Hello all.

My wife and I are considering trying Final Fantasy XI; we've both enjoyed the console series for over a decade. However, I'm curious about the minimum group size needed to achieve success through most of the game's content, since we plan to mostly play together, but with no one else. I've heard, in the past, that the game requires a full group size (of six), but that it also now has some solo classes available. So, I've figured that (today) there must be some middle-ground for medium-sized groups to play the game at a reasonable capability.

Prior, we had been playing Everquest2 (since its launch) and I had been tri-boxing that game for the last several years. But our new family needs now prohibit us from playing with our old friends; it's not fair that they get impatient and frustrated from our constant RL interruptions. What do you guys think? Could we play together with only just the two of us and reasonably well with just two characters? What about with three or four characters total, if we played while I multiboxed several machines?

Anyone here who's had experience with this type of FFXI gameplay?

Thanks,

Glow

Duoing through the entire game is not possible. While the game has become much more casual-player friendly than it was before, it is still very group-orientated, time consuming, and difficult.

Leveling has become much easier, but mostly easier from a grouping-perspective, and not so much from a soloing-perspective. While the new Fields of Valor feature, along with Campaigning, helps with soloing, it still doesn't really make it a viable and efficient way to properly level to 75. Not to mention that if you two are just duoing, you won't even get past level 50. You see, there is this thing in the game called "level-break quests". Basically, once you get to level 50, you'll be at the first level cap in the game. You can't get any more EXP than the max amount of EXP you can get for level 50. The only way to level up any further past level 50 is to do a level-break quest, which are very difficult for players at their specific level-break quest. The level-break quests basically consist of you doing a difficult task that requires you to kill specific set of monsters, or collect specific items in order to break your level cap. You need to do a level-break quest every five levels once you get to 50. So there's a level-break quest at levels 50, 55, 60, 65, and 70. You won't be able to duo the quests either.

Also, the break quests can take a long time to do, especially the 50 level-break quest. It could take anywhere from one hour to eight hours, depending on how lucky you are.

As far as progressing through the storymodes in the game, you will almost always need a full group of people, especially when you start to get farther along in a storyline. Excluding the first few nation-rank mission, the missions in the game can be very difficult to do even with only four or five people. Simply put, you won't get very far in any of the storyline missions if you're only going to duo.

As far as end-game goes, the only way to get to the end-game in FFXI is to complete storyline missions. Completing a certain amount of missions for any storyline will eventually lead you to unlocking certain areas where end-game events take place.

As much as I hate to say it, if you both only plan on duoing, the game isn't for you two. It is still very party-focused, and you won't get very far.

As far as tri/quad-boxing goes, it still won't work. You'll need to party up with people at some point (you're basically going to be forced to group up with at least 1-2 other high-level players in order to complete your 55 level-break quest). Mission-wise, it still wouldn't work, because you need a full six-group party for those, and having your attention divided between multiple characters wouldn't be too good either.

Even if they duo the vast majority of the time, they will only need to group for a few things at a time. I'd recommend joining a social linkshell while you play and make some buddies even if you are duoing. From my experience fellow LS members demand very little attention from me but are always willing to help, and when I can I try to return the favor. So when you are in that tough spot where you need to group you will have a network of friends established, and doing this before 50 is very easy.

My wife and I duo'd quite a bit and it's totally possible. Just don't always expect it to be as fast as a full party all the time. You will need more than just you two for a lot of things and you will need to ask for help for things like missions, AF, and other things said before.

If you choose Kujata to start on, let me know and I'll help you out.

I think you're being far too negative. I started two-boxing over a week ago and have already 'soloed' the first limit break quest(I'm addicted). The hardest part was the liches, but they weren't too bad-- fortunately I chose /nin as my tank's subjob.

Now, the second(level 55) limit break quest is impossible, as you have to be near a NM when it is killed... You don't actually have to kill it though. Once it's killed, if someone else kills it, you can just click on an object and you're done. But unless you have some phobia about asking for any help what-so-ever; you can just ask some people for help. As many level 75 jobs could solo the NM to clear the way for you.

The third quest is soloable with some items and luck.

The fourth quest is easily soloable.

The fifth quest is solo only.

Whether you can play this game solo or with a multibox depends on your mindset. If you must be able to do absolutely everything while never, ever, ever asking anyone for the slightest aid, then you will hit some very big walls. If, however, you don't mind asking for the occasional hand, it becomes quite a fun challenge...