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There's nothing quite like strolling through verdant forests in search of sturdy branches and tasty foodstuff. For some of us, it's living the dream. "Tree-huggers," they might say, but we're proud of it. We're Final Fantasy 14's most naturally gifted class, Botanists.

Related:Final Fantasy 14: How To Level Leatherworker 1-90 Guide

Have you thought about getting into Botany for years, but felt a pang of frustration every time you've seen higher-level players break through trees like nobody's business? Like any crafting or gathering class, the early hours can feel terribly limiting. It's a push to the next job quest, a grind to the next best gear set.

Our guide will steer your scythe in the optimal direction, so you can gather to your heart's — and inventory's — content.

Getting Started and Leveling to 20

FF14 Botanist Guild

To become a Botanist, two requirements must be met. First, you must first reach level ten in either a Disciple of War or Disciple of Magic class. Put plainly, you just need to get your starting class to that point.

The other prerequisite is that you have access to the city-state of Gridania. This will automatically be the case should you choose the Lancer, Archer, or Conjurer job; if your job places you in Ul'dah or Limsa Lominsa instead, it will be several hours before you can make the trip to Gridania. (On the flip side, you should be well past level ten by then.)

Head to the Botanist's Guild in Gridania when you're ready. Speak with the receptionist and you'll soon become acquainted with Fufucha, the guild's stalwart leader.

Starting out, it's a good idea to focus on these level one through 20 guild quests, but they won't quite be enough on their own to get you racing through the ranks. We've included some great gathering suggestions for each range, so head out to the Central Shroud for this batch, and you'll get to 20 in a mere handful of hours.

Quest Name

Quest Level

Gathered Item(s)

Way of the Botanist

1

N/A

My First Hatchet

1

10x Latex

Sap for Smiles

5

10x Maple Sap

Weapons of a Father

10

10x Crow Feather

Haste Makes Waste

15

10x Marjoram

Dressed to Harvest

20

15x Grade One Carbonized Matter

Recommended Gathering Item

Suggested Level

Location(s)

Maple Log

1

  • Central Shroud (Jadeite Thick)
  • North Shroud (Treespeak)

Earth/Wind/Water Shards

1

  • Central Shroud (Everywhere)

Ash Log

5

  • Central Shroud (Greentear)
  • North Sroud (Treespeak)

Crow Feather

8

  • Central Shroud (Greentear)

What Should I Do With All These Gathering Items?

Since our guide suggests gathering certain items in order to expedite the leveling process, you might be wondering what to do with them all. There are two approaches. If you're also leveling a crafting class, check to see if you can use them in your recipes. If nothing else, you'll almost certainly find a use for the elemental shards.

If you're sticking to just gathering for now, consider selling excess materials on the marketboard. Early-level fare won't be worth more than a few gil, but then, it's better than nothing. As you advance, you'll find there's more profit to be made by the forties and fifties.

What Should I Be Wearing?

There are many gear options available to Gatherers. However, those who are strapped for coin will probably want to avoid buying them all. Even if you've got the gil to burn, upgrading your attire every few levels can be a pain. We'll list our main recommendations for each level range. Stick with these if you're feeling thrifty.

Recommended Gear Set

Vendor Name/Location

Viability Range

Amateur's Doublet Set

Domitien

  • Old Gridania
  • (X: 14.3, Y: 9.8)

10-15

Cotton Shepherd's Gathering Set

Domitien

  • Old Gridania
  • (X: 14.3, Y: 9.8)

15-22

Should I Do Leve Quests?

At this level? Honestly, not really. You can do a few if you'd like to get the hang of them, but they're not going to get you to 20 faster than simply spending some time out in the Black Shroud plucking our recommended items.

Related:Final Fantasy 14: How To Level Culinarian 1-90 Guide

Leveling to 40

FF14 Botanist Guild Leader

From 21-40, there's a visible degree of slowdown in the leveling process. There are still some great items to grind-gather, but leves become more appealing in this phase. You can find them in any major settlement, but since you'll be in Gridania often anyway, there's no harm in sticking to the ones you'll find at the Carline Canopy. These will take you to 25, whilst your travels in nearby locales such as Quarrymill and Camp Tranquil will bring you higher.

Quest Name

Quest Level

Gathered Item(s)

Aromatic Aspirations

25

10x Marjoram

What Nature Giveth

30

15x Alligator Pear

A Feast to Say the Least

35

20x Laurel

Crisis of Faith

40

20x Ramhorn Zucchini

Recommended Gathering Item

Suggested Level

Location(s)

Yew Log

20

  • East Shroud

Gridanian Walnut

25

  • South Shroud

Oak Log

32

  • South Shroud

Mahogany Log

37

  • Eastern La Noscea

Recommended Gear Set

Vendor Name/Location

Viability Range

Velveteen Gown Set

Domitien

  • Old Gridania
  • (X: 14.3, Y: 9.8)

30-35

Cotton Doublet Vest of Gathering Set

Domitien

  • Old Gridania
  • (X: 14.3, Y: 9.8)

35-42

Leveling to 60

FF14 Botany Guide Shroud

This is arguably the slowest phase, but on the flip side, your horizons have expanded considerably. With Botanist quests in Ishgard and eventually out in the Far East, you will have plenty of opportunities to sign up for local leves and the like.

One thing we should emphasize: Company-issued Survival Manuals. Your Grand Company can help you en route to level 60, after which point you'll want to turn to Revised Survival Manuals. (You can find those in Kugane, Crystarium, and several other locales.)

What these do, and it's really quite marvelous, is they boost your experience gain for all gathering classes by 150 percent up until the tip of their individualized level range. They're not even entirely useless afterward; you can still activate one for a 125 percent boost instead. At this point in your Botany journey, you'll likely have the Gatherers Scrips to save up for the good stuff.

Quest Name

Quest Level

Gathered Item(s)

Botanist in a Bind

45

20x Mistletoe

Seeds of Hope

50

3x Spruce Log

Call from the Clouds

50

N/A

Onions of Life Bestowing

53

10x Cyclops Onion

Two Nations, One Seed

55

10x Emerald Beans

Love for Harmony

58

10x Birch Log

Seeds Know No Borders

60

3x Chrysahl Greens

Never Meet Your Heroes

60

N/A

Recommended Gathering Item

Suggested Level

Location(s)

Mirror Apple

45

  • Coerthas Central Highlands

Rosewood Log

50

  • East Shroud (Near Bramble Patch)

Camphorwood Log

60

  • The Churning Mists

Bloodhemp

60

  • The Fringes

Recommended Gear Set

Vendor Name/Location

Viability Range

Boarskin Jerkin Set

Domitien

  • Old Gridania
  • (X: 14.3, Y: 9.8)

43-48

Raptors Jerkin Set

Domitien

  • Old Gridania
  • (X: 14.3, Y: 9.8)

48-53

Botanist's Set

Rowena's Representatives

50-60

Related:Final Fantasy 14: The Dusk Vigil Dungeon Guide

Leveling to 80

FF14 Crystarium from Below

Good news! Things tend to pick up now. The doldrums of the mid-range are behind you, and thanks to Stormblood and especially Shadowbringers, there are more ways than ever to hike up those levels.

The Firmament

By now, those of you who are following the main scenario quests at approximately the same level (and, obviously, those of you who are done with all that already) should be able to unlock the Firmament. Here in Ishgard, crafters can go ham building all sorts of stuff; but don't discount the opportunities to help out as a gatherer. A brand new zone awaits, chock full of materials that can't be found elsewhere.

With a few Revised Survival Manuals, you could feasibly grind it out via Firmament quests without ever needing to chase after specific overworld items. For this reason, we're not listing recommended grinding spots in the conventional sense.

Quest Name

Quest Level

Gathered Item(s)

You Say Popoto, I Say...

63

20x Wild Popoto

  • The Fringes (X: 11, Y: 25)

Walking for Walker's

65

20x Walker's Popoto

  • Ruby Sea (X: 7, Y: 8.5)

The White Death

68

20x Nanoriso

  • Ruby Sea (X: 13.5, Y: 16)

Edgyth's Winning Streak

70

5x Rhalgr's Streak

  • The Lochs (X: 5.7, Y: 8.7)

Recommended Gear Set

Vendor Name/Location

Viability Range

Serpentskin Gathering Set

Gyosho

  • The Azim Steppe
  • (X: 5.8, Y: 23.5)

60-65

Kudzu Set of Gathering

Gyosho

  • The Azim Steppe
  • (X: 5.8, Y: 23.5)

48-53

Landking's Set

Rowena's Representatives

70-80

The Crystarium

After level 70, your Botanist quests will be handled at the Crystarium. Shadowbringers, you see, condensed things such that there are a handful of NPCs present who each cover multiple classes. In your case, you'll be searching for a mythical dinosaur — not exactly what most of us tend to think when we first pick up the hatchet, but here we are.

Gaining experience in this manner is fairly easy. Boost your Landking Set's capabilities with some materia and it should keep you going the whole way through, though if you're willing to drop more gil to stay completely ahead of the curve, at least wait until the level 75-ish gear becomes available.

Leveling to 90

Final Fantasy 14 Screenshot of Old Sharlayan From Outside

Sweet victory is in sight now. Unless we've forgotten to update this to reflect the follow-up expansion to Endwalker further down the road, in which case it isn't. But hopefully it is.

Far and away the most important thing to note now is that Studium Deliveries form the backbone of your final stretch. You'll find them at the Studium in Old Sharlayan. While you'll need to progress a few hours into Endwalker's main story before they can be tackled, you'll know for certain when that changes because a cutscene will pop up informing you to go speak with a Miqo'te named Qih Aliapoh.

The Studium Delivery quests are spearheaded by an impressionable young lady named Hinagashi. Sit back, enjoy the romantic comedy (or don't), and just bear in mind that a few of the missions Hinagashi sends you on will require that you progress further into the main scenario so that you can unlock the third, fourth, and fifth Endwalker zones.

Next:Final Fantasy 14: Beginner's Guide To Gathering