A Guide to Creating Standard Parties in Final Fantasy XI for Beginners

Final Fantasy XI (FFXI) is a very popular massive multi-player role playing game (MMORPG). This walkthrough article is part 3 of a series that will guide the new player through levels 1-75. This series will also include side guides that will show you how to make gil in FFXI and other subjects. Please note this guide is written with the PC player in mind, but most of the commands and info are valid for all consoles. Enjoy the guide!

Understanding party structure and creating a party in FFXI is very important. The sooner you learn these basics, the better!

Standard Party Setups

While there are many times and situations where an oddball party setup can work, or is even required, the standard experience points party is what you will most often see early in the game. A standard party will usually include the following setup:

Tank - Throughout most levels in FFXI, the tank role should be filled by a ninja or paladin. In early levels, a warrior or monk can usually fill this role as well. Two warriors subbing ninja can co-tank quite well even into later levels, however this setup is a tad risky.

Healer - This role is generally filled with a white mage, although it can be filled with a summoner or red mage as well.

Support Job - Support jobs generally include red mages, bards, and corsairs and blue mages (both of which can be DD as well). This role generally involves enfeebling mobs, buffing the party, and backup healing.

3 Damage Dealers (DD) - This role can be filled with jobs such as warrior, monk, thief, black mage, ranger, dark knight, blue mage, beastmaster, dragoon, summoner, samurai, or puppetmaster.

Seeking for and Creating a Party

Seeking for a party is pretty simple in FFXI.

1. Go into your menu.
2. Select Search.
3. Edit Comment
4. Exp Party
5. Seek Party
6. Here type in how close to the next level you are, and some pertinent information. For example "@2,000 tnl (next line in translator) {I want experience points.}
7. Then go to your main menu select party, and then seek party. This should put a green ! above your head.
8. You may now receive invites from other players to join their party. To join once they invite you, simply type in /join.

Creating a party is slightly more complicated in than just seeking for one in FFXI, but it is still simple and may help you avoid bad parties. Try to keep all of the people in your party within two levels of each other. For example, avoid having a level 12 ninja and a level 16 bard in the same party! The experience you gain is affected by the levels of the people in it! Follow these steps, keeping in mind the party structure listed above:

1. Type in /sea all 12-14 inv (or whatever your level range is).
2. Check to make sure that the necessary jobs are available (or at least most of them). Most importantly, make sure there are at least a tank and a healer.
3. Send each person a tell, preferably in translator, inviting them to party. NEVER just invite them without getting their consent. This is called a "blind invite" and considered very rude.
4. Before making your party, make sure you know where you want to level. This is when a good linkshell comes in handy as I explained in Part 2 of this series.