This is Minerva. For the entirety of Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood she took on the role of Ninja – tackling extreme and savage battles with her two trusty, but small blades, taking down many a foe. However in Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers which released a few months back, the low DPS output of the class compared to the others combined with the increased level of technicality required to maintain a high DPS meant that after completing the main story quest… she transitioned over to the White Mage class for end-game content. Things may change though, with the release of Final Fantasy XIV Patch 5.1 next week bringing sweeping changes for the Ninja class (among others) which will hopefully encourage more players to dive back into some of the classes again.
Rolling out to all players on Tuesday 29 October 2019, this update is titled “Vows of Virtue, Deeds of Cruelty“, and introduces a number of new features. These include the typical inclusions for a FFXIV expansion such as the continuation of the main story, new dungeons, job adjustments and trials – but also significant inclusions such as the New Game + mode, a new 24-player alliance raid based around the world of Nier: Automata worked on by guest curators Yosuke Saito and Yoko Taro, a new community system and an overhaul to the existing crafting/gathering systems. You can read more about these updates in the preliminary patch notes (HERE). Alternatively, keep scrolling down for a quick overview of key features and screenshots recently shared by Square Enix.
The entire patch will not be rolled out at one time. Patch 5.11 will provide top-tier players with The Epic of Alexander Ultimate raid, while Patch 5.15 will see updates to the Blue Mage class and more.
Promoted Features of Final Fantasy XIV Patch 5.1: Vows of Virtue, Deeds of Cruelty
- New Main Scenario Quests – The next chapter in the Shadowbringers main storyline.
- New 24-Player Alliance Raid: “The Copied Factory” – Featuring Yosuke Saito and YOKO TARO as guest creators, players will battle against machine lifeforms as they explore this new raid dungeon inspired by the world of NieR.
- New Game+ – Revisit previously completed quests, cutscenes, dialogue, and battles while keeping your current character and level. Patch 5.1 includes the main scenario quests for Heavensward, Stormblood, and Shadowbringers. (NEW GAME + FOR A REALM REBORN CONTENT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED AT A LATER DATE)
- New Trial: Hades (Extreme) – Players can relive the battle against this fearsome foe in a high-difficulty battle challenge.
- New Dungeon: “The Grand Cosmos” – Players can explore this great palace built by the Elves alongside fellow adventurers, or a party of non-player characters using the Trust system.
- New Beast Tribe Quests – Enter the fantastical Garden of Dreams, Lyhe Mheg—a new area featuring a new questline with more of the mischief-loving pixies.
- New PvP Frontline Map: “Onsal Hakair” (Patch 5.15) – Grand Companies will join forces with the tribes of the Azim Steppe to demonstrate their battle prowess.
- Job Adjustments – The ninja, samurai, and summoner jobs will receive comprehensive adjustments to their current playstyles, while other jobs will receive various smaller changes.
- Crafting and Gathering Overhaul – Various adjustments to actions, the removal of additional actions, UI improvements, and more will enhance the gathering and crafting experience for beginners and veterans alike.
- New Gold Saucer GATE “The Slice is Right” – Yojimbo makes his debut at the Gold Saucer in this new mini game that will test players’ reflexes…and sheer luck.
- Patch 5.1 will also feature the introduction of the ‘Fellowship’ community system, updates to Performance Actions, system updates, and more.
Screenshots / Artwork for Final Fantasy XIV Patch 5.1: Vows of Virtue, Deeds of Cruelty
