Six Secrets You Don’t Know in FFXIV Dawntrail

TL;DR

  • Unlock the new Facewear system at Calamity salvager for simultaneous headpiece and glasses usage
  • Claim your free Fantasia in Ul’dah to experiment with character appearance changes
  • Boost graphics quality by adjusting 3D resolution scaling from 100 to 99 in system settings
  • Convert old tomestones to Poetics for streamlined relic weapon acquisition
  • Enable double dye functionality on both new and legacy gear for enhanced customization
  • Activate quest NPC visibility settings to navigate crowded areas efficiently

Final Fantasy XIV’s latest expansion, Dawntrail, introduces numerous quality-of-life improvements that can significantly enhance your gaming sessions. Content creator Medieval Marty recently highlighted six particularly valuable features on his YouTube channel that many players might overlook during their initial exploration. These enhancements span character customization, graphical performance, equipment acquisition, and user interface optimization.

Understanding these systems early can save you considerable time and resources while maximizing your enjoyment of the new content. From visual upgrades to practical convenience features, these additions demonstrate Square Enix’s commitment to refining the player experience with each major update.

FFXIV’s new Facewear slot revolutionizes accessory management by eliminating the previous compromise between headgear and eyewear. Previously, equipping glasses or monocles required glamouring your headpiece slot, forcing you to sacrifice your primary head equipment for aesthetic choices. The updated system now provides dedicated facial accessory slots that function independently from your main headgear.

To activate this functionality, visit the Calamity salvager vendor situated in Limsa Lominsa’s Upper Decks district. Engage with the NPC to unlock the facewear system through a straightforward dialogue option. For players seeking eyewear options, the Manderville Gold Saucer offers several purchasable styles using MGP currency, including both contemporary and classic designs suitable for various glamour themes.

Pro Tip: Many players miss that certain facial accessories can be dyed to match your overall color scheme, providing additional customization layers beyond the base appearance options.

Dawntrail generously provides every player with a complimentary Fantasia potion, regardless of previous ownership history. This character appearance modification item becomes available after completing a simple introductory quest chain. Journey to Ul’dah – Steps of Thal and locate the Medicine Merchant NPC who initiates the questline with minimal requirements.

The accompanying graphical enhancements and introduction of the new female Hrothgar race make this complimentary Fantasia particularly timely. Players can experiment with the updated character creation options or make subtle adjustments to existing characters to better appreciate the visual upgrades.

Common Mistake: Many players immediately use their Fantasia without exploring the updated character creation features first. Spend time previewing the new options before committing to permanent changes.

A subtle but impactful graphics adjustment involves modifying the 3D Resolution Scaling parameter within your system configuration. Navigate to System Configuration > Graphics Settings where you’ll find this option typically defaulted to 100 in Dawntrail installations. Reducing this value to 99 activates a sharper rendering algorithm that significantly enhances image clarity.

This setting adjustment provides noticeable visual improvements without substantially impacting performance, making it ideal for players with mid-range systems. The enhanced resolution scaling particularly benefits environmental details and character model textures during gameplay and cutscenes.

Advanced Optimization: For players with high-end hardware, combine this adjustment with increased shadow quality and ambient occlusion for optimal visual fidelity.

Dawntrail streamlines relic weapon acquisition by consolidating currency systems. Previous expansion tomestones like Causality and Comedy become obsolete and convertible to Tomestones of Poetics. This unification eliminates the previous grind associated with specific tomestone types for relic progression.

The updated system allows direct Poetics expenditure for relic weapons across all combat jobs. Engaging in daily roulettes within Dawntrail content provides abundant Poetics, accelerating your equipment progression timeline considerably compared to previous expansion cycles.

Efficiency Strategy: Focus on level 90 Alliance Raids and Main Scenario roulettes for the most efficient Poetics accumulation when pursuing multiple relic weapons simultaneously.

Dawntrail introduces comprehensive double dye functionality across its new gear sets, enabling primary and secondary color application to different equipment components. This system extends beyond current expansion content, with many legacy glamour items receiving retroactive compatibility with the enhanced dyeing mechanics.

Systematically examine your existing armor and accessory collections to identify previously single-dye items that now support dual-color customization. This backward compatibility provides veteran players with extensive new appearance options without requiring gear replacement.

Customization Tip: Create coordinated color schemes by applying your primary dye to dominant surfaces and using secondary colors for accent details and trim elements.

Expansion launches inevitably create crowded conditions around quest-giving NPCs, making interaction challenging. Dawntrail addresses this through an intelligent player visibility setting that maintains immersion while improving accessibility.

Access this feature through Character Configuration > Control Settings, scrolling to the Quest Progression Settings section at the interface bottom. Enable ‘Hide nearby players when close to quest NPCs’ to temporarily clear obstruction clusters without creating empty, unnatural environments.

This balanced approach allows seamless NPC interaction during peak traffic periods while preserving the MMO social atmosphere. The system automatically restores player visibility once you move away from the quest giver vicinity.

Navigation Efficiency: Combine this setting with target cycling (default tab key) to quickly locate NPCs amidst player crowds during busy launch periods.

Action Checklist

  • Visit Calamity salvager in Limsa Lominsa Upper Decks to unlock Facewear system
  • Complete Medicine Merchant quest in Ul’dah to claim free Fantasia
  • Adjust 3D Resolution Scaling from 100 to 99 in graphics settings
  • Convert obsolete tomestones to Poetics and acquire relic weapons
  • Enable double dye on both new and legacy gear items
  • Activate ‘Hide nearby players when close to quest NPCs’ in character configuration

No reproduction without permission:GameCDjnh » Six Secrets You Don’t Know in FFXIV Dawntrail Discover six essential FFXIV Dawntrail features that enhance gameplay, graphics, and customization options