What are Squadrons?
The Squadron is one of the most useful optional features in FFXIV. These can be used as a source of consumables such as buffs. Squadron does not involve gearing. It is only a fun adventure, similar to retainers.
If you are playing as a solo player, then the squadron is an essential feature for you.
Squadron members have only limited access.
They can play until level 60 and cannot proceed further. These members are also limited to base classes, including Conjurer, Archer, Gladiator.
Before moving to the guidelines that will help you level upwards, you should know how to unlock the squadron.
How to unlock Squadron:
It is straightforward to unlock.
To unlock this feature, you should complete level 47, having the quest Squadron and commander. When you reach level 20, you enter into the grand company.
To unlock the squads, you have to speak to the person present at the back of the counter while you reach the second lieutenant rank.
Enter through the side door, and your journey of progression will start.
Steps of unlocking squadron:
The first step is to choose your grand company. This is done at level 15 during the main story quests. You can change your grand company after every 15 days if you don’t like it.
The next step is to get the title of Second Lieutenant. It is quite challenging. To get this title, you need to complete the Grand Company Hunting Log and different specific dungeons.
After getting the Second Lieutenant title, the next step will depend upon the grand company chosen earlier.
If you have chosen Maelstorm, you can get Squadron and Commander quest from Storm Personnel Officer in Limsa Lominsa Upper Decks after reaching level 47.
If you have chosen Order of the Twin Adder, you can get the quests available at the serpent officer in New Gridania. You need to reach level 47.
If you have chosen Immortal Flames, the quest will be available at the Flames officer in Ul’dah Steps of Nald.
After the completion of the quest, you will be able to enter the barracks. Your squadron will start progressing.
How can you add new members to your squad?
When you start, you are provided with a squad comprising of three members. Each of the squad members performs specific challenges.
By doing challenge logs, new people will try to enter and become a member of your squad.
Check out the adventurous squadron selection if any people want to join your squad whenever you complete a log.
However, not all challenges will give you people as squad members. You need to do at least 4 challenges to get a single member in your existing squad.
If you want more members in your squad, you can do this by going to stuff and completely different challenge logs to get more squad members. You can have almost 8 more people in your squad through this.
You can also train your squad members as you get about 18 hours of free time after challenges.
How to level up your squadron?
You would be probably wondering how to get high level in squadron.
There are three ways to level up your squadron, but if you have rank 1 then you can use only 2 of them.
These include:
Through Training missions at the Regimen Board
Through Squadron missions at the Sergeant
Or through command missions at the Sergeant
But command missions are only available if you have rank above 2.
Let’s discuss in detail what these are.
- Training missions:
There are about three trainings per day each for about one hour. All the current members of the squadron are covered within this mission. However, these comprehensive missions do not change your squadron attributes compared to other missions by bringing either 1 or 2 attributes. - Squadron mission:
During this mission, there are only four members in the squad. It will last for only 18 hours. Once you are done with this squadron mission, it will lock and open only after its weekly reset.
This mission contains required attributes option. You have to fill your current attributes by selecting members from the squad. The main purpose of this selection is to match it with required attributes. If they match them, you will get a green signal. If not, you will get a red signal.
You will fail if all three attributes receive a red signal.
When these attributes get green signals means success.
If you get one red signal, then there is a chance that you may succeed, but if you get two red signals, you might fail.
This training help you out in switching your stats if you want to do a particular mission.
It is important to note that those squad members set on to squadron mission cannot be used in the command mission or command training.
- Command missions:
These missions are only possible if you have a rank of two or above. These are the dungeons that you have to overtake along with squadron members. AI controls these.
Strategies for leveling up:
The main things you want to do are to first select the squadron mission you want to do afterward, perform the training, and then send the squadrons. It will take about three hours to do all the three trainings and then sending them out.
If you have less time you can just send a squadron and for the remaining four members you can perform trainings as much as possible.
If you have a higher ranking then you can also consider following these steps:
Do trainings, send your squad members which are free to command missions.
How to increase your ranking?
Ranking up is not a difficult task to perform.
Rank 1 to 2:
You can reach rank 2 from 1 by doing a special flagged mission after one member has reached level 20.
Rank 2 to 3:
You can reach rank 3 from 2 by doing a special flagged mission after one member has reached level 40.
Extra grand company ranks:
These do not rank up your squadron, but if you want your grand company ranks to increase to Caption, you have t perform 5 unique command missions. You should also be First Lieutenant in your grand company.
Is it possible to change to squadron member class?
Yes you can easily change your squadron member class by going to the grand company shop. There you can but contemporary warfare books.
You can change defense into a tank.
Offense can be changed to a non-magical DPS
Magic can be change into a magical DPS or a healer.
How to get squadron members on enlistment papers?
If you want your squadron members to show up in the Enlistment papers, you need to fill the entries within your challenge log.
Squadron attributes:
Each of the squad member possess three attributes. These attributes are Physical, mental and tactical.
Generally the stats are as follows:
High Physical includes Marauder and Gladiator.
High tactical include Archer and Rogue.
Medium Physical and Tactical include Pugilist.
High mentality includes Conjurer and Thaumaturge.
Medium Mentality and Tactical includes Arcanist.
These squadron are based on your grand company ranks.
If you’re having rank 1 then you can allocate 200.
If you’re having rank 2 then you can allocate 300.
And if you’re having rank 3 then you can allocate 400.
By the time, these squadron unlocks chemistry. Each of the squad members also has AI tactics.
Chemistry:
These are the buffs received when you will complete a squadron or command mission. You can also acquire a new one in the presence of previous one.
If you want the incoming chemistry, you click on confirm but if you don’t want to then don’t confirm it. It will disappear on its own after few seconds.
Tactics:
Your squadron members can start tactics at level 1. You can also get new tactics by completing the command missions. These tactics will help you to increase your squadron member’s stats.
Benefits of Squadrons:
It helps you to become a First Lieutenant having a grand company cap worth 80,000.
Flagged missions help to increase ranks.
If you complete 10 command missions you will be provided with different rewards. Push ups and sit ups are given as rewards.
Command missions helps to increase the level as mentioned earlier.
Squadron missions rewards you buffs.
