FFXI Best Starting City! 

I started in bastok in 2003. Still remember day 1. Xi holds a special place in my soul

Bastok for me. I have soundtrack in my car and play bastoks music to feel at home. All these years later and it still gets me.

Will always love Bastok since it was where I started. Thanks for continuing to making great FFXI content.

It's called the KINGDOM of San d'Oria! And just outside the beautiful forests of Ronfaure and best starting zone music.

Sandy Elvaan forever. Although Ive started in every city, I have the best memories of early days in Ronfaure, La Thiene, Ghelsba ect...

I started in San d'Oria so I'm totally biased lol. I'm not a huge fan of the music in San d'Oria itself but I love the layout and the medieval fantasy feel to the place. I love the music in Ronfaure and how both East and West Ronfaure looks with a whole lot of green everywhere. Definitely has that fantasy feel to it for me.

First time I played I started in San'd oria , fell in love with the fog in ronfaure around the forest and the first body of water there, Knightwell. A little pond surrounded by crabs with a little rock you could stand on. Such a peaceful serene place to fish as your introduction to that mechanic of the game. Always felt the aesthetics were tied to the races such as the Elvaan and Hume there, regal, industrial, a rich history but also tainted by arrogance.

They are all special in their own way, this is why FFXI is so amazing. Each individual has fond memories of their starting city, not only because of how distinctly different they are from each other, but amount of detail and complexities that go into those differences to make feel like a personal home. We can argue the difference in resources and which was more profitable or easier to navigate but the point still stands, each have their own strengths and weaknesses but feel like part of a larger economy/world due to those differences.

Proud Windurstian as well, here! But I thoroughly agree with many of your points. But that's what made FFXI unique. Each had those special little perks, exclusive (AND probably unintended!), that gave the specific area an edge, over the others. Also, ugh. Yes, *'Jaggedy-Eared Jack'* I fought this guy an INSANE amount of times. Never got the drop. Thinking back, it was probably for the better, as that drop would've sent me off, on a personal quest, of absolute insanity...

I have such a massive spot in my heart for Windurst, I just can't bring myself to start anywhere else. I've started over on retail and on Nasomi multiple times, and there's never been any question on which city to start in. That's not to say I haven't entertained the thought of experiencing the other cities - to this day I have no idea what the lore/mission stories of the other two cities are, it's just about the only story-related content that I can say that I haven't experienced yet. I've heard people say that both Sandy and Bastok's storylines are great, and honestly if I ever get the chance to go full-time back to the game (if an official classic server is ever introduced), I absolutely plan on doing the one thing I've told myself I need to someday do: get Rank 10 in Windurst, then change my nation and start from the bottom so I can experience the storylines of the other cities as well. I feel like that's the ONLY way that I can then say that I've experienced the entire story of Vana'Diel.

Bastok till the end! Even when we got called lastok for our position in conquest for a long duration :(

Bastok native. I just rando picked it all those years ago. After going through Rank10 in all 3 over the years I am still quite happy calling Bastok #1. Why ? Because I think my personality is feeling the best about what most think is the worst. Ether that or the music from hours of city fishing hypnotized me. I am a loyalist, especially when I am backing an underdog, and everyone seems to always hate on Bastok. Yet the whole world has no issue coming to level in the mines and tunnel. As for Windy ? Nothing in all of Vana'diel can be more annoying than the giant tree and Heaven's Tower.

Love your videos and hoping to catch a stream live soon. I personally started with Sandy and have been Sandy for life! Love you categories and feel that they had a lot of merit. Keep doing what you're doing and I'll be there cheering you all the way!

Man, I love your intro. It’s just so relaxing. I’m a Windurst child as well but the sheer size of it it insane.

I prefer San D'Oria not just for the convenience, but canonically, they're the only city-state that isn't destroying their local environment. Bastok is strip-mining the countryside into a wasteland, and Windurst is so magic-dependent that it's sapping the life-force out of the surrounding countryside. While the royals do tend to bicker, and the locals can be jerks, Sandy is till on the most sustainable path forward, and have easily the prettiest locales.

My friend and I heard this rumor very early in the game where if you can steal and item off Jaggedy Ear Jack it's a 100% drop on Rabbit Charm. We claimed him and proceed to take turns stealing from him for like 10 hours while a JP player stood next to us begging us to kill it while saying it's not true. Still feel bad to this day. We never got the drop.

I actually started in all 3 cities Sandy on my main and the other two on mules waaay back in the day. I always loved Sandy for its looks and music as well as the other highly convenient placements geography wise. Super fun video its been great exploring your content as I prepare to head back into Vanadiel

Just found your channel. I am a father with kids and am reliving my younger years hearing you talk. An overwhelming amount of nostalgia I’m remembering. I’m a Bastok man! Always will be!

Trust this truth; San d'Oria literally every time. Let's not also forget the major single time trek of running to Jeuno for the first time!

Bastok for nostalgia (My 1st City) , San D'oria for quality of life. Also, I didn't know Jeff Goldbloom played FFXI!

Bastok back in the day - outpost warp, auction house and chocobo stable right next to each other plus leaping lizzy right outside. with current transportation these days it doesnt matter quite so much!

I love this channel. Keep up the great work!

As always such an enjoyable video. I think Zuren mines and Korroloka tunnel edges out Bastok for starter zone leveling though. Also Bastok Mines is the best city zone of all. It has literally everything you need in a short distance. OP warp, AH, Conquest guard, Choco, and just the best lol.

I remember playing from 2006 until 2013 and being obsessed with camping Jaggedy-Eared Jack (for Rabbit Charm). I racked up 79 kills on the little bugger over that time, spending who knows how long of my life camping him without ever seeing a drop. The day I decided to cancel my subscription the last thing I did was camp him before logging off one last time. He popped within 15 minutes of camping and I finally got my prize. I’ll never forget that day.

My friends who started in Bastok and Sandy both moved over to Windy where I was to farm silk thread (worth 1k at the time) while leveling.

Sandoria by far. Close to the dunes and has the best starting music with Ronfaure. Bastok is too depressing and Windy is just too far from the dunes.

I was lucky. I started Windurst, but went and finished all the other main quests for San d'Oria and Bastok . After all that, I lived San d'Oria so much more than Windirst. Only one I didn't care for was Bastok.

Bastok for life! Windurst is massive and so confusing, plus I find San d'oria music a little annoying after a while.

best starting city? windurst! no questions The end. shortest video ever :-D (i need to move to Bastok. that San d'Oria music is really ... _intense_ )

Sandy is always my starting city. Rabbit hides and bat wings can make you some decent starting gil and fame, and orcs drop fire crystals which sell for good gil.

I will always start in San d'Oria because elves for life. However, for those that know what they are doing, the amount of money that can be earned early on in Sarutabaruta cannot be ignored. Going THF out there with leveled sword skill and sneak attack/treasure hunter and HELM opportunities can net you tens of thousands of gil a day which makes your adventuring that much more enjoyable. If you can gain access to some fast travel between your starting zone and Saruta, you don't even have to touch Windurst to earn good money. Just make sure to bring that warp scroll. Sandy does have two GREAT dungeons nearby that more than make up for not having the quality, farmable goods Saruta has in K.R.'s Tomb and Fort G., so the choice to go Sandy first (again, elves for life + STR starting ring), and gaining fast travel access to West SR is what edges it out for me. The repeat quests in Sandy also earn you quite the bit of money until you can access one of the best repeat quests in the game with the black tiger fangs.

I'm all about starting in Bastok. I really dig Windy tho. Was a big fan of popping Spiny Spipi while leveling for the cape

Oh man, unless I missed it you didn't mention Vrtra at all! Definitely gives sandy some cool points imo.

I actually dig the logic used to come to the conclusion. I'm a Bastok native from back in 04' but I've started new characters in every zone. It's clear that the development team created San D'oria first then created the other zones later. There are a lot of time saving advantages that San D'oria has over the other cities and the layout is more symmetrical and easy to understand. It's as if they created a starting town to the best of their ability, then when creating the other towns they had to tweak away from the best of their ability to make sure they felt different enough.

I started in Sandy because of the music ironically enough and it had 95% of the jobs I was interested in. I did lvl Brd from 1-10 in Windy though. I just found leveling it there to be much easier.

Claimed Jaggedy-Eared Jack 3 times on Nasomi so far 0/3. Back in around 2005 when i live on my best mates floor... I was woken up at around 2am by my friend who got the drop.... We sold it to a player in Sandy shortly after for 1.3 million gil... (Why do i remember this shit xD) We split the money 50/50 and decked our level 20 characters out in the best gear... 1.3mil was ALOT back then....

I went 1/1 on Rabbit Charm with no TH, on Eden. It was awesome!

Also, I love the light behind the elliptical back there.

I agree with windurst the best starting area, but that is in an awed like wow this place is big and beautiful. But for new players no. Sandoria is the easiest. Easy to get around and navigate. Go out and to level. Windurst is huge and can be confusing.

I've gotta say Windurst, just because it was my home - but I also dig Bastok in a big way. While Windurst is really relaxing to me, no other city inspires adventure like Bastok does with its music and industrious environment. Really appreciate your FFXI videos btw, as someone who looks back on the game fondly. No other game can match its nostalgia!

Windurst for nostalgia (My 1st City) , San D'oria for quality of life.

wow~ "where should I begin?" this question really triggers/brings back lots of memories. I quit ffxi many years ago, but I did put in some serious thoughts about this same question back then because the decision can affects players greatly in this game. I think the only thing that matters WAS where do people like to gather (and you don't have to worry about social distancing in this world). FFXI changed a lot, people don't really need each other to play in this virtual world any more to get to lv 100, so I guess the main thing that matters IS which cities you like the most. And so the question "Where SHOULD I begin?" shouldn't really matter anymore. I started FFXI from the first day it released in NA. If I can go back in time to play this game again, I will choose to start from Windust as a Tarutaru WHM (P.S. WHM stands for White Mage, it DOESN'T means White Hume Matters!). Then I will take the Windust ring, running naked to San d'Oria and change allegiance to San d'Oria ASAP. That week is a special week, it is the only week when all 3 nations ranked lowest. After that, things are getting straight forward (to me) until my tarutaru hit 75, but that will be another story for another time. P.S. There is one thing that I would like to point out is that besides Guildworker's Union Representatives, ALL three cities are equally convenience IF you know the shortcuts in Bastok, and portals in Windust. I did some measurements back in the days, so I am pretty sure that I am right about this point. If you think I am wrong about it, it just means you don't know the tricks well enough.

11:00 - I was hearing this alt tabbed in FFXIV, and my character name is Leaping Lizzy. Ouch. Anyways, I'm a bastok native. When I did my original run, I liked Bastok the most, but ended up afking in Sandy. When I went back in 2011 I went Windurst, but honestly...I couldn't imagine making Dunes runs as a damn Windy player. Bastok had a much easier run to Valkurm

I have been starting in Bastok since 2005. And I just downloaded Wings XI and I'm still a Bastokian lol. I just love the song Republic of Bastok and the Gustaburg music. Ah the memories.

I love this video all the starting zones are great!

I began FFXI in Bastok, so it wins by default. But in all seriousness, I still think it wins for the reasons you stated you placed it second in this video in terms of layout. I loved the fact that all of Bastok's zones were linear. Metalworks in one corner and Port Bastok in the other. Is it a pain? Yes. Is it aesthetically pleasing. Also yes. It gave the city a sense of direction so you knew exactly were to go for what you needed. Every zone is relatively small aside from Port Bastok, so I feel like its first place position is strengthened all the more with the Mog House exit. I will agree with the Gustaberg division. It's nice, but early on there was nothing worse than being on the wrong side of the map and only realizing it halfway through the zone.

Native of the objectively best starting city of San D'oria checking in. It's probably the most convenient city to be from. N. Gustaberg where parts of it are cut off from the rest is a pain. So is just getting around in Windy. The winner is clear.

Bastok is Bestok! The first place I ever actually started in Vana'diel was Windurst, but the character who I actually got serious on started in Bastok. I've also started characters in Sandy. Bastok's music to me speaks directly to ambition. It makes me want to get up and go adventuring for success and profit! The muted whites, greys, and browns of the city speak honestly about a lot of the game world right off the bat, but also let the NPCs stand out. Talking to NPCs is one of the greatest joys you can find in Vana'diel. Bastok is also on the ocean, and its port really does feel like a port! Showing you that the world does not bend to you; you bend to the world! Its layout and zone arrangement is no more a problem than the other two starting cities. As you said, Windurst is a sprawling, albeit pretty mess. Sandy would be perfect, if not for the out of the way port(that, let's be honest, doesn't make any sense given its location in the region look at how they had to cut into Quon just to justify it having one. It gets worse when you think about the port's location relative to Fort Ghelsba). Its outer zones and inner ones, the ones with monsters for adventuring, have the best setup for leveling out of the three cities. Sandy comes close due to Ghelsba's proximity, but flubs out due to it not being easy to get back out of Ghelsba once you're deep in(except nowadays cause homepoint warps). With Bastok, you can level with what I call the Bastokan Wheel. Go into North Gustaberg via the Port, level there to 10+ all the while making your way towards Palborough Mines. Once in Palborough fight your up to the second floor, and continue fighting and leveling there until level 20+. You can stay realistically up to 26 or so. Hop on the boat to Zeruhn Mines. Loop into Korroloka Tunnel. You can level in Korroloka Tunnel until about level 40. All while always being within 1~2 zones of the city itself. Then there's the NMs you mentioned surrounding the city. Let's include the Morion Worm in Korroloka, along with Cargo Crab Colin, and a couple others. Leaping Lizzy in South Gusta. Bubbling Bernie, the most powerful HNM in the game ;), in South Gusta. Geyser Lizard in Dangruf Wadi. The Dangruf Wadi also sports the most easily accessed Rune Weapon manufactory(though I have never actually done that quest). It also has the hidden path to the base of the waterfall in North Gusta. Oh yeah, the great awesome waterfall in North Gusta. Gustaberg FTW! It also has the Alchemy Guild which teaches you potion/ether synthing recipes, which can make or break fights! Early on you won't be able to take advantage of it, but it's there. Enticing. Waiting for you to learn to make Holy Water, Icarus Wings, Pro-Ethers, and more! Bastok also has series staple Cid!

At 75 era, bastok was objectivly best due to mines having access to OP warp, AH, MH, and chocobo stable.

First character was windurst ,realized it was a mistake ,next character was sandy,and just loved it.And sandy was always 1st in conquest and got all my outposts fast,was locked into sandy forever

The windurst and sarutabaruta music brings tears of nostalgia

Love your content... just a thought in the ranking... The beginning gear through side quests. I don't know the Bastok ones, Sandy over Windy for me only 'cause the stats you can get for virtually no money per survivability.

Bro could you tell me where you got those blue and purple lights from? They look choice!

I've only seen the Rabbit NM once some poor new player had attacked him without knowing. There was about 10 players standing around waiting for the player to die (some of which were able to cure to help) I tried to keep his life up but it wasn't meant to be.

Hahaha You surely want to start a war with a question like this! I took a very long time to leave my starting city (Windurst). Yes, it was huge, but man... I got used to it really fast.

It'll always be Sandy for me, but I admit that it might be my bias :p

Sandy by no small amount. Played the game when it launched, Started Sandy, got rank 10, will never look back. Heck, every character ive played on retail and private have started Sandy.

The music tanks Sandy for me. I agree that it's probably the best starter layout, but ears! I kinda love both Windy and Bastok though. They're so different, but they're both so good. I think Windy is always gonna be my winner since that's where my little taru spent a ton of time a million years ago. Learning my way around that giant city, and using the tele-tarus before HP warps just felt good once I finally figured out how to get around.

As a completely new character, I would say San'doria. Amazing starting zones, and I made so much bank selling fire crystals from ghelsba, rabbits in Ron got me a good kickstart on cooking. Very easy run to the dunes, pretty safe run to jeuno.

In Sandy/Ronfaure, there is also the NM mushroom -Amanita - that dropped the Tenex Strap, which was decent for low level. The Fungus Beetle is also there, dropped the Clipeus shield which was 'fairly' decent for low level.

I don't think I can start anywhere but Windurst at this point. #1 in my book. The Ace Ventura quote was golden, boss. Well played. 👏

Windy ftw! I miss this game very much!

Drops are not a reason to choose one city over another. Start in Windy. Travel to where ever to pick up whatever NM or drop you need. Bastok mobs are not limited to Bastok population.

I returned shortly before adoulin released to try to figure out how to level up further from 75 ahead of the expansion. Wanted a little nostalgia trip so I tele-holla and choco to sandy (my home nation and btw how dare you lol) As I'm running through west ronfaure guess who I see? A lonely JEJ. I /sea to see if anyone was about in case i was about to steal someones pop, no one in zone. So I hop off and kill to get my first and only ever Rabbit Charm as a 75whm/37blm tarutaru. I couldnt believe it and it absolutely made my day.

Bastok 100% Doesn't have ear piercing bagpipe music like Sandy nor is it ridiculously huge like Windy. Although both those starting areas have pleasant zones outside the city unlike Bastok and it's barren wasteland lol. But hey, that is offset by one NM; Leaping Lizzy!

I'd say the objectively best starting city is San d"Oria. But for me there will always be a softspot for Bastok as that's where I did.

There is one other factor you didn't take into account. If you start in your corresponding city for your race(Sandy for Elvaan, Windy for Taru's and Mithra, Bastok for Hume's and Galka) you start off the game with your corresponding ring which, at least back in the day, gave quite a nice early bonus depending on what class you decided to start with and what you were planning for your first 75.. That said, Sandy for life, all hail King Destin d'Oraguille!

Don't worry, I am here with my 100% non biased objective comparison of the cities. San d'Oria is great for layout and convenience without being too useless for experience or money making. It's easy to get around, there're worm enemies for easy levelling for your first 5 or so levels and Ghelsba at least has the warmachine NMs for some money and dipping your toes into NM camping for new people. Windurst is great because although being a pain in the ass to get around, other than a few specific reasons, you only really need Woods and Port, There's a few good starting quests for you to do (Justic Badge, Compound Eye Circlet, cornettes, etc) and most of all it has great money making potential through crawlers. Bastok can go to hell.

I liked Bastok because mines had everything you need all close together. MH, OP warp, AH, and a vendor. And right outside Mines you can go up a hill and kill bees that drop chips that sell good.

Bastok has leaping lizzy :D Konchat has stray mary too! (money NM hunting, back in the day) Korroka Tunnel is great exp spot instead of Valkurm. Norg is linked to Bastok :D I dislike Turtle/quadav trive though, sneak aggro is rough.

San d Oria was where I started and would again, it has that FF feel to it...even though I love Bastok too

Always started in Sandy cause of the towns music and the ronafure theme which i still hum til this day lol

Travel distance to LaTheine/Tahrongi is better than tryna get to Konschant too

I agree, Windy wins! I loved being a Hume with the windy ring (thank you CP) most Tarus were like "You shouldn't have that ring, you're a Hume." But good music and loved the greenery!

Bastok has by far the best low level area in Zehrun Mines. Lots of ores and bat wing drops to sell and it’s inside the town!

Windurst for life!!! You had good fishing, access to crawlers, access to yags that you could turn in those necklaces for mad rep or desynth them for the threads and the super farmable tomb for wild onions. Taru Taru in Windurst forevah!! Lol and you could fall off the pier while fishing and walk half way across the globe underwater till a GM got off their lazy butt to teleport you back!!

I'm from England and sandy to me is like a castle and east ron like sherwood forest, love it!

I started in Sandoria, and I am very happy with my choice. When I finally visited Bastok it looked depressing compared to the grandeur of Sandoira. Windurst was interesting, but it felt very stretched out, all over the place.

I would argue that Windurst is the best starting city, because of the early rank missions being easy as pie. It really gives you a good leg up, and the only thing bad about starting in Windurst is Heavens' Tower, but I'd rather have the trip to HT than having to walk all the way to Palborough Fricken Mines for some of Bastok's early rank quests, and/or not having to mess with that stupid quest with gathering ore from there. Sandy, I remember Ghelsba being a chore having to go to several times. Also, Windurst had some of the best farmables in the game for early money making, Cotton, Silk Thread, Beehive Chips... they were all found here. Also, on your first trip to Jeuno before you get the ability to ride a mount..... you get the Gausebit Grass on the way there. If you start with either of the other 2 nations, you have to do extra travel, and extra sneaking/invisible through Sauromugue after getting to Jeuno unless you want to buy the Gausebit Grass (which can be a bit expensive depending on server as nobody farms those to sell anymore). Also, Buburimu Peninsula and Bibiki Bay are a nice fast-track right up to 40 before you even get to Jeuno, and it's all done right there locally.

To me San d'Oria is simply classic Final Fantasy at it's best.

Not counting Zeruhn Mines for Bastok? That opens up a lot of options earlier on with k tunnel.

follow up video best past city! the sandy music in the past is very different

I have lived in all 3 cities and I loved starting in sandy. I went to get all 3 starting rings. Bastok to me was ok. I did not like the longer walk to the duns. By the time I got windy most of my jobs was leveled so no need for me to level up their. Windy way too big!!! But I can get a easy 15k a day going thru the door and farming Fenrir so the windy key very useful.

Windurst was so cool and green, but the best part was the super chill and amazing music and Yagudos in east and west Sarutabaruta. God I have such fond nostalgia for leveling tons of classes there in low levels. Ronfaure is a very close second with it’s beautiful wooded scenery and medieval music, with Gustaberg a distant third. I hate that ugly place.

Windy, cause animals and beauty. Silk farming for early money. Decent item turn ins. Music is delightful.

I'm from Windurst, and even after doing all the story missions I'm still WIndurst. Love to it pieces.

Korroloka Tunnel was right in bastok, good leveling, good farming slime oils and NMs.

Bastok is by far the best for new players. Easy leveling zones that have quick easy kills and the entrance to Valkurm puts you right where you need to be for lvl 10 parties. No need to get killed in that tunnel or sit there waiting. Also the point made about bastok not being easy to navigate is funny because the distance between the moghouse to the AH to the outside zone is by far the shortest of any of the cities.

I started in Bastok, and Ul'dah in xiv. However, I always leveled in East/West Ranfaure.

Bastok is the only one with the OP warper in the same zone as an AH. It also has the worst OP warp way out in North Gusty, so it's nice never needing to use it. For newbies it sucks though because the walk to get anywhere is crazy long. Later on I think it's the most convenient, hands down. You also forgot to mention Movalpolos is connected to North Gusty which is a super unique zone. You should've considered crafting guilds, because Windy wins in that department for newbies, no question. Fishing and cooking are super easy money makers early on and has the most guilds overall. Bastok loses that one with only gold and alchemy. I picked Sandy on Eden because I wanted to play Elvaan this time, and it has my favorite guild, woodworking. If Bastok didn't live up to it's Lastok reputation every week I'd probably switch though. It's too convenient having the people who stack bolts/arrows/tools reliably in your nation every week as a woodworker.

How many times you had to go to Bastok to talk to Cid for CoP? Based of Nasomi only... Wadi is amazing for Gil and drops.

I started in windy. I leveled my war and paladin there, but every other job I leveled in bastok, I think that was the best place to level.

Gotta agree with you on San D'Oria's music. Started here and I don't really like the music. Too intense indeed. But I do love the field music right outside the gates.

Wadi oh you mean the bog of eternal stench.

You should have also included the Conquest Points Gear, Which Windy Wins out in IMO. But even with a Win in that category Windworst is still 3rd because it was Designed by a Drunken Madman, Can't get over how much is sucks to try and do quests in that zone.

I recently started playing FFXI and I agree Windurst is the best. I just love it. All the green and blue and typical final fantasy races like cat people and tarutaru :)

Should also have looked as the city missions as part of the comparison: I think Bastok is the best starting city since the post Shadow Lord city missions play really nicely at the same time as Zilart. Doing the Sandy rank6+ missions while doing Chains of Promathia is a good idea since both deal heavily with the fate of Tavnazia. And Windurst last during Wings of the Goddess, since the full summoning of Fenrir was a massive turn in the war. Aht Urghan is best city though, I'm not taking feedback.

Give me Sandy layout with windy music and I’d be super pumped. Don’t get me wrong i enjoy Sandy’s music but I enjoy the windurst music a bit more. NMs are a tough one for me, the grip/shield are great pieces of gear in ronfaure but saruta has more variety and better drops

I've fought Jaggedy Earred Jack a billion times. That charm doesn't exist.

I like starting is San d'Oria because easy access to Fire Crystals and Bat wings as a poor new character. Run around King Ranp. Tomb after 10 then run around Ghelsaba after lvl 13/14 if your in no rush to go to dunes. Bought me all +1 gear just soloing.