How to hire a Retainer in Final Fantasy XIV

If you’re looking to make a little bit of money on the Marketboard or simply want some more storage space to avoid your inventory filling up in Final Fantasy XIV, you’re definitely going to need a retainer or multiple. Here’s how to get them, including how extra retainers work. 

Hiring a Retainer in FFXIV doesn’t only bring with it access to the Marketboard or extra storage – hiring a Retainer and training them up through ventures will allow them to head out on their own adventures, returning with materials or items which can then be used or sold. Don’t worry if this all sounds a little daunting, I can help you figure it out. 

How to hire a Retainer in Final Fantasy XIV

Before you can hire a retainer in FFXIV, you’ll need to have completed the level 17 MSQ quest “The Scions of the Seventh Dawn.” Then you’ll be able to pick up the side quest, “An Ill-Conceived Venture”, which unlocks Retainers. You must do this side quest in the same city state in which you started (Limsa Lominsa, Gridania or Ul’dah). 

The quest is always given by an NPC called Troubled Adventurer and can be found in the following location in each state:

• New Gridania (X:11.8, Y:12.2)
• Limsa Lominsa Lower Decks (X:9.0, Y:11.2)
• Ul’dah – Steps of Nald (X:9.3, Y:8.7)

Once you’ve completed this quest, you’re free to hire a Retainer by talking to a Retainer Vocate in one of the major city states:

• Parnell in Old Gridania (X:14.6, Y:9.3)
• Chachabi in Ul’dah – Steps of Thal (X:13.3, Y:9.7)
• Frydwyb in Limsa Lominsa Lower Decks (X:8.3, Y:11.7)
• Prunilla in The Pillars, Ishgard (X:8.1, Y:10.9)
• Kazashi in Kugane (X:11.6, Y:12.1)
• Misfrith in The Crystarium (X:10.4, Y:13.1)
• Tanine in Old Sharlayan (X:12.6, Y:10.8)

You can only hire two Retainers by default, but there are ways to add more retainers if you’re in need of extra space.

How to get extra Retainers in Final Fantasy XIV

If you’re wanting more than two retainers, you can do one of two things:

• Download the FFXIV Companion App (on iOS or Android) and upgrade to premium, which provides one extra Retainer
• Purchase extra Retainers (up to seven) via the MogStation

Retainers purchased through the MogStation cost $2 USD per month per retainer. 

How to use a Retainer in Final Fantasy XIV

Once you’ve hired a retainer, you’ll be asked to design them using the Character Creation menu that you used to create your own character, then give them a name. Once this is done, you can access the Retainer service by interacting with any Summoning Bell. 

Once you do this, you’ll have the following options:

Retainer ventures in Final Fantasy XIV

In order to send your Retainer out on ventures, you’ll need to stock up on some of the currency required, which is also called Ventures. These can be obtained in a variety of ways, such as with Wolf Marks, GC Seals or in return for certain types of Tribal Quest currency. 

Depending on the class or Job applied to the Retainer, the options given when assigning a venture may vary, but in general, there are three different types of venture to which a Retainer can be assigned:

• Job specific (Hunting, Mining, Botany or Fishing)
• Field Exploration (Usually takes 18 hours, costs 2 Ventures)
• Quick exploration (after the Retainer reaches level 10, takes one hour, costs 2 Ventures)

While Field Exploration ventures take a lot of time to complete, they’re excellent in terms of helping your Retainer level up as they reward far more experience. However, Quick Exploration ventures allow you to gain more items, including gear, much more quickly.