FFXIV MSQ List - Complete Main Story Quest Order

If you want the cleanest way through the story (and you do), you need two things: the correct MSQ order, and a simple method to track where you are without getting baited into optional detours. This guide gives you both — from A Realm Reborn all the way through Dawntrail.

Key Takeaways

The MSQ is the BACKBONE OF FFXIV — it unlocks core features, regions, dungeons, trials, and most endgame systems;
The overall order is — ARR (2.0) → ARR patches (2.1-2.55) → Heavensward → Stormblood → Shadowbringers → Endwalker → Post-Endwalker (6.1+) → Dawntrail (7.0+);
You do not need a third-party checklist to progress — if you follow the MSQ marker and keep your journal tidy, you will never get lost;
Crystal Tower alliance raids become mandatory for MSQ progression — newer versions of the MSQ funnel you into it;
Dawntrail MSQ begins with A NEW WORLD TO EXPLORE, then continues through Tuliyollal and the early zone quest chains.

What Counts as MSQ in FFXIV (and What Does Not)

Before the list, let’s lock definitions so you do not waste time!

🔥 WHAT MSQ IS

Main Scenario Quests (MSQ) are the story quests with the meteor icon. They unlock core content such as travel, Grand Companies, mounts, dungeons, trials, and later expansion access.

🔥 WHAT MSQ IS NOT (BUT OFTEN GETS MIXED IN)

Blue quests (feature unlocks);
Normal side quests (yellow);
Optional raid stories;
Alliance raids (except CRYSTAL TOWER, which becomes required for MSQ progression).

This guide is a complete MSQ order guide, but I will also tell you where the game FORCES an MSQ-adjacent requirement like CRYSTAL TOWER.

How to Use This Guide as Your MSQ Tracker

If you searched for an ffxiv msq tracker, you probably want one of these outcomes:

A clean “what expansion am I in?” answer;
A “what patch MSQ arc am I on?” answer;
A “what is the next MSQ set after I finish this?” answer.

So here is the simplest tracking method that works in every expansion:

🍀 STEP 1 – ALWAYS PRIORITIZE THE MSQ MARKER

Follow the meteor quest icon in your HUD and journal. This keeps your MSQ FFXIV path correct no matter where you are.

🍀 STEP 2 – KEEP YOUR JOURNAL ORGANIZED

Your journal will show the active MSQ name. If you are ever unsure where you are in the list of ffxiv msq, compare your current quest to the section headers below (ARR, post‑ARR patches, Heavensward, etc.).

🍀 STEP 3 – KNOW THE “GATE CHECKS”

Some points of the story require extra completion steps:

CRYSTAL TOWER becomes mandatory for MSQ progression on the streamlined route;
Some expansions require role quest completion to finish the 0.0 story (example: SHADOWBRINGERS requires a role quest line to proceed to the finale).

If you hit a gate, it is not because you missed MSQ. It is because the MSQ now checks a requirement.

The Complete MSQ Order (Big Picture)

Here is the full order in one line:

A REALM REBORN (ARR) 2.0;
ARR PATCH MSQ 2.1–2.55 – often called the Seventh Astral Era quests;
HEAVENSWARD (3.0) MSQ;
POST‑HEAVENSWARD (3.1–3.56) MSQ;
STORMBLOOD (4.0) MSQ;
POST‑STORMBLOOD (4.1–4.56) MSQ;
SHADOWBRINGERS (5.0) MSQ;
POST‑SHADOWBRINGERS (5.1–5.55) MSQ;
ENDWALKER (6.0) MSQ;
POST‑ENDWALKER (6.1+) MSQ;
DAWNTRAIL (7.0) MSQ.

Now we go expansion by expansion, with a clear MSQ list structure you can use like a tracker.

FFXIV ARR MSQ (2.0) — A Realm Reborn Main Story Order

ARR is the foundation. It starts with your city‑state opening, then converges into one unified story path.

If you want to focus on the story without slowing down for long gil grinds, many players prefer to remove economic friction early. You can GET FFXIV GIL to cover repairs, teleports, and upgrades while progressing through the MSQ at a smooth pace.

ARR MSQ Structure (What You Should Expect)

ARR MSQ is usually felt in three phases:

City introduction and Scions setup;
Primal arcs and Grand Company progression;
Endgame lead-in and the ARR finale.

ARR MSQ (2.0) ends at THE ULTIMATE WEAPON (the final quest of patch 2.0).

ARR MSQ List — The Important Milestones

Listing every ARR quest name would turn this into a 20‑page spreadsheet and make it less usable as an MSQ tracker. Instead, here is the “never get lost” version — the milestones that define progress:

LEVEL 1–15 — Starting city story → first airship travel unlock;
LEVEL 15–30 — Your first primal arc and dungeon unlock cadence;
LEVEL 30–50 — Grand Company, mounts, and the push toward Castrum and Praetorium;
LEVEL 50 FINALE — The final sequence leading into THE ULTIMATE WEAPON.

If you want a strict list view for ARR MSQ quests (every quest name), reference‑style lists exist, but for gameplay tracking, the milestone approach is faster and safer.

ARR Patch MSQ (2.1–2.55) — Seventh Astral Era Order

This is the part people describe as “the bridge to Heavensward.” It is also much cleaner now than it used to be because the MSQ was streamlined later (quests removed and flow improved).

This entire arc is commonly grouped as Seventh Astral Era Main Scenario Quests.

⚔️ PATCH 2.1 – A REALM AWOKEN

Starts after THE ULTIMATE WEAPON;
The entry quest is THE PRICE OF PRINCIPLES;
Early on you will be pushed toward content that establishes the post‑ARR world state.

If you are building an ffxiv msq list for yourself, you can mark 2.1 as – The Ultimate Weapon -> The Price of Principles -> (continue MSQ in order).

⚔️ PATCH 2.2 – THROUGH THE MAELSTROM

This is one of the easiest patch arcs to identify because the MSQ arc name is also a quest:

Entry quest: THROUGH THE MAELSTROM;

From here, you simply follow MSQ until the patch arc completes and the next one becomes available.

⚔️ PATCH 2.3 – DEFENDERS OF EORZEA

Entry quest: THE GREAT DIVIDE;
This arc advances both the geopolitical tension and the setup that matters later.

⚔️ PATCH 2.4 – DREAMS OF ICE

This is the MSQ arc that starts pushing harder toward the Heavensward runway. (You will feel the tone shift.)

Arc name: DREAMS OF ICE.

⚔️ PATCH 2.5 AND 2.55 – BEFORE THE FALL (AND THE FINALE)

ARR’s patch story concludes in a dramatic finale, ending the 2.x era and throwing you into the expansion transition.

Arc name: BEFORE THE FALL.

🍀 MANDATORY REQUIREMENT WARNING – CRYSTAL TOWER

At some point in this post‑ARR MSQ stretch, modern MSQ progression requires you to complete the CRYSTAL TOWER alliance raid series. This is not “optional flavor” anymore in the streamlined MSQ route.

If you hit an MSQ wall around ARR patches, CRYSTAL TOWER is the first thing to check.

Heavensward MSQ Order (3.0)

Once you finish the ARR patch finale and meet the expansion transition, you enter Heavensward proper.

HEAVENSWARD MAIN SCENARIO QUESTS are the quests released in Patch 3.0 as part of the expansion.

🍀 HEAVENSWARD MSQ STARTS HERE

The early Heavensward MSQ includes:

COMING TO ISHGARD;

From that point onward, your MSQ tracker is simple:

Follow the MSQ marker;
Complete required duties as they unlock;
Continue until the 3.0 finale concludes.

Post‑Heavensward MSQ (3.1–3.56) — Dragonsong Aftermath

After finishing the 3.0 finale, the story continues through the post‑Heavensward MSQ, which bridges directly into Stormblood.

This arc is often remembered as the resolution of lingering conflicts and the political reshaping of the world after Ishgard’s transformation.

🍀 POST-HEAVENSWARD MSQ STRUCTURE

Patch 3.1–3.3 continues the Dragonsong narrative and resolves its core conflict;
Patch 3.4–3.56 transitions the focus outward, laying the groundwork for Ala Mhigo and Doma.

If you are using this article as an FFXIV MSQ TRACKER, this entire section is simply: FINISH HEAVENSWARD (3.0) → CONTINUE MSQ UNTIL THE STORMBLOOD EXPANSION UNLOCKS.

You do not need to manually select anything special — the MSQ marker will guide you through the correct order automatically.

Stormblood MSQ Order (4.0)

Stormblood shifts the narrative focus toward liberation and large‑scale conflict, with the MSQ split across two major regions.

Stormblood MSQ Overview

The ffxiv stormblood msq progresses through:

Ala Mhigo‑related storylines;
Doma and the Far East;
The convergence of both arcs toward the expansion finale.

Stormblood MSQ ends with the completion of the 4.0 main scenario, after which post‑expansion patches become available.

What to Expect During Stormblood MSQ

Longer travel distances;
More frequent dungeon and trial unlocks;
Clear escalation in narrative stakes.

For players tracking the list of ffxiv msq, Stormblood is one of the cleanest expansions in terms of pacing and structure.

Post‑Stormblood MSQ (4.1–4.56) — The Road to Shadowbringers

The post‑Stormblood MSQ gradually shifts the tone away from open warfare toward a deeper, more mysterious setup.

☝ WHY POST-STORMBLOOD MATTERS

This arc introduces:

New long‑term narrative threads;
A gradual departure from the Source‑centric storyline;
Early signals of the SHADOWBRINGERS premise.

If you ever feel like the MSQ is “changing genre” during this period, that’s intentional.

As an MSQ FFXIV tracker note – once Stormblood ends, simply continue MSQ until the game transitions you into Shadowbringers content.

Shadowbringers MSQ Order (5.0)

Shadowbringers is often cited as one of the strongest narrative arcs in FFXIV, and its MSQ structure reflects that focus.

⭐ SHADOWBRINGERS MSQ FLOW

The ffxiv Shadowbringers msq unfolds as:

Arrival in a completely new setting;
Zone‑by‑zone restoration and story progression;
A tightly controlled narrative build toward the finale.

⭐ MANDATORY ROLE QUEST REQUIREMENT

To finish the Shadowbringers MSQ, you must complete at least ONE ROLE QUEST LINE. This is not optional and often catches players off guard.

If your MSQ appears blocked near the end of Shadowbringers, check your role quest progress before assuming something is wrong.

Post‑Shadowbringers MSQ (5.1–5.55)

This arc serves as both:

A narrative cooldown after SHADOWBRINGERS’ climax;
A direct setup for ENDWALKER.

⭐ WHAT THIS ARC DOES

Resolves lingering consequences;
Re‑centers the story back toward the Source;
Introduces threads that will pay off heavily in ENDWALKER.

For MSQ tracking purposes – Shadowbringers end → continue MSQ until Endwalker unlocks.

Endwalker MSQ Order (6.0)

ENDWALKER represents the conclusion of a long‑running narrative arc that began back in ARR.

⭐ ENDWALKER MSQ STRUCTURE

The ffxiv Endwalker msq is:

Highly linear;
Story‑dense;
Less fragmented than earlier expansions.

You will notice fewer “branching” moments and more direct story momentum.

⭐ IMPORTANT PACING NOTES

Endwalker expects you to:

Stay focused on MSQ;
Avoid excessive side content during the main story;
Let the narrative play out as intended.

This is by design and helps deliver a cohesive finale.

Post‑Endwalker MSQ (6.1+) — The New Arc Begins

After Endwalker, the game transitions into a new long‑term storyline.

⭐ POST-ENDWALKER MSQ PURPOSE

The FFXIV post Endwalker msq:

Establishes a fresh narrative direction;
Introduces new political and cultural themes;
Acts as the bridge toward DAWNTRAIL.

If you are tracking MSQ progression, everything labeled 6.1 and onward belongs to this new arc.

Dawntrail MSQ Order (7.0)

DAWNTRAIL marks the start of the next full expansion and a new chapter in the game’s story.

🍀 DAWNTRAIL MSQ ENTRY POINT

The ffxiv DAWNTRAIL msq begins after completing all required post‑endwalker MSQ.

What players should expect:

A shift in tone toward exploration and discovery;
New regions and cultures;
A fresh narrative foundation rather than direct continuation.

As with previous expansions, the MSQ marker will guide you through the correct quest order automatically.

FAQ

Is the MSQ mandatory in FFXIV?

Yes. MSQ progression unlocks nearly all core systems, zones, and endgame content.

Can I skip MSQ?

Skipping is possible, but you will miss story context and progression pacing designed into the game.

How long does it take to finish all MSQ?

From ARR to Dawntrail, the MSQ can take hundreds of hours depending on playstyle and reading speed.

Do I need a separate MSQ tracker?

No. The in‑game journal and MSQ marker are sufficient if you understand the expansion order.

Why does MSQ sometimes feel blocked?

Usually due to required duties, alliance raids, or role quests tied to the current expansion.

Conclusion

The MSQ is the spine of Final Fantasy XIV. Once you understand the correct order and the few mandatory checkpoints along the way, progression becomes smooth and predictable.

Whether you are starting fresh or returning after a break, following the complete FFXIV MSQ LIST from ARR through Dawntrail ensures you never lose your place, miss critical unlocks, or waste time chasing the wrong objectives.

Treat the MSQ as a continuous journey, not a checklist — and the game rewards you for it.

Key Takeaways
What Counts as MSQ in FFXIV (and What Does Not)
How to Use This Guide as Your MSQ Tracker
The Complete MSQ Order (Big Picture)
FFXIV ARR MSQ (2.0) — A Realm Reborn Main Story Order
ARR Patch MSQ (2.1–2.55) — Seventh Astral Era Order
Heavensward MSQ Order (3.0)
Post‑Heavensward MSQ (3.1–3.56) — Dragonsong Aftermath
Stormblood MSQ Order (4.0)
Post‑Stormblood MSQ (4.1–4.56) — The Road to Shadowbringers
Shadowbringers MSQ Order (5.0)
Post‑Shadowbringers MSQ (5.1–5.55)
Endwalker MSQ Order (6.0)
Post‑Endwalker MSQ (6.1+) — The New Arc Begins
Dawntrail MSQ Order (7.0)
FAQ
Conclusion

FFXIV MSQ List – Complete Main Story Quest Order (ARR to Dawntrail)

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