Miner Guide
- See also: Guides
Miner is one of three available Gathering Classes players can equip. Players will travel around the land searching for mining nodes called Mineral Deposit that can be used to gather elemental crystals, gems and other resources. Players who would like to unlock the Miner gathering class must first reach level 10 with either a Disciple of War or Disciple of Magic, then head to the Miner's Guild in Ul'dah and speak to the Guild Receptionist, Linette, and undertake the quest Way of the Miner. Mining in particular is a fantastic way to make Gil, as most of the resources obtained this way are useful to most crafting classes and can be sold very quickly via the Market Board.
Attributes
While Disciples of War and Magic use various attributes such as Attack, Defense, Mind & Intelligence, gathering classes only use 2 class-specific stats:
- Gathering: Increases the likelihood of gathering an item from a node. Items of a higher level will require a higher Gathering level. The more items obtained in a row also contributes to a higher Chain, resulting in more items and more EXP.
- Perception: Allows for the opportunity to trigger Gatherer's Boon, doubling the acquired resource. Not all items benefit from this effect.
Disciples of the Land also use a resource called GP which functions similarly to MP and is used to perform various skills and abilities to improve the odds of obtaining items from each node.
How to Gather
Once unlocked, players will equip a Miner's Pickaxe and use the skill Prospect (This becomes a passive ability at lv.2, no longer requiring players to manually activate it) to reveal Mineral Deposits. Approaching these deposits and interacting with them, players will see a list appear on screen that will show the items available at this node, the items' levels, and the percent chance of triggering Gatherer's Boon. Each node has 4 or 6 strikes available, meaning players will have 4 or 6 chances to receive items from each node before it is exhausted. When interacting with a node that has an item yet to be gathered, players will see a question mark in the lower left corner of its icon. Once players have obtained the item for the first time, it will be registered in their Miner Gathering Log. Every 5 levels, players will be able to undertake a class quest and unlock new nodes to mine. Players will not be able to mine (or even see) nodes at a higher level than them, so leveling up and completing these quests is extremely important. Some nodes will have hidden extra conditions that, if met, will buff players when mining at these nodes. Players will be able to view these hidden extra requirements by unlocking passive traits called Stone Whisperer I through V. These can range from using specific abilities to having a particular stat reach a certain number.
Scrips
Once players reach level 50 with a Disciple of the Land, they will be able to undertake the quest Inscrutable Tastes from Morgayne in Foundation. Upon completing this quest, players will be able to gather Collectables and turn them in to a Collectable Appraiser in exchange for [[[Purple Gatherers' Scrip]] and Orange Gatherers' Scrip. Scrips function the same as Tomestones do for Disciples of War/Magic, allowing for the purchase of high-end gear, items and materials. It is important to note that scrips for gatherers are separate from scrips for crafters, so one currency cannot be exchanged for items requiring another currency.
While there are Collectable Appraisers in each major city state (Ul'dah, Limsa Lominsa, Gridania, Mor Dhona and Rhalgr's Reach), additional Appraisers can be unlocked in Idyllshire, Tamamizu, The Crystarium, Eulmore, Radz-at-Han and Solution Nine by completing the requisite quest in those areas.
Gear
The higher the level of the node, the higher the stat requirement will be to get anything from that node. The best way to ensure players are able to successfully mine from high-level nodes is to maintain the best gear for the current level. Gear can be obtained in several ways:
- Vendor NPCs: Like any other gear, players can buy gear and tools at different levels from vendors in the same area in each city state as weapon and armor vendors. This gear will be grey quality gear that will give some stat increases.
- Quests and Levequests: Completing various quests and Levequests will often reward players with new gear and equipment. The latter is especially effective for getting gear with better stats than what can be purchased from normal vendors.
- Scrips: Turning in Collectables will reward players with scrips, which can be exchanged for high-end/endgame level gear.
- Crafting/Market Board: With the materials being gathered, if players have the correct crafting class leveled, they can then craft higher level gear. Alternatively, this gear can be purchased from the Market Board. Be wary, however, as the price for each piece of gear can vary greatly.
Like with War and Magic classes, players can also attach Materia to their gear, further increasing stats and making gear more useful for longer.
Leveling
While gathering resources, players will naturally level up. Reaching a higher level lets players complete class quests, allowing them to farm higher level nodes, equip better gear, etc.
Ways to gain EXP
Aside from farming mining nodes endlessly, players have a wealth of ways to gain EXP quickly:
- Gathering Log: Players can gain EXP for collecting items for the first time, or collecting many of a single item, and can use the Gathering Log to keep track of this. This is best used in conjunction with other activities.
- Levequests: Levequests are a great method to garner massive EXP, as well as unique items and stronger gear. These are relatively quick to complete, and when combined with an EXP buff, are one of the best ways to level a Miner. Some Leves will also have an Evaluation which, if players get the best possible rating, will result in even more EXP.
- Class Quests: Completing the class quest available every 5 levels, while giving great items and gear as rewards, also give a decent amount of EXP. This is yet another reason why completing these is so critical.
- The Diadem: Once unlocked in Ishgard after getting a Gathering class to at least lv. 20, players can enter this special zone to gather plenty of rare and unique items, and a massive amount of EXP per visit. The lowest level gathering nodes are lv. 10, so keep this in mind if bringing a low-level gathering class in here.
EXP Buffs
There are ways to gain a buff to how much EXP is gained for each mining attempt:
- EXP Gear: Certain gear obtained from preordering Expansions will give an EXP buff of 30% as long as the class is under a certain level. The Friendship Circlet also gives an EXP buff of 25% until lv. 25.
- Food: Food will buff certain stats, based on what is eaten, as well as a 3% EXP bonus. This buff lasts 30 minutes but can be extended to an hour by eating 2 food items. It should be noted that the stat buffs of one food item will not stack with the buffs of a different item.
- Road to 80: This buff is given to players who create a new character on a Preferred World. This can be confirmed by checking the Server Status page on the official Final Fantasy XIV website. The buff gives a 100% EXP buff to any job under lv. 80.
- Earth and Water: This buff is activated by a Free Company and can give a gathering EXP buff of up to 20%.
- Manuals: Players can use these items to obtain a boost to EXP that last for 3 hours. These are obtained from a players Grand Company in exchange for Grand Company Seals or at a Scrip Exchange for White Gatherers' Scrip for higher-level bonuses.
These EXP buffs can be stacked, excluding Earth and Water and Manual buffs, and can greatly reduce the amount of time it takes to level a gathering class.
Class Quest Guide
As mentioned above, every 5 levels up to level 50, and every 2-3 levels from 50 and beyond, players can complete a class quest to obtain gear and abilities. These quests will require players to bring a set number of specific items to the guild master. Here, we will list each item required per quest, where to get these items, and the most efficient way to level up in between. It is generally recommended that players farm items when they are able to, instead of grabbing them while they are doing the quest to save time. This guide will assume players are at least using the 3% EXP buff from food.
Quest lv.1
Item turn-in: 10x Copper Ore
For this quest, players will most likely hit lv. 5 while mining for the Copper Ore. Players can save time by taking the Levequests available from both the Ul'dah Adventurer's Guild and Scorpion Crossing and gathering the items for both the lv.1 and lv. 5 quest upon leveling up. Copper Ore can be found just outside Ul'dah in Central and Western Thanalan Bring the Copper Ore to Adalberta to finish the quest.
Quest lv.5
Item turn-in: 10x Bone Chip
By the time players have finished gathering the Bone Chips required, they may be past lv. 10, if not, then the Leves Do They Ore Don't They and Vanishing Point will give enough EXP. If players farmed these before bringing back the Copper Ore, both quests can be turned in consecutively, and the next quest can be picked up at the same time. It is recommended that players grab the equipment upgrades here.
Quest lv.10
Item turn-in: 10x Obsidian
Players can obtain Obsidian from Hammerlea in Western Thanalan and begin taking the Leves from Horizon. It is recommended that players also grab some Tin Ore and Zinc Ore as well, as these are a great item to sell for a fair amount of Gil and farming more EXP. Bring the Obsidian back to Adalberta to complete the quest and take the gear upgrade.
Quest lv.15
Item turn-in: 10x Cinnabar
By this point, players should upgrade their gear, mainly the Pickaxe, Sledgehamer and Chest pieces, as they give the most points to the Gathering stat, as well as a nice boost to Perception. Gloves and Pants should also be upgraded by this point, as they give a decent boost to Gathering as well, but not as much as the aforementioned gear slots. Helms and Boots should also be upgraded as they give a great bump to Perception (If players have to choose between which pieces of gear to upgrade, the first three are the most important, followed by the Gloves and Pants, then the Helms. Boots are the lowest gear pieces in terms of how much of a stat buff they give). Players can find Cinnabar around Horizon, while also farming Ores and Iron Sand and Copper Sand to stockpile for any crafting classes players may also be leveling. The best Leve for leveling and getting items at this point is The Doom that Came to Belah'dia in Eastern Thanalan.
Quest lv.20
Item turn-in: 15x Grade 1 Carbonized Matter
The Grade 1 Carbonized Matter can be found in Middle La Noscea at the Three-malm Bend, near De Nevelle Checkpoint. The mining node for this item is only available once the player reaches lv. 20, so this one isn't something that can be farmed earlier. It is also recommended that players farm for stacks of some of the other lv. 20 items available for crafting classes, such as Raw Sphene and Raw Danburite. Players can grind two sets of 15 Carbonized Matter if they are leveling Botanist, as it is also required for that class's lv. 20 quest. In terms of gear, players should have upgraded their main and off hand tools by this point. If players are looking to farm levels at this point as well, taking on the Look How They Shine for You Leve in the South Shroud is a fantastic way to level up, as the bonus from a high evaluation is quite large.
Quest lv.25
Item turn-in: 15x Effervescent Water
This item can be found in the South Shroud on the Upper Paths. There are also the Shards of the different elemental crystals that can be farmed here. These are very valuable, both to other players and for Supply Missions. Players can stock up on Silver Ore here as well. For gear, players should still be upgrading gear that gives Gathering over gear that gives Perception if they have to choose between what gear they upgrade. For leveling, the best Leve to farm at this level is Fool Me Twice, also found in the South Shroud.
Quest lv.30
Item turn-in: 15x Wyvern Obsidian
This item is found in Eastern Thanalan, in the Wellwick Wood. There isn't too much that is worth grinding stacks for outside of the elemental shards and Silver Ore. When upgrading gear, go for the mainstays of the main and off hand, and chest pieces to increase Gathering, and the Perception pieces should be regularly upgraded at this point as well. Players should also start upgrading their accessories, as they give a boost to GP. Players can also start taking on the Leves available around Costa del Sol, as they give good EXP at this point, especially I Kidd You Not.
Quest lv.35
Item turn-in: 20x Raw Amethyst
Raw Amethyst can be found in the Central Shroud at Sorrel Haven. Players can also farm Mythril Ore in Southern Thanalan for good EXP and potential Gil. Players should by this point do a full gear upgrade (aside from accessories) to maximize Gathering and Perception due to the item levels increasing. For farming levels, Rocks for Brains and Mythril Madness in Coerthas Central Highlands.
Quest lv.40
Item turn-in: 20x Jade
Jade is found in Coerthas Central Highlands at Dragonhead. There isn't a lot to grind here outside of Black Alumen and Jade that will be particularly valuable or useful to other classes. Players can upgrade their Gloves, Legs and Feet gear to current level, if they can afford it. Players can make use of the Leves from the Coerthas locations at this point, with Not Losing Our Heads This Time being the best one to undertake repeatedly.
Quest lv.45
Item turn-in: 20x Electrum Ore
These can be found in Upper La Noscea at Bronze Lake. Using Bountiful Yield and King's Yield will help with obtaining items quicker. Once again, there isn't too much that will be useful to stockpile. Players should use this time to also grind to lv. 50 to begin collecting the next quest item, as the next item can only be mined starting at lv. 50. Players don't need to worry about upgrading gear right now if they have been keeping up with upgrades up to this point. The best Leves to take at this point are in Mor Dhona, with Hybrid Hypotheses giving the most EXP.
Quest lv.50
Item turn-in: 3x Darksteel Ore
At lv. 50, players will unlock the ability to discover Unspoiled Nodes. This is the only way to find the item required for this quest. Players will need to use the ability Truth of Mountains to be able to locate this node. It appears at Camp Dragonhead in Coerthas Central Highlands at 1am and lasts for three in-game hours. Players can see what time it is in-game by turning on the Eorzea Time clock in the Character Settings menu under HUD. Players can upgrade their gear if they wish, however it may be better to wait until lv. 53 to do so to get a drastic upgrade to gear and stats. Players can turn these items in to finish the quest and complete the following requisite quest, which doesn't require mining anything. The next nodes in Ishgard won't be visible until at least lv. 51, so a little grinding will need to be done before moving on. From here, players will also receive quests from Haimirich in Foundation.
After lv.50, players will now be able to complete the sidequest Inscrutable Tastes from Morgayne in Foundation. Completing this quest will allow players to begin gathering Collectables and use the Collectable Action. Players will be able to trade in Collectables to Appraisers to obtain Scrips, which can be traded in for HQ high-end gear, items and Materia, amongst other things. Collectables are obtained from Unspoiled Nodes, are unsellable and can when traded give a massive amount of EXP. Players can use Collector's Glove to see if a node has a collectable, then increase the collectability by using Appraisal Skills. Players will want to get the collectability as high as possible without letting the "Wear" hit its maximum. Using these abilities will cost a fair amount of GP, so players will need at least 600GP to effectively farm collectibles. This can be achieved by upgrading accessories or eating food. From here, players will rotate between mining materials and collectibles, and completing Levequests. Do this until reaching lv. 51 and move into Ishgard, specifically Coerthas Western Highlands to mine for materials and collectibles there. Players can do this until they reach lv. 53. It should be noted that players can begin taking on Leves from Ishgard, however they are rather expensive for the amount of EXP they give. For the following levels, each section assumes players have unlocked Flying for every zone, as it makes moving around each zone much easier.
Quest lv.53
Item turn-in: 10x Mythrite Ore
At this point, players can upgrade to a HQ gearset and affix Materia to it and receive enough of a buff to stats to make the gear usable until lv. 63. Players should either craft the Wyvernskin HQ gearset with a Mythrite Pickaxe and Mythrite Sledgehammer, as well as a Holy Rainbow Hat and a Mythrite Earrings of Gathering or purchase these items from the Market Board. For Materia, players should affix Gatherer's Guerdon Materia IV to all the slots of the gear. This will ensure the gear is as useful as possible for as long as possible. Players can then mine the Mythrite Ore from Coerthas Western Highlands and comes from almost all nodes. For grinding levels, the Leves The Merits of Upcycling and Permit for Destruction of Religious Property are the most effective. Players can also grind for levels and materials in The Diadem at this point.
Players can also begin gathering the Yellow Quartz from the Churning Mists at 6am, and the Pyrite from the Dravanian Forelands at 8am. Players can continue grinding levels until they can mine the 10 Titanium Ore from the Chocobo Forest in the Dravanian Forelands for the next quest.
Quest lv.55
Item turn-in: 10x Titanium Ore
Players can mine these in the Chocobo Forest, as stated before. The new collectibles unlocked at this point are the Chalcocite in the Dravanian Forelands at 8am, and the Green Quartz from the Churning Mists at 6am. Players can fill out the Gathering Log to gain extra EXP to push to lv. 56 to unlock the next set of mining nodes. For grinding Leves, the only one’s worth doing at lv. 56 are Mortarin' and A Spire for New Heights (L), as they have evaluation bonuses.
Quest lv.58
Item turn-in: 10x Hardsilver Ore
Players can farm these from the node next to the collectible node that drops Light Kidney Ore at 2am. Players can also gather Abalathian Rock Salt. These collectibles are a great farm for scrips at this point. At this point it is highly recommended that players farm nodes to fill out the Gathering Log for the EXP as well as the previously mentioned Leves, as well as Sharlayan Sympathizers (L) to get to 60 to begin farming the Adamantite Ore for both the value as well as the following quest. Players can also begin farming Hardsilver Sand and Hardsilver Ore, as these can be very valuable.
Quest lv.60
Item turn-in: 3x Adamantite Ore
Players can mine for Red Quartz in the Sea of Clouds at 10am, as well as the Cuprite in the Dravanian Hinterlands at 2am. The Adamantite Ore is obtainable from the Unspoiled Node at Azys Lla at 11am. Using appraisal skills, perception increasing skills, and skills that increase how many items can be obtained per attempt are the most useful here. With the gearset mentioned above, players will have enough stats to get these items without much trouble. After completing this quest, players will complete another quest to finish off the Heavensward Mining questline. From here, players should level up to lv. 61 to unlock the new mining nodes in The Fringes. The easiest way to do this is to mine Raw Triphane at 2am and 2pm, as well as a host of newly available Leves, like Cermet Breaker, which has a high evaluation reward. Players can also grind to lv. 63 and do another large gear purchase to make their gear usable until lv. 71. Players will also get their next quests from Nonowato in Idyllshire from this point on.
Quest lv.63
Item turn-in: 20x Beggar's Mythril Ore
At this point, players can either craft or purchase the HQ Gyuki gearset with the High Steel Dolabra and High Steel Sledgehammer and fill all the slots with Gatherer's Guerdon Materia V. Players can also purchase the Ironworks Gathering gearset with Yellow Gatherers' Scrip and affix Materia to that as well. This will make it much easier to gather materials for this series of quests.
From here, players can grind Koppranickel Sand in The Peaks at Rustrock for massive value, as this item is very useful for people leveling up crafting classes. Players can also obtain the quest item at The Fringes in The Striped Hills and are only collectible during this quest.
Quest lv.65
Item turn-in: 20x Feather Iron Ore
At this point, players can farm Crescent Spring Water for decent EXP and sale value. These can be obtained from The Gensui Chain in Yanxia. Players can also complete the Leves No Stone Unturned and Simply Marble Us, both of which have fantastic bonuses for high evaluations. Players can obtain the quest item from Hell's Lid in The Ruby Sea and can only be obtained when the quest is active. For leveling, players can farm Durium Sand at Onsal Hakair in The Azim Steppe, as well as Doman Iron Sand in the same area. These have a large EXP value and can be traded for a high number of Scrips. Many of the Leves available are not very good for leveling up at this point, so farming the collectibles might be more worthwhile.
Quest lv.68
Item turn-in: 20x Serpentine
This step doesn't have much to do in it, aside from farming the quest item at The Gensui Chain in Yanxia. The only worthwhile Levequest to do is Mine All Mine from Kugane, which does reward massive EXP. Players can also farm Palladium Sand at Onsal Hakair in The Azim Steppe at lv. 69 for a decent amount of EXP and sale value.
Quest lv.70
Item turn-in: 5x Pummelite
This item is only obtainable in Rustrock at The Peaks from Unspoiled Nodes at 8am and 8pm for two hours, and only while the quest is active. In the meantime, while waiting for the Node's window, players can farm Molybdenum Ore from The High Bank in The Lochs or farm the other collectible nodes up to this point, as well as completing the previous Levequest.
From lv.70 onwards, level and material grinding becomes very formulaic. Players will generally cycle through the same order of content to level up to 80. The first step is getting to lv. 71 to have access to the Norvrandt nodes and collectibles, as well as the next big gearset purchase. Grinding the lv. 70 Leves in Kholusia are a great way to level up at this time, as long as players are grinding the Leves with 4 and 8 Node Evaluations. The Leves will scale with the players level, although after lv. 71, they tend to be something to do mixed in with farming collectibles and other materials. At this point, doing the Daily Grand Company delivery missions will net players a massive amount of EXP for HQ materials, as well as the Weekly Custom Deliveries.
Like with the War and Magic classes, there are class quests of sorts, one for Gatherers, and one for Crafters. It should be noted that completing these quests with Miner will render them completed and won't be able to be done on Botanist. To begin the questline, players will complete the quest On the Trail of a Myth obtained from Qeshi-Rae in The Crystarium. Upon completing this, players will be able to partake in the Crystarium Deliveries, allowing players to turn in various items to raise their Esteem. The items turned in can be of any quality, however turning in HQ items will net players a much larger sum of EXP.
Delivery Lv. 70
Item turn-in: 18x Animal Trace
Before heading out to farm materials, players can upgrade their gear to carry them through to lv. 80. Players should purchase or craft the HQ versions of the Brightlinen Turban of Gathering and Brightlinen Coat of Gathering, the Smilodonskin Gloves of Gathering, the Smilodonskin Survival Belt, the Brightlinen Bottoms of Gathering, the Smilodonskin Shoes of Gathering, and the Smilodonskin accessory set. For the main and off-hand tools, the HQ Deepgold Pickaxe and HQ Deepgold Sledgehammer are great here. For Materia, affixing Gatherer's Guerdon Materia VI to everything will get players the requisite Gathering level. Players will also want to use the HQ Mushroom Saute to boost Gathering and Perception further.
For this phase, players should farm Animal Trace from The Inn at Journey's Head in Amh Araeng, complete Leves on a cycle, and mine for the collectibles available at this point, Raw Hematite in Kholusia at 2am and 2pm, available for 2 hours, and the Raw Diaspore in Il Mheg at 6am and 6pm. Rotating through these will be the best way to level up and obtain Scrips. For extra EXP, players can also fill out the Gatherer's Log. The quest item can be turned in to Qeshi-Rae.
Delivery Lv. 73
Item turn-in: 18x Animal Droppings
Repeating the same general steps from before, players will farm Animal Droppings from Weed in Lakeland. Players won't be able to mine any new collectibles for now.
Delivery Lv. 75
Item turn-in: 18x Megafauna Leftovers
Repeating the same general steps from before, players will farm Megafauna Leftovers from The Bookman's Shelves in Il Mheg. Players will be able to farm Raw Triplite at The Inn at Journey's Head at 12am and 12pm for two hours once they hit lv. 76. Players can also undertake the quest Shedding Light on the Myth.
Delivery Lv. 78
Item turn-in: 18x Megafauna Trace
By this point, the Levequests will most likely no longer be an efficient option, and players should instead resort to farming collectibles and materials. Players will farm Megafauna Trace from The Blind Forest of Yx'Maja in The Rak'tika Greatwood. Players will also be able to farm Underground Spring Water from The Church of the First Light in Lakeland]]. Once players reach lv. 80, they will be able to take on the final class quest The Myth Takes Form, then For Every Child a Star, completing the Miner class questline.
Gathering Endgame
Unlike traditional endgame content, once players have completed the questline, the only thing left to do is farm Purple Gatherers' Scrip and Orange Gatherers' Scrip, get Best in Slot gear, and continue gathering materials for whatever the player's current needs are. Players can also take part in the Ishgardian Restoration to complete quests, receive various rewards, or gather materials to turn in to obtain the current Miner's Relic tools.