I’ve played Final Fantasy XIV since A Realm Reborn launched on August 27, 2013, and Beast Tribes have always been steady, rewarding side content. They give repeatable daily quests, culture-rich stories, and concrete rewards that complement the main story. If you want mounts, minions, crafting tools, or reliable XP, these tribes are where you should spend time.
🐉 What Beast Tribes actually are
Beast Tribes are repeatable faction quests tied to non-human groups across Eorzea. You earn reputation points and unlock rewards as your standing rises. In my experience, these quests feel more personal than many main story side quests; you often deal with small community problems rather than world-ending threats.
They’re useful for two things: regular daily content and steady progression. Why? Because the reputation system converts hours into concrete items and access, not just vague “progress.” This doesn’t always work the same for every player (depends on your niche), but generally it’s reliable.
📍 ARR Beast Tribes and where to find them
There are five ARR-era tribes: Sylphs, Amalj’aa, Kobolds, Sahagin, and Ixali. Each sits in a different zone and targets different playstyles. The combat tribes are good for leveling jobs; Ixali helps crafters and can reduce your material spend.
| Tribe | Location | Focus | Unlock (level) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sylphs | East Shroud (Little Solace) | Combat | Level 42 |
| Amalj’aa | Southern Thanalan (Camp Drybone) | Combat | Level 43 |
| Kobolds | Outer La Noscea (from Limsa Lominsa) | Combat | Level 44 |
| Sahagin | Western La Noscea (from Limsa Lominsa) | Combat | Level 44 |
| Ixali | North Shroud (from New Gridania) | Crafting | Any Disciple of the Hand (level 1+) |
The areas reflect each tribe’s lifestyle: Sylphs in quiet groves, Amalj’aa in arid camps, Kobolds in quarries, Sahagin near reefs, and Ixali tucked among trees with workshops. Oddly enough, the setting often tells you the best approach to their quests.
⚔️ Combat vs crafting: pick with purpose
Want XP for a new DPS job? Focus on the combat tribes first because quests there grant battle XP quickly. Want to level a crafter, save gil, or flip items on the market? Ixali quests provide materials and recipes that can be more lucrative than they first appear. Watch this: sometimes a crafting tribe will net you more gil per hour than grinding dungeons (surprising, I know).
Do you need every mount? No. I’ve noticed many players chase mounts for completion, but a strategic choice gets you the most useful items faster. To be fair, if you enjoy small daily rituals, spread your allowances across tribes—there are exceptions to every rule.
🎯 Daily mechanics and reputation (practical stuff)
Daily allowances: you get 12 allowances per day to spend on Beast Tribe quests, and the allowance resets at 08:00 Pacific Time (server daily reset). Each quest uses one allowance. Unused allowances don’t roll over, so use them before midnight—well, before reset.
Reputation is tiered. Early ranks need only a few hundred points, later ranks jump into the thousands. That means the first few days feel fast; the endgame ranks take persistence. Why this matters: higher ranks unlock better quests, more daily slots for that tribe, and vendor items you can’t buy otherwise.
Example allocation (quick):
Total allowances: 12
- Ixali: 6
- Sylphs: 3
- Amalj'aa: 3💰 Rewards, mounts, and why you should care
Mounts are the big draw for many, but tribes also sell minions, furniture, and crafting recipes. Most signature mounts cost 120,000 gil plus tribe tokens and require the “Sworn” reputation rank. That’s concrete: a goal you can plan for.
| Tribe | Sample Mount | Other notable reward |
|---|---|---|
| Sylphs | Goobbue | Glamour weapons, minion |
| Amalj’aa | Cavalry Drake | Armor pieces, minion |
| Kobolds | Bomb Palanquin | Mining tools, minion |
| Sahagin | Cavalry Elbst | Sea-themed items, minion |
| Ixali | Direwolf | Crafting tools, recipes |
Controversial take: some of those mounts are overpriced for the time investment. Many players would argue every mount is worth it; I disagree. If you only play an hour a week, grinding reputation for months just to show off seems… excessive. Still, if you enjoy the story bits, the grind feels less like a slog.
📊 Reputation timeline and tips
Rough timeline per rank (approximate):
Neutral → Recognized: ~150 points (2–3 days)
Recognized → Friendly: ~360 points (4–5 days)
Friendly → Trusted: ~510 points
Trusted → Respected: ~720 points
Respected → Honored: ~990 points
Honored → Sworn: ~1,800 points
Total time to Sworn usually sits between six and nine weeks if you do full daily allowances; I’ve hit Sworn in 48 days before, but that required strict focus. There’s a practical why here: higher-tier tribe quests give more reputation, so prioritize them when available to shorten the long endgame grind.
“Do the highest-tier quests first when you can; they pay off exponentially.” — my own advice
- Use all 12 daily allowances every day (they vanish otherwise).
- Focus on one tribe for a mount if you want it faster.
- Mix Ixali if you need crafting XP or materials.
- Don’t forget story quests give a one-time reputation boost.
Final thoughts (short)
Beast Tribes are steady, predictable content with real rewards. I’ve found they reward patience and a little planning. Sometimes I grind them for mounts; other times I dip in for a few Ixali crafts. Between us, the real value is the small stories and the daily habit—plus that moment when you finally buy the mount.
One last thing: this is a marathon, not a sprint. Enjoy the small scenes, and plan your allowances. You’ll get where you want to go—eventually, and with bragging rights to boot!
