Final Fantasy XIV's next major expansion, titled 'Evercold,' is slated for a January 2027 release, and details emerging suggest it will be the most significant overhaul to the MMORPG since its 2013 relaunch with 'A Realm Reborn.' While the upcoming Fan Fest Tokyo is expected to reveal further information, a substantial amount is already known about the expansion's new features and system changes.
New Jobs and Evolved Combat
'Evercold' will introduce two new job classes. The first, 'bastion,' is a tank class that wields the 'skyltborg,' a weapon described as a hybrid gunshield with a blade. This class reportedly blends melee DPS, ranged DPS, and tanking capabilities. The second new job is confirmed to be a ranged physical damage dealer, with speculation and strong community theories pointing towards a crossbow as its primary weapon.
Beyond new classes, Square Enix is implementing an "evolved" combat system aimed at restoring individuality to job classes. This system seeks to streamline abilities, potentially making the game more accessible for new players by reducing the complexity of ability rotations. For those who prefer the existing system, 'Evercold' will retain a "reborn" mode that keeps the current combat mechanics intact.
Player Choice and Customization
A notable departure for 'Evercold' is the introduction of player choice in main story quest progression. Unlike previous expansions, players will be able to select the order in which they tackle story areas, with NPC dialogue reflecting these choices. To ensure a cohesive experience regardless of player decisions, content in each area will dynamically adjust to player levels.
Player character customization is also receiving a significant boost. 'Evercold' will add new options for Au Ra horns, nose shadings, face paints, and more granular control over eye, hair, and skin colors. Additionally, players will be able to customize animations, including their teleport spell and job-specific actions, allowing for a more unique visual presentation.
Streamlining the Grind
'Evercold' aims to reduce the time investment required for progression, particularly for players who manage multiple job classes at the level cap. The current daily quest system for acquiring currency to purchase higher-level gear will be replaced by a weekly system. Players will choose quests to complete at their own pace, earning activity points to buy gear.
To alleviate the burden of gearing up multiple classes, a new "reflect" system will allow players to transfer the highest item level gear they own to other max-level job classes. While this won't apply to gear enhancements like materia, it should significantly ease the process of bringing secondary and tertiary jobs up to par.
Companion System Expansion
Previously, players could not take their chocobo companions into dungeons. 'Evercold' will update the companion system to allow chocobos to participate as combat party members. This change means players could potentially run dungeons with a single other player and their two chocobos filling out the remaining party slots.