Retainers and Inventory Management — Final Fantasy XIV Guide

Retainers and Inventory Management

As you journey through Eorzea, your inventory will quickly fill with a myriad of items: crafting materials, quest rewards, gear upgrades, and more. Effective inventory management is crucial to avoid constant trips back to your Grand Company or city-state. This detailed guide will walk you through leveraging your Retainers and other storage solutions to keep your bags tidy and your adventures uninterrupted.

Understanding Your Inventory Limits

Before diving into Retainers, it's essential to understand the various storage options available to every Warrior of Light:

• Main Inventory: Your primary bag space. This expands as you progress through the Main Scenario Quest (MSQ) and unlock additional inventory slots. Initially, you'll have 35 slots, eventually reaching 140.
• Armoury Chest: Dedicated storage for all your gear (weapons, armor, accessories). This also expands with MSQ progression and job leveling. It's automatically sorted by gear slot.
• Saddlebag: A personal storage space accessible through your Chocobo Companion. This offers 70 additional slots and is perfect for frequently used items you don't want cluttering your main inventory. Access it via the "Companion" menu under "Saddlebag."
• Glamour Dresser: Located in any Inn Room, this allows you to store up to 400 pieces of gear for glamour purposes, freeing up significant Armoury Chest space.
• Chocobo Saddlebag: A separate, personal storage space accessible through your Chocobo Companion. This offers 70 additional slots and is perfect for frequently used items you don't want cluttering your main inventory. Access it via the "Companion" menu under "Saddlebag."

Recruiting Your First Retainers

Retainers are your personal assistants, offering invaluable storage, market board access, and even the ability to gather materials or undertake ventures. You can recruit your first Retainers early in your adventure.

1. Complete the Quest "The Scions of the Seventh Dawn": This is a crucial Main Scenario Quest that unlocks access to Retainers. You'll typically encounter this quest around level 17.
2. Locate a Retainer Vocate: After completing the quest, head to any of the three main city-states:
   • Limsa Lominsa: Lower Decks (near the Aetheryte Plaza)
   • Gridania: Old Gridania (near the main Aetheryte)
   • Ul'dah: Steps of Nald (near the main Aetheryte)
   Speak to the Retainer Vocate NPC to begin the recruitment process.
3. Create Your Retainer: You'll be prompted to customize your Retainer's appearance, name, and initial class. It's recommended to choose a Disciple of War or Magic class for your first Retainer, as this allows them to undertake "Field Exploration" ventures later.
4. Assign a Class: Once created, you can assign a class to your Retainer. This determines the types of items they can gather on ventures. For example, a Miner Retainer will bring back ores, while a Botanist will gather plants.

You start with two free Retainer slots. Additional Retainers can be purchased through the Mog Station for a monthly fee.

Interacting with Your Retainers

Once recruited, you can interact with your Retainers at any Retainer Bell, found in most city-states, Grand Company headquarters, and residential districts.

• Access Retainer Inventory: Select "Entrust or Withdraw Items" to open your Retainer's personal inventory, which provides 175 slots of storage per Retainer. This is your primary overflow for crafting materials, rare drops, and anything you don't need immediately.
• Sell Items on the Market Board: Choose "Sell Items on the Market" to list items for sale. Your Retainer acts as your personal vendor, handling all transactions while you're out adventuring. Remember to set competitive prices!
• Undertake Ventures: Select "Assign Venture" to send your Retainer on various tasks.
  • Field Exploration: Retainers gather random items based on their assigned class (e.g., a Fisher Retainer might bring back Coral or Fish Scales).
  • Quick Exploration: A shorter venture that brings back a single, often random, item. This can include rare mounts, minions, or even high-level gear.
  • Hunting/Mining/Botany Exploration: Targeted ventures where you specify the exact item you want your Retainer to gather (e.g., Iron Ore, Maple Sap).
  Ventures require Venture Coffer currency, which can be obtained from your Grand Company Quartermaster or through various in-game activities.
• Change Retainer Class/Gear: You can change your Retainer's class at any time by speaking to the Retainer Vocate. You can also equip them with gear to increase their item level, which improves their success rate and the quality of items they bring back from ventures.

Advanced Inventory Strategies

• Categorize Your Retainers: Dedicate each Retainer to a specific type of item. For example, one Retainer for all your crafting materials, another for rare drops and quest items, and a third for gear you're saving for other jobs.
• Use the Search Function: Both your main inventory and Retainer inventories have a search bar. use it frequently to quickly locate specific items.
• Regular Purges: Periodically go through all your inventories. Sell unwanted items on the Market Board, desynthesize gear for crafting materials, or simply discard low-value items that are cluttering your space.
• Grand Company Seals: exchange unwanted gear and items for Grand Company Seals at your Grand Company Quartermaster. These seals can then be used to purchase valuable items like Venture Coffers, Glamour Prisms, or crafting materials.
• Linkshells and Free Companies: If you're part of a Free Company, you'll have access to a Free Company Chest, offering additional shared storage space. Coordinate with your FC mates to use this effectively.

By diligently managing your Retainers and using all available storage options, you'll spend less time wrestling with your inventory and more time enjoying the vast world of Final Fantasy XIV!