Mining in Final Fantasy XIV gives steady gil and key crafting materials. I’ve played this job for years and I’ll tell you how to start, which tools matter, where to go, and how to handle rare nodes so you get useful loot instead of wasting time.
⛏️ First steps
Go to Ul’dah, Steps of Thal, and talk to Linette at the Miners’ Guild to unlock Miner. You start at level 1; progress comes from class quests and gathering. In my experience, doing every class quest at level intervals speeds you up most—don’t skip them. This doesn’t always work if you’re focused only on market flipping, but usually it does.
Beginner checklist: pick up your first pickaxe, learn Gathering basics, and track GP and HQ chance. Honestly, learning these early saves so much wasted rotation later.
🎯 Gear that actually matters
Your pickaxe is the single biggest upgrade. Upgrade it every 5–10 levels. You’ll also want gear that boosts Gathering and Perception; later you add GP. We found focusing on Gathering early gives the most consistent node hits.
| Levels | Pickaxe | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1–15 | Weathered/Bronze | Gathering |
| 16–35 | Iron/Mythril | Gathering → Perception |
| 36–60 | Cobalt/Titanium | Balance Gathering & Perception |
| 61–90 | Endgame pickaxes | All stats & GP |
đź“Ť Where to mine
Early: Central/Western Thanalan for copper and tin. Mid-level: Coerthas Central Highlands and Eastern La Noscea (iron, mythril, electrum). High-level: zones from Heavensward onward—look for nodes in the usual spawn areas near aetherytes so you’re not running for ten minutes between nodes.
Want a quick win? Farm the nodes with items that sell consistently on your server. Why? Because predictable demand beats luck. Want more specifics? Check the market board on 11 March 2025 for current prices (I checked that day).
đź’Ž Timed and unspoiled nodes
Unspoiled nodes matter if you want high-value materials. They appear on a fixed Eorzea schedule and require certain level thresholds (they start at level 46). They’re available for short windows, so plan routes and have rotations ready. Use a timer tool if you like (I use one; others think that’s lazy—controversial, I know).
Typical unspoiled spawn hours (Eorzea Time):
00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 ...
Nodes stay up for a short window; be ready.(By the way, you’ll see variations by node and expansion—there are exceptions.)
⚡ Practical rotations — why they work
Rather than paste a perfect rotation, I’ll explain why each action matters so you can adapt. Use attempt-increasing skills when you need extra rolls. Use HQ-boosts when collectability matters. Save GP for the big appraisals. If you can’t hit a collectability breakpoint, don’t waste the rotation; try a safer approach.
“Rotation is about trade-offs: attempts vs. collectability vs. GP.” — my working rule.
Example goals:
- HQ farm: favor Perception boosts and extra attempts.
- Timed legendary: use collectability tools and big appraisals.
Standard sample (short): Solid Reason → Single Mind → gather. That’s the skeleton. Add Discerning Eye and Methodical Appraisal when you need collectability spikes. Why? Because those abilities multiply the value of a single rare node attempt.
🏆 Endgame and market sense
Legendary nodes want high Gathering, Perception, and a big GP pool. Prepare: meld materia, eat food, and bring consumables. Coordinate with crafters (they’ll pay more during patch rushes). I’ve noticed sellers can make more gil if they sell in small stacks at prime times—oddly enough, that often outperforms dumping a full stack.
Controversial take: paying for third-party node trackers or timing services is fine if it saves time; some players call it abusive. Which side are you on?
Quick tips and realities
- Do class quests every 5 levels—big XP and new traits.
- Upgrade pickaxe frequently; it’s cheaper than losing nodes to failed gathers.
- Track market prices on Universalis or your server tools (I check weekly).
Short example code for a personal tracker (basic):
// Simple pseudo-list
nodes = ["CentralThanalan: Copper","Coerthas: Mythrite"]
next_spawn = checkTimer(nodes[0])Analogy: mining is like gardening—you plant effort, wait, then harvest; sometimes you get weeds (trash drops), sometimes you get prize flowers (legendary mats). Surprisingly, consistency beats one big lucky run most of the time.
To be fair, not every method fits every server or niche. It depends on your goals and playstyle. Between us, if you want steady gil, focus on mid-tier materials that always move. If you want thrill and big payoffs, chase unspoiled and legendary nodes, but expect more failures and more planning.
One more stumble—uh, a note: practice rotations in low-risk nodes before hitting the rare ones. You’ll save GP and sanity.
Updated 11 March 2025. If you want, I’ll show my exact rotations for specific nodes on your server—tell me which one and I’ll adapt them.
