FFXIV Selling To NPCs & Squadron Recruitment - Are You Making Mistakes?

Hey guys! Ever feel like you're just throwing gil away when selling to NPCs in Final Fantasy XIV? Or maybe your squadron recruits are about as useful as a chocobo in a dungeon? You're not alone! A lot of players struggle with these aspects of the game. Let's dive into the nitty-gritty of selling to NPCs and recruiting squadron members, figuring out if you're maximizing your profits and building the ultimate team. This guide will cover everything from understanding vendor prices to optimizing your squadron training, so you can become a true master of Eorzea's economy and military might. So, let’s get started and figure out if you're doing it wrong – and how to fix it!

Selling to NPCs: Maximizing Your Gil

Okay, let's talk gil! We all need it, and selling items to NPCs is a common way to make a quick buck. But are you getting the best deals? Probably not, if you're just clicking through and selling everything at the default price. The key to maximizing your gil when selling to NPCs is understanding how vendor prices work and knowing when it's better to sell elsewhere. Most of the time, selling directly to an NPC vendor should be your last resort, unless you need the space in your inventory immediately. The prices offered by NPCs are generally the lowest you'll find, often significantly less than what you could get from other players. Think of it like this: NPCs are the clearance rack of Eorzea's marketplace. They're convenient, but you're not getting a bargain. Now, let's get into the details of why NPC prices are so low and where you should be selling instead.

The primary reason NPC vendors offer such low prices is that they're designed to be a basic outlet for unwanted items, not a primary source of income for players. The game's economy is built around player-to-player transactions, which is why the Market Board exists. NPC vendors serve the purpose of removing items from the economy that would otherwise flood the market and drive prices down even further. Imagine if everyone sold all their crafting materials and unwanted gear to other players – the Market Board would be overflowing, and prices would plummet to near-zero. NPCs act as a kind of economic safety valve, absorbing excess supply and maintaining some level of stability. This is especially important for common crafting materials and low-level gear that players acquire frequently. If there were no NPC vendors to buy these items, they would essentially become worthless. However, as a player looking to maximize your profits, you need to think strategically about what you sell and where you sell it. While NPCs are convenient, they are definitely not your best option for most items. To truly make the most gil, you need to understand the alternatives and how to leverage them. The next time you're tempted to offload a stack of materials to an NPC vendor, take a moment to consider if there's a better way. Your wallet will thank you for it.

So, where should you be selling your items if not to NPCs? The answer, in most cases, is the Market Board. The Market Board is the player-driven marketplace in FFXIV, where players buy and sell items to each other. This means that prices are determined by supply and demand, rather than being fixed at a low rate by NPCs. If an item is in high demand and short supply, you can sell it for a significant profit on the Market Board. However, it's not as simple as just listing everything on the Market Board and expecting to become rich overnight. You need to understand how the Market Board works, how to research prices, and how to price your items competitively. One of the first things to understand is that prices on the Market Board fluctuate constantly. What's selling for 1,000 gil today might sell for 500 gil tomorrow, or even 1,500 gil. This is why it's crucial to check the current market price of an item before you list it. There are several ways to do this. The most basic is to simply search for the item on the Market Board and see what other players are selling it for. Pay attention to the lowest prices currently listed, as these are the prices you'll need to beat if you want your item to sell quickly. However, it's also worth looking at the historical price data for the item. This will give you a better sense of how the price has changed over time and whether it's currently trending up or down. There are several websites and tools that provide this historical data, such as Universalis and the FFXIV Market Board History website. These tools can be invaluable for identifying items that are likely to be profitable to sell.

Recruiting to Squadron: Building Your Dream Team

Now, let's switch gears and talk about your squadron! Your squadron is a team of NPCs that you can recruit and train to run dungeons and complete missions. Having a well-trained and well-equipped squadron can be a huge asset, allowing you to tackle content solo that would normally require a full party. But recruiting to squadron and training your recruits effectively can be a bit of a mystery for new players. Are you just randomly picking recruits based on their appearance? Are you sending them on missions without understanding their stats? If so, you're probably not getting the most out of your squadron. Building a strong squadron starts with understanding the recruitment process and the different stats that your recruits possess. Each week, you can recruit new members to your squadron by completing specific challenges in the game. These challenges can range from completing dungeons to crafting certain items to performing specific actions in the open world. The recruits you get will have different stats in three key areas: Physical, Mental, and Tactical. These stats determine how well they perform in different types of missions and dungeons. Understanding these stats is crucial for building a balanced and effective squadron. For example, if you plan to run a lot of dungeons with your squadron, you'll want recruits with high Physical stats, as these stats are important for combat performance. If you want to send your squadron on missions that require strategic thinking, you'll need recruits with high Tactical stats. Mental stats are important for a variety of tasks, including healing and magic-based combat. The key is to have a mix of recruits with different strengths so that you can adapt to different situations.

Once you've recruited some potential squadron members, the next step is to assess their individual strengths and weaknesses. Each recruit has a unique combination of Physical, Mental, and Tactical stats, as well as a specific set of abilities. Some recruits might be naturally gifted in melee combat, while others might excel at healing or spellcasting. Understanding these differences is crucial for building a balanced and effective squadron. Take some time to review each recruit's stats and abilities before you decide how to train them and which missions to send them on. One helpful way to think about your squadron is to imagine them as a miniature adventuring party. You'll want to have a mix of roles covered, such as tanks, healers, and damage dealers. This will allow you to tackle a wider range of content and ensure that your squadron is well-rounded. For example, you might want to have one or two recruits with high Physical stats to act as tanks, absorbing damage and protecting the rest of the party. You'll also want at least one recruit with high Mental stats to serve as a healer, keeping the party alive. Finally, you'll need some recruits with a mix of Physical, Mental, and Tactical stats to deal damage and provide support. Remember that your squadron members will gain experience and level up as they complete missions and dungeons. As they level up, their stats will increase, and they will learn new abilities. This means that you can train your recruits to specialize in certain roles over time, further enhancing their effectiveness. However, it's also important to continue recruiting new members to your squadron, as this will give you more options and allow you to adapt to different challenges.

Training your squadron members is just as important as recruiting them. Training allows you to improve their stats and unlock new abilities, making them more effective in combat and on missions. The Squadron Barracks in your Grand Company headquarters is where you'll spend most of your time training your squadron. Here, you can access various training regimens that focus on different stats. Each training regimen takes a certain amount of time to complete and requires a specific number of Company Seals. Company Seals are a type of currency that you earn by completing various activities for your Grand Company, such as completing supply missions and running Grand Company leves. The key to effective squadron training is to identify the weaknesses of your recruits and focus on training those areas. For example, if you have a recruit with high Physical stats but low Mental stats, you'll want to focus on training their Mental stat to make them a more well-rounded fighter. There are three main types of training regimens: Physical Training, Mental Training, and Tactical Training. Physical Training focuses on improving a recruit's Physical stat, which is important for melee combat and tanking. Mental Training focuses on improving a recruit's Mental stat, which is important for healing and magic-based combat. Tactical Training focuses on improving a recruit's Tactical stat, which is important for strategic thinking and planning. Each training regimen also has three levels of intensity: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. The higher the intensity, the more effective the training is, but it also costs more Company Seals and takes more time to complete. It's generally best to start with Basic training and gradually work your way up to Advanced training as your recruits level up and become more experienced.

Are You Doing It Wrong? A Quick Checklist

So, are you selling to NPCs when you could be making more on the Market Board? Are you randomly recruiting to squadron members without considering their stats? Let's run through a quick checklist to see if you're on the right track:

Selling to NPCs:

• Are you always selling to NPCs as a first resort? If so, you're probably missing out on a lot of gil. Try using the Market Board instead.
• Do you check Market Board prices before selling anything? Even common items can sometimes fetch a good price if there's high demand.
• Are you aware of retainer fees and Market Board taxes? Factor these costs into your pricing strategy to ensure you're making a profit.

Recruiting to Squadron:

• Are you recruiting based on aesthetics alone? While it's nice to have a good-looking squadron, stats are more important for performance.
• Do you understand the different stat categories (Physical, Mental, Tactical)? Knowing what each stat does will help you build a balanced team.
• Are you training your recruits regularly? Consistent training is key to improving their stats and unlocking new abilities.
• Are you sending your squadron on missions that suit their strengths? Matching missions to your recruits' skills will increase your success rate.

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