What is The Novice Network in FFXIV?

The Novice Network is a way for experienced players to help new players. It has a chat link inside the game that gives new players, who are called “sprouts,” a direct line to Mentors.

All of the mentors in the Novice Network are experienced players who have met certain standards, making them qualified to help the community’s younger members.

This method is a great way for sprouts to learn new things and meet new people from all levels and classes.

Losing your sprout takes time and skill, so the Novice Network isn’t just full of players who just started playing.

How Can You Join The Novice Network?

It’s simple! In fact, most new players will probably be invited soon after they start playing.

Most of the time, mentors look for young people who need help.

But if you haven’t gotten an invite yet, you can usually get one by asking in any big city’s chat channel.

You could also ask a Mentor directly. You can tell who they are because their title has a crown icon.

There are two kinds of Mentors (Battle and Trade), and each one specializes in a different area. However, any of them can ask you to join The Novice Network.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help; that’s why they’re there.

What Can You Use This For?

The Novice Network is like Google for games.

You can ask any question you want about how the game works, where quests are, or how your job’s skills change, and you’ll always get a lot of helpful answers in a short amount of time.

Most of the time, there is no such thing as a stupid question in The Novice Network. So it’s a great way to become a part of Eorzea’s huge world.

After you join, the comments from the channel will show up in your chat window.

You’ll be able to talk to other players and ask them questions in a setting made just for sprouts. You’ll also be able to see the questions and chats of everyone else.

By keeping an eye on it, you can learn a lot about Eorzea.

But The Novice Network isn’t just for help, though you can use it that way if you want.

If you want to meet more people and have a more social time, there are often lively talks and people you could become friends with.

Overall, FFXIV has one of the friendliest and most welcoming groups. Experienced players often go out of their way to help new players.

Basically, if you have a question about Final Fantasy XIV, The Novice Network has someone who can answer it.

What Shouldn’t You Use It For?

This is really just a matter of good manners.

Don’t ask for things, Gil, or help.

Don’t be mean to other people and don’t use bad words.

You can be temporarily banned if you act in a bad way, and it’s probably best not to alienate a group that’s meant to help you.

Who Are The Mentors?

Mentors are players who have shown they are valuable by meeting a set of requirements.

Battle Mentors and Trade Mentors are the two kinds.

Battle Mentors will have finished at least 1,000 instanced raids, trials, or dungeons, earning at least 1,500 Player Commendations and high-level tank, DPS, and healer awards in the process.

Disciple of the Land/Hand is what Trade Mentors are good at. So think about all the gathering and making you need to do.

To become a Trade Mentor, you must gather or catch 300 collectibles, craft 100 collectibles, and reach the maximum level in any mix of gathering and crafting jobs.

Mentors are put into groups based on what they know best, so it’s easy to find one that fits the way you play.

It goes without saying that these players have played before.

And they joined The Novice Network so they can share their knowledge with you.

That doesn’t mean that they will all know everything or even be helpful all the time. After all, they are also playing a game.

But you have to play a lot to get the Mentor rank.

How Do You Leave The Novice Network?

When you lose your sprout, which happens when you finish the story material after Stormblood (the last expansion before Shadowbringers) and have played for over 160 hours, you will be automatically removed from The Novice Network.

That might seem like a lot.

But even if you skip all of the segments, it will probably take you about that long to finish Stormblood.

Or, let’s say you decide before then that you want to leave The Novice Network. You might already know everything you need to.

You might have found a great Free Company and be sick of The Novice Network taking up all of your chat window’s space.

Well, you can leave by clicking on the leaf icon under your chat window and hitting the “Leave” button.

If you want to hide The Novice Network but not leave, press Escape to go to your log settings.

Find the tab called “General,” and then scroll down to “Log Filters (General).” Click the “Chat” tab and remove “The Novice Network” from here.

You won’t leave, but your chat window will no longer show the texts. Which is good if you just need a short break.

You can also type /nastatus off to remove your new player status.

Be aware that you can’t undo this, and the only way to get back in is to become a Mentor, which is a whole other piece.

That’s pretty much all you need to know about the Novice Network in Final Fantasy XIV.

It’s a very useful tool that every sprout should have, and since you can always leave or hide it, you have nothing to lose by trying it out.

Have fun!

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