sync and level sync exist and let most content be engaged with in a way that at least kind of resembles its intended form. I don’t play ARPGs (the closest I get is WoW and Monster Hunter) and don’t take particular joy in smashing things with the power of my grinded out math. I’d probably be happier if XIV didn’t have any gear curve at all but I understand its necessity as a difficulty curve lever, a way to let old content be soloed, and a sub retention mechanism.

I like the predictable patch formula and have fun in the Standard XIV Content. The game is an optimization puzzle about applying your job to a specific fight and I like that there is a reproducible, perfect way for a given job to play a given fight’s timeline for a given kill time. It speaks to the same part of my brain that likes Guitar Hero and Rock Band. I like that raids are progressed in discrete mechanic chunks where you pass a threshold and say “I have mastered this part of the raid” with clear visual and HP bar feedback that you did the Thing Correctly. It also helps that the raids are both 8 man (which lets me have a personal relationship with every other raider) and have a low grind commitment. No other raiding MMO matches both of those criteria.

I like the story and characters and world, and find the graphics and solo-character focus sufficient to get me invested into my character. My XIV character is my avatar in the world. My WoW characters or my GW2 characters are tools in my toolkit that I vary patch-to-patch depending on what’s good or not. I feel way more drawn to grind cosmetics and customize my XIV character due to this.

Also catgirls and lizard girls and bunny girls are pretty cute and the game has Namazu and Moogles, the objectively best non-player races.

How far have you gotten into the MSQ (Main Story Questline) of FFXIV?: I have completed all MSQ of FFXIV.

What was your first (job? class? role?) when you started?: Pugilist/Monk

What motivated you to pick that first (job? class? role?): I chose it because I really liked how it looked on YouTube videos, and the idea of positionals was very appealing to me (back then I did not know other melee jobs have them aswell).

To date, what favorite jobs/roles/classes do you have?: I have all classes to 90! I’m a completionist ^^

What kind of content do you enjoy?: Crafting and/or Gathering, Side Quests, Glamour Collecting, Other (RP Venues, I love home designing, and G posing (I make my Gil on those two things))

What would you say is your favorite content type from FFXIV? And why?: I love crafting and gathering i find it very relaxing, i love to RP venue hop around and do G pose commissions for players and design homes for them, i have been designing for 2 years and have friends in the FF14 HGTV community we hang in a large home that we share ideas and designs with each other. i love doing Eureka with my friend Ori Star she is super nice and sweet ^^

What is one thing you like about FFXIV that distinguishes them from other MMOs?:

In one word: Freedom

FFXIV gives you the freedom to play it however you like.

You can play on PC or PS, mouse and keyboard or controller.

Nearly every content is completely optional and you are not forced into certain parts of the game if you don’t want to.

You can play everything on one character and always just choose what you like the most.

It is totally fine to play the game for however many time you have. It is possible to spend only a few hours a week on the game or play it for 10 hours every day. You can sub and unsub whenever you want and everything will still be there. Nothing is gone forever.

The game is as social as you want it to be. You can enjoy the story in your own time with increasingly minimal interaction with other players or you can enjoy all the social aspects it offers.

FFXIV is like a giant all-you-can-eat buffet. Does not matter if you only like one type of food or try them all. Everyone can find joy in their own way. And I think that is the major advantage FFXIV has over many many other MMO.

If you could make at least 1 change to FFXIV based on personal preference, what would you pick and why?:

I love the game the way it is, but I would love the following things:

1.) Glamour Catalogue, just like WoW, if you get any appearance, it should be saved for your character without the need of holding the gear.

2.) Make extra retainers a one time purchase, not a subscription additive one.

3.) 8 man raids should be interconnected, instead of how each floor is queue-able now. Put some puzzles and such in it for first timers. But make sure they aren’t there after first solve if all players in party have done it.

4.) More trial fights, and by that, I don’t mean only primals. Where are the good old garlean/strong monsters/ascians trials? While not as impressive as the primals, they are still a fun thing to do. I’d definitely prefer the final MSQ dungeon’s boss to be a trial fight instead and hell, be made in an extreme version in 4.1, along with Shinryu EX (I know it’s the same person, but still, there is some potential lost and you know it).

As we are on primals, I’d also like to point out that even though Susano’o and Lakshmi were amazing primals, their last phase lacked punch. First phase was good, intermission was epic AF for both, I mean, who doesn’t love clashing swords with a massive samurai or feeling powerless against a massive sized goddess? And I don’t mean it in a pervy way! I wish their phase 3 would have been completely different instead of slightly altered patterns from their first phase, similarly to Sephirot. Goddamn that fight was flipping awesome. Shinryu is also another really good example of how a fight should start and finish, so epic.

5.) Give some special quirks to some jobs. Like Ninjas moving slightly faster, dragoons jumping slightly higher, maybe reduce stun duration on warriors, etc.

6.) Give us some less humanoid like races or more variety for the existing ones. Let us make a tall female au ra, or a younger, teen like elezen.

7.) Give us set bonuses, trinket abilities, heck, maybe a special relic weapon ability. Gear feels so boring at the moment, you get it only for the stats. In wow, it’s that and the proccs/bonuses synergies, bring some of that fun in FF XIV.

8.) As many others have said, emotes that require a confirmation from the other person to be performed, like a joint hug, etc.

These are the things that come off the top of my head.

What is your most memorable/favorite moment in FFXIV?:

So many highlights to choose from! You can have all of them ^^

The Ishgardian knights forming a wall against Vishaps flames to protect the final barrier.

The 1v1 with Raubahn.

The slow walk to Nidhogg before the Final Steps of Faith.

Saving your past self in A12.

In Dun Scathe, having a contest of strength with Diabolos.

Hien’s speech about tomorrow. (The night before the raid on Doma.)

Gosetsu’s last stand.

Before the battle with Myste in the Dark Knight story quest.

The final transition in Orbonne Monestary, where you feel Ultima’s rage and Ramza comes in clutch.

Honestly the entirety of O12, thematically awesome fight, but mainly cause Heartless is one of my favorite songs in the game.

Lyna’s speech after the Sineater raid on the Crystarium. (Same scene, but also Ardbert failing to save someone in his ethereal form.)

Thancred’s 1v1 with Ranjit.

Playing as Renda-Rae in the ShB roles quests, being down for the count as Ardbert and co. come flying in.

Urianger meeting Moonbryda’s parents.

“This is our future. Our story.”

“I take this is your pray? But why does it still live? Surely it is no match for you.”

“This is my moment! Our moment!”

When did you join Celestia?: January 2024 (Welcome!!!)

What drew you to join Celestia?: What drew me to Celestia was Ori Starshroud i meet her in Eureka BA runs a couple months now and she has been so sweet to me and have been friends ever since, we love to be in G poses together and talk home design ideas ♥

What do you like about Celestia as a Free Company?: So far i like the event sign ups, and how nice and professional the officers and high ups are, and how helpful the members are on anything you need ^^

What is your favorite weekly event to participate in with Celestia?: I have not participated in any weekly events atm

Thank you to our monthly newsletter participant for a wonderful interview! 🙂

Call 2 Interview (For Beyond the Light)!

We currently are in need of more FC members willing to participate in our Beyond the Light interview!

The link to the interview form is here, as well as hosted under our Discord server > #announcements channel!

Important: There is a new interview form open to ALL members, whether a Google Account is used or not. Pictures are optional, and those selected to be interviewed for newsletter will be followed up with for possible pictures.

Form Link: Link

Z’attania Tsu’s “House Tours” – Temporary Pause

Z’attania Tsu will be temporarily pausing her House Tours coverage! For those who have enjoyed reading those sections, I do apologize for the absence of it. However, please look forward to the return of it soon! And thank you kindly for your patience and understanding!