General tips

I went into Endwalker, as my first expansion release, wildly unprepared so this time around I’m spending time preparing as best I can with both things I know and ‘just in cases’. If this helps one other fellow gamer be a little more ready and a little less stressed when expansion hits then HOORAY.

Want crafting and gathering prep tips? Look here! Or get fighting ready? Check this!

• Cap what currency you can. Some will get downgraded or might need exchanging but also best to try cap some of them in case they become useful at expansion drop. This applies to even poetics, especially if you didn’t finish your EW relics already and they do indeed become the currency needed to buy them. If they don’t switch out bicolor gemstones and you happen to be a crafter or have offered to get materials so somebody can make gear for you then grinding out a few fates for these in advance will be super helpful because they usually like to add in an item or two that you can buy with these if you don’t want to boop the creature or haven’t got a fighting retainer at the right level!
• Get your dyes at the ready. Craft them up, buy them early, farm your islands/the firmament etc because with a new expansion comes new gear and housing items plus of course the much anticipated two dye channels. If you aren’t personally hugely into glam maybe stock up on some popular colours to sell (I did this with gunmetal black from a lot of firmament-ing going into EW and because of reaper made a lot of gil from gunmetal black as it doubled in price overnight).
• Get a little boost to your gil just in case you need it (especially for teleports – though see below for that). Do this through daily roulettes, especially if you have tanks or healers to get the in need role bonus. Other options include hunt marks, levequests (though don’t use too many so you end up not at near cap ahead of DT), doing things in your weekly challenge log, treasure maps and making the most of selling things on your retainers.
• Try do your daily hunt marks (for allied and centurio seals) and/or weekly BLU stuff and stock up on aetheryte tickets! We all know the DT story will have us pinging back and forth for quests and that can all quickly add up gil wise so save yourself some cash with free teleports (doing the hunt marks also give gil and other currency so it really is a winning situation for a little bit of time investment). Make sure you have your free return location set to wherever your grand company is; As you get into doing roulettes and receiving random coffers etc you are going to want to turn a lot of things in for seals (if not desynthing) or putting things into your glam dresser. It also gives you a way to get back to the hunt board for free to get more marks for aetheryte tickets. And of course there are collectible turn in stalls in those cities too for those on the crafting and gathering level grind. As we discover new locations in DT start to consider your favourited destinations too for where it makes most sense to have for reduced rates if you don’t have infinite travel tickets (during EW I have only used them if a teleport would be more than 1000gil but this is because I got into purchasing them late so my supply is low and I’ve been attempting to stock up a little).
• The thing everybody dreads; Inventory management. The time consuming bane of our existence, especially as a crafter/housing enthusiast/glam lover. One place or another is almost certainly cluttered with junk. Now is the time to refine your collection ahead of getting a whole new selection of junk (unless you have the ability and funds to get more retainers then just do that and keep all your junk but if you are taking this method probably best to get it now and start it on its leveling mission to be at 90 for launch).
• If you are a gardener be sure to doublecheck the wilt time and grow time on plants so that they don’t go into the dreaded death timeframe when the servers go into downtime. There are websites that can help you figure out your grow time and also when they will start to go stinky and how long you have to tend to them before they die.
• LOOK AFTER YOURSELF. Expansion is an exciting time and it can and probably will suck you in. Get rest, shower, stay hydrated and consume goodness. If you get neurodivergent brain especially then at least have supplies close to hand ahead of sitting down (but please also get up and stretch, do some star jumps, look outside and pretend to consider touching the grass for a few minutes). Take screen breaks, don’t forget to feed the pet and all that stuff!