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As the story ofFinal Fantasy 14continues through each expansion, the game continues to expand its niches of innovative content for all types of players. While the lion’s share still tends to go towards combat-based content, every now and then, Eorzea’s artisans also get dibs on a truly exciting new adventure.
One of the most ambitious of them inFinal Fantasy 14is Cosmic Exploration, which sends all manner of crafters and gatherers to the moon and stars for some truly astronomical objectives. There’s quite a lot of information to absorb about Cosmic Exploration and all of its features, so here’s a comprehensive guide to explain it from top to bottom.
How to Do Cosmic Exploration in Final Fantasy 14
Is Cosmic Exploration Permanent?
Cosmic Exploration was added toFinal Fantasy 14as part of thePatch 7.21 update, and functions as an ongoing and semi-permanent niche of content in the game. More bases on other stars are to be added in each ofDawntrail’s subsequent major patches, allowing players to participate and complete personal objectives in multiple areas.
Meanwhile, its community-based milestones on the Infrastructure Index will continue to progress regardless of how frequently you contribute to your character’s personal progression. While it’s too early to tell exactly how Cosmic Exploration will settle in the long term in terms of its content, it’s safe to say that players will always be able to level up their characters within it and obtain its various rewards. If it functions similarly to the Firmament, community features like major FATEs will also remain accessible.
How to Get Started at Cosmic Exploration
After youunlock Cosmic Explorationarrive at the Moongate Hub (or Sinus Ardorum), the game leaves it up to you to get acquainted with everything that Cosmic Exploration has to offer. Start by checking in withResearchingwayover at the Cosmic Research counter (X:21.1, Y:21.8) who will grant you access to Stellar Missions, Cosmic Research, and your Cosmic Class Tracker.
You can track your progress with all of these via your Exotablet, which is the small blue sub-menu on your HUD. Each app icon on it represents a different Cosmic Exploration feature along with your inventory of Cosmocredits and Lunar Credits at the bottom.
Visit all of the other NPCs around the base to get yourself familiar with all of your vendors and resources.Orbitingwayat the Cosmic Fortunes counter (X:21.8, Y:21.1.),Godgyththe Merchant & Mender (X:21.8, Y:21.8) who can provide tools and gear for all DoH and DoL classes, and next to themMesouaidonquewho you may exchange your Cosmocredits with for various rewards.
Sinus Ardorum is a special region in itself, separate fromMare Lamentorum, which you may freely explore from end to end on foot (mounts are not permitted). However, to make navigation easier, there are multiple warp portal stations that can transport you quickly to certain areas on the map, particularly where missions and fates take place. As convenient as they are, getting used to them is highly recommended. You can also use the’Stellar Return' abilityon your HUD to automatically teleport back to the Moongate Hub free of charge and with no cooldown.
Stellar Missions are the best way to get started with your personal progression, and completing your first one will also unlock other important features such as Mech Ops and Stellar Successes.
What Are Stellar Successes and How to Complete Them
Stellar Successes act as a list of objective goals for you to reach by participating in and completing various activities in Cosmic Exploration. you’re able to view your Stellar Successes menu via the pink icon on your Exotablet. There, you can see your Daily Stellar Successes on the left tab, which are objectives you can fulfill each day after the server reset time.
Meanwhile, the right tab shows Standard objectives that require extensive work to complete, such as completing so many Stellar Missions, participating in Mech Ops missions as a pilot or ground supporter, unlocking more classes of missions for different crafting and gathering jobs, etc.
Both types of Stellar Successes provide rewards upon completion, which can include substantial amounts of Cosmocredits, Lunar Credits, Cosmic Research points.
How to Start and Complete Stellar Missions
Stellar Missions are the first type of progression objective you get access to in Cosmic Exploration and you’re able to start doing them pretty much immediately.
To start a Stellar Mission, click the respective icon on your Exotablet menu (the green icon in the top left corner). This will pull up a menu that shows all of the Stellar Missions you can currently embark on. They’re subdivided by ‘Class’, and you’ll start with ‘Class D’ missions first.
The more missions of a certain class you complete, you’ll get subsequent access to higher classes of stellar missions. You can view the requirements for unlocking higher classes of missions at the bottom left corner of the Stellar Mission menu (seen above) on your Exotablet. There are also special weather-related missions, which you can access via the Stellar Missions menu by selecting the respective tab when special weather occurs in the region.
These serve as your main means of earning Cosmocredits and Lunar Credits outside other activities such as Mech Ops and Red Alert Critical Missions.
If you find yourself needing to abandon a Stellar Mission for whatever reason, simply open your Exotablet again and select ‘Abandon’. Just be aware that regardless of your progress during the mission, you will not receive any rewards.
How to Start and Complete Mech Ops Missions
Mech Ops is a unique type of mission that becomes available when the prompt appears randomly while in Sinus Ardorum. You’ll see a skinny blue box appear at the top of your HUD that informs everyone in the area that a Mech Ops mission is due to start soon somewhere on the map.
There are two different ways to participate in a Mech Ops mission. The first is by applying to the mission as a pilot, and to do that you need to purchase a Pilot Application from Alerot at (X:22.2, 20.6). An application costs 1,000 x Lunar Credits.
Once you have it, when a Mech Ops mission pops up on your screen, you can choose to ‘Apply as a Pilot’ via the Mech Ops menu on your Exotablet. This will put you in a drawing of sorts to be chosen as a pilot for the mission, meaning it’s not guaranteed. If you’re not chosen (and the odds of that are high starting out), you don’t lose your Pilot Application. It will remain available until you are eventually chosen as a pilot. Along with the usual Cosmocredits and Lunar Credit rewards, you also get aBig Bang Ticketto use at the Cosmic Fortunes counter.
The other way to complete Mech Ops missions, particularly if your pilot application is denied, is by participating as Ground Support. Simply travel to where the mission is taking place on the map (indicated by a red mech icon), and be present when it begins to be designated as Ground Support. This way you can still gather items and contribute towards completion of the mission.
How to Start and Complete Red Alert Critical Missions
Critical Missions are another unique type of mission in Cosmic Exploration that appear randomly and are among the most lucrative to do. In other words, the moment you see this type of mission pop up, you’ll want to drop anything else you’re doing in the area and make a beeline for it.
These missions will also be indicated with a ‘Red Alert’ notification and a yellow progress box at the top of your HUD. Inside it, there are two progress gauges that must both be filled by the respective jobs they’re assigned to (note the job icons to the left of the gauge). Like other missions, you must travel to the spot on the map where it’s taking place to participate.
Choose which qualifying crafting/gathering job you want to use for the mission, and when it begins, go to your Exotablet and select the green ‘Stellar Missions’ icon. Scroll over to the ‘Critical Missions’ tab (it should appear automatically) and choose to start the appropriate objective for your job. If it’s a gathering job, you’ll need to run around the designated mission area and gather a certain number of resources. When you gather enough, return to the drop-off and deposit your resources to complete the objective. You’ll receive both Cosmocredits and Lunar Credits for your efforts.
Once both green progress gauges at the top of your HUD reach 100%, the Critical Mission will be deemed a success. However, that doesn’t mean the mission ends then and there (unlike Mech Ops missions). These missions last a lengthy 20 minutes, and you can continue completing the same objectives for hefty amounts of Cosmocredits and Lunar Credits until the timer runs out. When the timer does run out, you’ll get even more credits of each kind as a bonus.
How to Participate in Cosmic Exploration Project FATEs
Cosmic Exploration Project FATEs are the largest in scale and only occur once “milestones are reached” thanks to player contributions on each server. Similar to the ones conducted at The Firmament inIshgard, these FATEs call upon everyone in the instance to participate and complete various objectives.
If the FATE is successfully completed, the base will then transform and expand, reflecting its overall progression. Players will also be rewarded with both types of credits for their contributions.
How to Do Cosmic Fortunes and Earn Rewards
Cosmic Fortunes are a special, gambling-style activity that you’re able to do at the Moongate Hub, provided you have enough Lunar Credits on hand. Pay a visit to Orbitingway at the Cosmic Fortunes Counter (X:21.8, Y:21.1), and they’ll give you an option to ‘Draw a cosmic fortune’ if you wish. However,each draw costs 1,000 x Lunar Credits, so if you don’t have enough yet, you won’t be able to play.
When you do have enough, a colorful board (seen above) will display, with two different wheels to select from. Each of them has different rewards up for grabs, which are listed beneath the wheel. The icon next to the reward name indicates where it is on the board (e.g. - carrot, musical note, star, glasses). Where the arrow at the top of the wheel lands determines what reward you get, so each spin is entirely random.
If you happen to land on’Stellar Opportunity'(the rainbow star icon), it will give you an extra spin on a new wheel with valuable prizes. Otherwise, the reward it lands on is what you’ll automatically receive as a prize. These rewards range from cordials to furnishings, a minion, a mount, an attire coffer, and more. Since each spin costs a considerable amount of Lunar Credits, make sure to spend them wisely.
