Final Fantasy XIV players start their journey exploring on two legs, but the world of Eorzea is a little too vast to do that forever. A mount lets you move more quickly and (eventually) soar through the sky.
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What Are Mounts and Why Do You Need One?
A mount is your main mode of transportation in Final Fantasy XIV. Upon beginning A Realm Reborn, players have no choice but to walk everywhere they need to go. While it’s possible to teleport to specific areas by attuning to an area’s Aetheryte crystals, it can still become a pain to run from quest to quest. Riding a mount will make things much quicker.
With the release of the Endwalker expansion, over 200 mounts are now available. Some main quests in the game will reward players with a mount, while many other mounts drop in certain dungeons or raids. Certain mounts are only available during limited-time events or as microtransactions in the Online store. Some can even be earned by completing FATEs, doing PVP, or by crafting. Before finding your dream mount, you’ll have to unlock mounts in the first place.
Also note: all mounts can fly. To unlock flight, you must complete the level 50 main story quest titled ‘The Ultimate Weapon.’ This is the final quest in A Realm Reborn.
How to Get the Company Chocobo Mount
To get your first mount, you must first reach level 20.
As part of the game’s main story, players will eventually need to join a Grand Company. The desert city of Ul’dah is home to The Immortal Flames, the coastal pirate city of Limsa Lominsa is home to The Maelstrom, and the forest city of Gridania is home to The Order of the Twin Adder. A player can choose whichever Grand Company they like the best—it doesn’t have to be the one in your starting city.
After making this difficult choice, players will begin a quest called ‘The Company You Keep.’ By completing this, you officially be made a part of this Grand Company and will undertake a number of sequential quests in order to unlock Company Seals. This is a type of currency used exclusively to buy things at your Grand Company. Yes, you will be using these to Seals to get the Chocobo.
As you continue the questline, you will eventually start the ‘My Little Chocobo’ quest. Players will need to spend 200 Company Seals to purchase a Chocobo Issuance from their Grand Company’s Quartermaster. Below, you can see where this NPC is located at The Maelstrom headquarters in Limsa Lominsa.
Earning Company Seals is simple. Players can complete FATEs anywhere in Eorzea, complete entries in their Grand Company Hunting Log (which is also great for leveling), undertake Grand Company Leves, or turn in specific items to their Grand Company as a part of supply and provisioning missions.
Once you purchase the Chocobo Issuance and complete the quest, you will be given a Chocobo Whistle. Just use this item and congrats!
This Chocobo is more than just a mount. At level 30, players will get a quest called ‘My Feisty Little Chocobo.’ By completing this, your Chocobo can fight alongside you in battle, level up, and learn new skills. Having a Chocobo capable of casting healing spells comes in handy when you run into tough enemies in the field!
What is Barding?
Players will soon discover that looking stylish is a big part of Final Fantasy XIV’s appeal. Those who like to spend time cultivating a super cool glam for their character might also want their fashion sense to extend to their Chocobo! This is where Barding comes into play.
By using Barding Sets, players can dress up their Chocobo in all sorts of unique outfits. There are over 100 sets to choose from, which can be earned in different ways. Some can be crafted, others can be bought from the Market Board, while others are earned by completing quests or defeating powerful enemies.
To change your Chocobo’s barding, click on Companion under the Character tab. Under the Appearance tab, you can see what your Chocobo is wearing, as well as what color it is.
How to Change a Chocobo’s Color
Many newcomers to Final Fantasy XIV don’t realize that a Chocobo’s color can be altered. The process to do so can be quite complicated, but luckily, a helpful online tool exists to make things more simple.
Once you get your Chocobo, you can change its color right away. To do so, however, you must have access to a Chocobo Stable. The easiest way for a new player to do this is by joining a Free Company with an Estate and a Stable. A Free Company is like a guild, and can also be helpful for those looking to learn the ropes of FFXIV.
By right-clicking on a stable, a player can stable their Chocobo. Once this is done, all you need to do is feed your feathery friend the appropriate fruits! These can be grown through gardening or bought on the Market Board.
After feeding your Chocobo, its color will change after six hours depending on the combination of fruits it has eaten. To find out what to feed your Chocobo, use this handy-dandy FFXIV Chocobo Colour Calculator!
Easy-to-Obtain Mounts for Beginners
You don’t need to progress far in Final Fantasy XIV before you can get some neat mounts. Below are a few you can snag before finishing A Realm Reborn.
Unicorn
Final Fantasy XIV allows you to play as whatever class you want, whenever you want. Did you know that leveling your Conjurer could get you a Unicorn mount?
Getting this sparkly boy is easy. Level your conjurer to level 30, then accept the level 30 class quest from the guild master of the Conjurer’s Guild in Gridania. After this, accept another quest from an NPC named Braya standing nearby. This quest will be appropriately named ‘Unicorn Power.’ The quest takes about two minutes to do, and bam, the Unicorn is yours.
Beast Tribe Mounts
Throughout your travels in Eorzea, you’ll come across various Beast Tribes. Your goal is to befriend these creatures by completing daily quests. Doing this will give you experience, gil, and Reputation points. Once your reputation with a Beast Tribe is high enough, you’ll gain access to the Tribe’s vendor. This vendor will sell unique mounts, minions, furnishings, and more.
In A Realm Reborn, you’ll encounter the Amalj’aa, the Sylphs, the Kobolds, the Sahagin, and the Ixali. Each of these tribes will allow you to buy a unique mount once you reach the highest Reputation level. This is Rank 4 for each tribe except for the Ixali, which will require Rank 7. Above, you can see the Kobold’s Bomb Palanquin Mount.
Gold Saucer Mounts
Upon reaching Level 15, players will be able to visit the Gold Saucer. First seen in Final Fantasy VII, this casino offers tons of mini-games and activities such as Chocobo racing, Triple Triad, and Mahjong. Participating in these games will get you Manderville Gold Saucer points, or MGP. This currency can be spent on tons of unique items at the Gold Saucer, including mounts.
Above, you can see the most expensive mount available at the casino, the Sabotender Emperador. While this over-the-top mount costs a whopping 2,000,000 MGP, others are available for as little as 200,000 MGP.
Mounts Available on the Market Board
The Market Board is how players buy and sell items in Final Fantasy XIV. While most mounts can’t be traded or sold, some are actually available for purchase using this system. More affordable options include the Antelope Stag, the Zu, and the Flying Chair (pictured above).
Paid Mounts
Final Fantasy XIV sells some items for real-world money. Logging into Mog Station, the game’s account management system, players can browse tons of exclusive outfits, minions, and mounts. Just make your purchase, log back into the game, and find a Delivery Moogle to grab your item.
One mount on the Mog Station isn’t so straightforward. Pictured above, the Ceremony Chocobo is gifted to those who get married in-game. To do this, players can purchase a plan for the Eternal Bond ceremony on the Mog Station. After saying “I do,” this two-person mount is given as a reward.
