I started as a Botanist long before I wrote about it, so I’ll tell you what actually matters. I’ll keep things simple: how to begin, how to gear up, where to gather, and how to turn plants into gil. I’m a woman who’s spent hundreds of hours gathering; I’ve noticed small choices make the biggest difference.
Beginning is easy. Visit the Botanists’ Guild in Gridania, pick up the job and your basic tool, and try a few nearby nodes. Focus on how Gathering and Perception affect success and item quality. This doesn’t always work the same on every node, and there are exceptions (depends on your niche), but learn the basics first.
🌿 Early Steps and mindset
Short runs, frequent checks. Learn how nodes respawn. Ask: what am I gathering this run and why? Honestly, don’t grind for hours without a plan. In my experience, an hour with intent beats three hours of mindless clicking.
Gear matters. Keep your hatchet/scythe updated every few levels. Vendors will sell usable items; crafters and scrips provide upgrades later. I’ve seen people skip accessories and then wonder why rotations won’t work the way they expect.
| Levels | Tool | Focus | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–15 | Weathered/Bronze | Basic Gathering | Guild, Vendors |
| 16–35 | Iron/Mythril | Gathering+Perception | City Vendors |
| 36–70 | Adamantite → Gaganaskin | Stat thresholds | Scrips, Crafters |
| 71–90 | Facet / Endgame tools | High thresholds | Scrips, Crafters |
🗺️ Where to go (by level)
Start in the Black Shroud for levels 1–15. Central Shroud is friendly and simple. Mid levels move to La Noscea and Thanalan; Coerthas has good mid/high nodes. End-game zones (Heavensward, Stormblood, Shadowbringers, Endwalker areas) demand much higher stats and reward accordingly. As of 2025, some node locations shifted with patches; check your in-game gathering log each session.
Why check the log? Because it shows exact node items and required stats. Use it. (Yes, I’m telling you to use it.)
⚡ Rotations that work
Simple rotation for normal nodes: increase yield, try for HQs. For collectibles you need GP planning. I’ll give a straightforward collectible sequence that often works if you have ~600 GP:
- Collector’s Glove (switch on collectible mode)
- Discerning Eye
- Impulsive Appraisal
- Repeat Discerning/Impulsive as GP allows
- Single Mind before final appraisal
- Collect
Here’s a small macro-style tip (use as reference; don’t paste blindly):
/ac "Collector's Glove"
/ac "Discerning Eye"
/ac "Impulsive Appraisal"
Why these steps? They raise collectibility, and collectibility is what gets you scrips and higher sale value. Timing matters because GP limits how many appraisals you can do. Plan around that.
💰 Market sense and profit
Market boards change fast. Patch days (and specifically big patches in 2025) can blow prices up. Raid reset days (Tuesdays on many servers) raise demand for consumables. Weekend traffic usually lifts prices. I’ll say something a bit controversial: on many servers, a focused Botanist can out-earn a crafter if they farm the right mid-tier stacks — volume beats rarity sometimes. Debate me if you want!
Practical rules:
- Track prices with tools (e.g., Universalis).
- Sell in useful stack sizes (crafters often want 99 or specific recipe counts).
- Factor in teleport and food costs when calculating profit.
| Tier | Example | Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| High volume, low margin | Common logs | Quick turnover |
| Medium | Intermediate mats | Steady sales |
| Low volume, high margin | Timed/weather rares | Patient selling |
🔧 Advanced tips (short and practical)
Collectibles are the biggest scrip engine. Learn a few rotations by heart. Use GP food when needed. Time nodes with in-game clock. Watch this: combining timed nodes in a route often yields more than chasing a single rare node across zones.
- Coordinate retainer ventures to supplement income (to be fair, they’re slower but steady).
- Use FC buffs when available.
- Optimize routes — teleport smartly to cut run time.
Advice I give new gatherers: stop teleporting every minute. Plan a loop and stick to it. You’ll be surprised how much time that saves.
Weather, timers, and a weird insight
Weather matters. Some nodes only appear in certain conditions. Use prediction tools or watch the sky in-game. Oddly enough, sometimes the best income comes from selling predictable day-to-day mats rather than chasing one rare item that appears three times a week. Counterintuitive? Yes.
Analogy: think of nodes like orchards; you can pick ripe fruit now or wait for a single golden apple that might never drop. Both approaches work; choose what fits your schedule.
Controversial second point: retainers are useful, but on many servers buying mats from markets and crafting yourself is still cheaper than fully relying on retainer ventures. There, I said it.
Final, practical checklist (quick)
- Keep tools updated.
- Hit stat thresholds; don’t skip accessories.
- Learn one collectible rotation well.
- Watch markets and patch notes in 2025.
- Plan runs, use routes, save teleport costs.
Enjoy gathering. It’s meditative. Between us, I sometimes go out just to clear my head and end up making gil — the best of both worlds. Go try a short loop now. You’ll learn more by doing than reading another guide. Happy gathering — may your inventory be full of HQs!
