Wanting to return, have no idea where to startFollow

Some of the most important things to learn about (in no particular order):
- Trust NPCs (up to 5 NPCs to help you fight)
- Records of Eminence quests and Sparks (sparks is a type of currency used that can help you get some decent starting equipment, RoE is one of the main ways to get sparks)
- Various teleportation systems (Home points and Survival Guides can take you to most places around the world after you've unlocked them.)
- Rhapsodies of Vanadiel (final set of story missions that give you permanent boosts by making progress through them)
- Reforged artifact/relic/empyrean armor (high level versions of old armor, requires CoP progress)
- Merit points and job/capacity points (ways of enhancing jobs after level 75)
- All the special temporary campaigns that are going on like boosted xp and login campaigns


Things to focus on:
- Learn about RoE and how to earn sparks, earn sparks to buy eminent weapons and armor (level 117 equipment)
- Join a unity, get Trust NPCs
- Get started on Rhapsodies missions and do old missions as there are requirements for progressing through Rhaposides.

Some of this can be done while getting to level 99 or may help you get to 99 easier. Hopefully this gets you a starting point.

Traditional xp parties haven't really been a thing for a while now. So important to start collecting Trust NPCs as soon as you can. There are repeatable objectives that you can undergo that will give you a small xp bonus every time you kill X number of a specific type of mob, called Fields/Grounds of Valor (one is for dungeons, other for open areas). Once you start collecting Rhapsodies key items, you'll start getting increased xp so that won't be as important. Since parties aren't really a thing, you're free to go where ever you want to xp, but will probably want to focus on things you can do GoV/FoV pages.

Edit: Many Trust NPCs have limited availability, making it even more important to start collecting as soon as you can. They'll be switching around the available trusts very soon.

There are two major wikis that I use to find stuff. The ffxiclopedia is good for older stuff and more general information. It hasn't really kept up with new endgame stuff that well. BG wiki is more focuses on endgame.

http://ffxiclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page
https://www.bg-wiki.com/bg/Main_Page

I can't really recommend any guides to levelling at this point, I haven't done such a thing in a very long time. But if you look at the list of FoV/GoV you can get an idea of what's available in your level range and give it a try.
http://ffxiclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Field_Manual
http://ffxiclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Grounds_Tome

Edited, Dec 26th 2015 10:04am by Nanako

So how do you start about getting trusts?

Thank you! FFXI is obviously a very social game. How would I go about joining the community? What is a good server to start?

yeah Asura seems to to be the place for NA returnees. I stuck with my old server, Valefor, because sentimentality and hopes that old friends will return. As much as i want to get more cool people here, i would have to recommend Asura. Especially if you join the reddit Linkshell there (they actually have two shells now, due to the influx of people, which actually does not appeal to me - i prefer a small close knit group myself, but beggars/choosers etc. ) you will be surrounded by people and guidance.