How to Export Characters in the FFXIV Endwalker Benchmark
Final Fantasy 14 is having yet another huge resurgence. Player counts have recently exploded on PC, to the extent that North American data centers have had recent issues meeting the traffic demand. Those that do return to Eorzea will be greeted with all sorts of Shadowbringers updates and fights.
To prepare players for Endwalker, a new benchmark has been released for PC. This is mostly to make sure players will have the specs to handle the next expansion, however, it does allow the creation and editing of new character options. This can give players an aesthetic preview that can be quickly exported once the new challenging content goes live in November.
The benchmark is exclusive to the PC version of the game. To use existing characters, players will need to be either current subscribers or be part of the ongoing free trial. If this is the case, characters can be saved on the Character Selection screen by right-clicking on a character’s name and choosing “Select Appearance Data”. This will save the character locally to one’s current computer. Data can also be pulled by a few other methods: making a brand new character, using a Fantasia on an existing character, hiring a new Retainer, using a Retainer Fantasia (gained randomly from Quick Exploration Ventures), or visiting the Aesthetcian.
Console players cannot directly use this method on PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5, however, there are slight possible workarounds. First, the unlimited free trial can be acquired on PC to simply edit or pull player data. Also, anyone who owned the original Final Fantasy XIV 1.0 on the same account will now have complimentary free PC copies of A Realm Reborn and Heavensward. This is regardless of how far any original 1.0 characters progressed or even still exist. Finally, those who played the PC version of A Realm Reborn in the past but migrated to consoles can still open the basic character login menu and access level 50 zones (but may encounter an error message if attempting to enter a Stormblood or Shadowbringers content area).
Players have the option of editing their existing data from the full game or opting to make brand new characters. The benchmark allows the creation of all race options from Endwalker, including the new male Viera. As with the standard character creator, the benchmark allows viewing in a few locations including La Noscea, Thanalan, Black Shround, a Gridanian home, or an aether void.
Players creating Viera will still need to select from one of the two clans - Rava or Veena. They have minor stat differences, but shouldn’t matter much after five or ten levels.
- Rava: 20 Strength, 23 Dexterity, 18 Vitality, 21 Intelligence, 21 Mind
- Veena: 19 Strength, 20 Dexterity, 19 Vitality, 23 Intelligence, 22 Mind
Outside of all the new looks and sounds, the other races do have a few cosmetics that may be new to returning players. All starter appearance options are included in the benchmark, though nothing that requires unlocks or purchase from the Square Enix store is available.
Weapon and Armor Selection
For the benchmark, all characters will be high-level Paladins. However, players can choose from a fair list of swords, shields, and armor:
- Racial Gear
- Level 50 Paladin Artifact
- Level 60 Paladin Artifact
- Level 70 Paladin Artifact
- Level 80 Paladin Artifact
- Level 90 Paladin Artifact
- Dreadwyrm from The Final Coil of Bahamut
- Ironworks (Poetic Tomestones)
- Lynxliege (A Realm Reborn PvP)
- Alexandrian from Alexander the Creator
- Behemoth King (Heavensward PvP)
- Storm Elite (Allied Seals)
- Serpent Elite (Allied Seals)
- Flame Elite (Allied Seals)
- Omega (Alphascape)
- Genji (Deltascape)
- Hellhound (The Feast)
- Dwarven
- Edenmorn (Eden’s Promise)
- Warrior of Light (Labyrinth of the Ancients)
- Firion
- Advent Children Cloud Strife
- Squall Leonheart
- Zidane Tribal
- Tidus
- Yuna
- Snow Villiers
- Lightning Farron
- Noctis Lucis Caelum
- Alphinaud Leveilleur (A Realm Reborn)
- Swine Suit
Once finished, all data will be stored locally on the player’s computers (not on the online servers). When Endwalker releases, these new changes can be applied right away.
Final Fantasy 14 A Realm Reborn, Heavensward, Stormblood, and Shadowbringers are available now on PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.
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