Final Fantasy XIV 4.1: Shirogane (Extreme) Guide

Final Fantasy XIV 4.1: Shirogane (Extreme) Guide

Today, Patch 4.1 of Final Fantasy XIV, duly titled The Legend Returns, will be released! The first mandatory patch every 4 months for the Stormblood expansion includes a lot of new content for players of all kinds: more story quests, harder fights, improved quality of life, and the ever so awaited Shirogane Housing!

For populated servers like Tonberry and Gilgamesh, 720 plots won’t be enough for thousands of active players who want to get a piece of the cake. Since this the only new housing area added ever since housing was introduced in 2.1 (2013), everyone’s pretty hyped about it- add to that the fact that the residential area’s theme is samurai and ninja-era Japan. Expect chaos when the servers open later after maintenance.

That said, I’ll be sharing my insights on how to increase your chances of getting your dream plot and house! These are little things, but if put together, they might make the difference between you living in your large mansion and you begging in the slums. Here we go!

PREPARATIONS

  • Prepare your gil (4M for small, 20M for medium, 50M for large)
  • Choose your #1 choice plot if you haven’t yet (explore Ward 1)
  • Take note of the nearest Aetheryte to your choice plot (if you’re planning on a different ward)
  • Ready a busy macro (/busy) so others can’t troll you with interactions right after logging in
  • Turn off PC names in Character Configuration so clicking objects will be easier
  • Equip the job and ready the skills / mounts you’re gonna use (e.g. Run, Ninja Shukuchi, Kamuy)
  • Stand beside the plot you’ll be buying (if on Ward 1) OR the Ferry Skipper / Kugane Aetheryte if on a different ward before logging out

BEFORE / WHEN SERVER OPENS

  • Devs made it a point they will strictly open at 6:00pm GMT+8
  • Patch is usually available for download 4 hours before server opens so get it ASAP
  • Stand-by your PC an hour before server opens
  • Try logging in 30 mins. before, or every now and then before 6:00pm GMT+8

AFTER LOGGING IN

  • If Ward 1: enable Busy macro and buy that plot where you last logged out!
  • If on a different Ward: enable Busy macro, click the Ferry Skipper / Kugane Aetheryte and go to the Ward you want, rush to the Aetheryte and teleport to the Aetheryte nearest to the plot you want, and buy it!

There are varying speeds on which you can rush to your plot. For example, running with a Bard’s Peloton will be faster than just running, and using Kamuy mounts if you have one are even faster (but you also have to take into account the time it will take to summon the mount). In my experience, running then using the Ninja’s teleport skill Shukuchi yielded the best results.

So in my skill bar, #1 is the Busy macro, #2 is the Run ability, and #3 is the Ninja Shukuchi. I plan on buying at a different Ward so I logged out beside the Ferry Skipper. When I login, I’ll just click him, teleport to a different ward, run and Shukuchi to the Aetheryte, and then go to the plot I want. Conversely, the plot I chose is just right beside an Aetheryte for a faster transaction.

There are a lot of risks involved that would make your attempt a failure: late download of patch therefore late login, bad internet connection or using a SATA HDD- those with SSDs (and faster loading times) will beat HDD users any time of the day. Problems can also arise from Square Enix’ side- you may be the first one to login but a server crash might push you to the back of the line. It’ll all be about luck! Good luck later!

P.S. Did I forget something? Got any more tips to add? Comment it down below!

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