Alright Eorzeans, buckle up! Final Fantasy XIV Patch 7.21 has officially released, and it’s bringing a whole nebula of goodies, primarily focused on our hardworking Crafters and Gatherers. Seriously, this patch is for you. The main event? Cosmic Exploration! This isn’t just a fancy name; it’s a whole new large-scale content extravaganza now available, a bit like Ishgard Restoration but in spaaaace. It also includes the Cosmic Tools questline β yes, that means shiny new, enhanceable relic-style tools for your Disciple of Hand and Land jobs are on the menu, along with heaps of other new items and rewards. Cosmic Exploration opens a new page in FFXIVβs evolving sandbox design, giving crafters and gatherers their most expansive sandbox yet
Now, before diving headfirst into the stardust, let’s manage expectations. This patch, 7.21, is laser-focused on the DoH/L crowd. Things like the Mimjola allied society quests (Occult Crescent), the combat job weapon enhancements (Phantom Weapons), and more wacky Hildibrand Adventures? They’re taking a rain check for now and are beamed in for Patch 7.25 (expected around late May – exact date tbd). This content caters to seekers of masteryβthose who find joy in perfecting every tool, every craft, and every mission. So, keep your swords sharp, but maybe dust off those hammers and pickaxes first β their time to shine is now.
Blasting Off: Starting Your Final Fantasy Cosmic Journey
Ready to explore the final frontier (or at least, the moon)? Here’s how to get started now that the patch is live:
Meet the Crew & Your First Tool: Head over to Old Sharlayan and find the Loporrit NPC Namingway chilling near the Aetheryte Plaza (coordinates X:2.6, Y:3.6). They kick things off with the quest “A Cosmic Homecoming.” Completing this initial quest rewards you with a Cosmic Prototype Coffer. Make sure you’re on the DoH/L job you want your first tool for when you open this coffer, as it grants the initial Phase 1 Cosmic Tool (equipable at Level 10, looks pretty basic at first, let’s be honest). You’ll also be issued your trusty exotablet, the main UI for all this cosmic business. Itβs like your Pokedex, but for moon missions.
Getting to the Moon Base: Once you’ve picked up that quest, don’t just blindly click the Aethernet! You need to hoof it (or teleport) over to Mare Lamentorum. Speak to Drivingway (X:21.9, Y:13.2) β not the nearby navigate gate! β who will shuttle you over via moon buggy cutscene to the new hub zone, Sinus Andorum. Welcome to your new home away from home!
Prerequisites (Still Easy!): Fear not, sprout crafters and gatherers! You just need Level 10 on any Disciple of Hand or Land class to get started. That’s ridiculously low! However, the one big hurdle is you must have also completed the entire main scenario questline for the Endwalker expansion. Good news for folks who haven’t jumped into Dawntrail yet or are taking a break β this content is accessible to a wide range of players!
Follow-up Quests: After “A Cosmic Homecoming,” other quests like “Passion, Thy Name is Adornum,” “A Manager’s Patience,” and “A Manager’s Persistence” become available, guiding you through the various systems and unlocking more features within Sinus Ardorum.
Mounts Disabled (For Now!): Fair warning: you cannot use mounts within Sinus Ardorum, at least not initially. It can feel annoying running from one side to the other, but the guide mentions this is intentional. The idea is that as your server progresses the zone’s infrastructure, you’ll unlock faster travel methods like the Cosmo Liner ziplines, making the zone feel more user-friendly over time. Itβs a journey, not just a destination!
Battle System Tweaks (Not Cosmic, But Important!)
Separate from the crafting/gathering focus, there are a couple of notable combat adjustments:
Zelenia VAT Visibility: Thank the Twelve! Players gave feedback about the visual chaos in the Recollection Zelenia VAT trial (Normal/Extreme), and Square Enix listened. The contrast of those super bright, flashy magic sigils (the pink/orange floor spaghetti that obscured everything) has been adjusted. Even for those without major sensory issues, that fight could be a lot of visual noise. Hopefully, this change makes spotting mechanics significantly easier and less headache-inducing. Less visual soup, more tactical gameplay!
Savage Echo Boost: Still progging or wanting to farm the previous Savage raid tier (Light Heavyweight)? Good news! A permanent 10% Echo buff (boosting max HP, damage dealt, and healing potency) now applies automatically upon entering those duties. It’s not tied to wiping, just a flat bonus to make revisits or clearing slightly smoother.
Diving Deeper into Cosmic Exploration (Confirmed Mechanics!)
Okay, now that it’s live, hereβs the confirmed gameplay loop for this new DoH/L playground:
The Goal: Team up (indirectly) with everyone else on your Home World! Work together as Disciples of Hand and Land to explore uncharted cosmic terrain, starting with the moon base in Sinus Ardorum. As your server collectively contributes, the base camp visually evolves, new areas unlock, new mission types appear, and more rewards become available. The plan is for new zones on other planets/stars to be added throughout the 7.x patch cycle (7.3x, 7.4x, etc.). Itβs a long-term journey, a crafting odyssey that might stretch into eternityβor at least until Patch 7.5!
Home World Lock: Cannot stress this enough! You can only access Cosmic Exploration areas and quests while on your designated Home World. No hopping over to Balmung to see their progress if you’re on Brynhildr. Each realm charts its own path through the starsβno inter-server assistance allowed!
Getting There (After Unlocking): Travel to Sinus Ardorum anytime by speaking to Drivingway in Mare Lamentorum. Prepare for moon buggy rides!
Your Handy Exotablet (Your Command Center): This UI element is your key interface, much like the Islekeep’s Index for Island Sanctuary. Buttons and functions accessed here include:
- Stellar Missions: Pick up your crafting/gathering tasks here.
- Cosmic Research: Track and upgrade your precious Cosmic Tools.
- Stellar Successes: View your daily/standard achievements and claim rewards.
- Infrastructure Index: See how far your server has progressed in developing the zone.
- Cosmo Pouch: Access your dedicated inventory for Cosmic materials.
- Cosmic Crafting Log: Find recipes needed specifically for Stellar Missions.
- Stellar Reduction: Use the gatherer ability to break down specific items.
- Mech Ops Application: Sign up for a chance to pilot a giant mech!
- Cosmic Fortune: Play the reward lottery.
- Video Log: Rewatch those cool base evolution cutscenes if you missed the live Project FATEs!
Server Progress & The Infrastructure Index: Check your server’s progress via the Infrastructure Index on the exotablet. This functions like the restoration board in Ishgard. As your server completes Stellar Missions, the infrastructure expands in a steady march of progress. When it hits 100%, a special server-wide FATE called a Cosmic Exploration Project triggers (more on that below). Successfully completing this event advances the zone’s development stage, unlocking new mission tiers, helpful facilities (like the Cosmo Liner ziplines for faster travel between points in the zone), and eventually paving the way for future zone additions. Want to see how your server stacks up against others? Check the official Cosmic Exploration Report website!
Stellar Missions Explained: These are the core repeatable quests, your bread-and-butter for contributing. Issued via the exotablet, they’ll ask you to gather specific materials or craft particular items needed for the ongoing exploration effort. Completing them fuels server progress and unlocks higher tiers (starting at Class D and going up through C, B, and multiple ranks of A, including very challenging endgame Expert Recipes that demand top-tier gear and skill).
Mission Ranks & Rewards: Your performance on each mission (based on quality, quantity, speed perhaps) is graded Gold, Silver, or Bronze. Higher ranks net you significantly more research data for your Cosmic Tools and more of the special currencies (Cosmocredits / Lunar Credits). Getting Gold also gives you a chance to unlock bonus Sequential Missions. Aim for Gold whenever possible!
Quest Sync Magic & Leveling: Confirmed and fantastic! All Stellar Missions use quest sync, scaling the difficulty and rewards based on your current level in that DoH/L class. A Level 10 Miner and a Level 100 Miner can both contribute meaningfully, facing appropriate challenges and earning scaled rewards (including massive EXP for lower levels!). This makes Cosmic Exploration arguably one of the best ways to level your crafters and gatherers from 10 all the way to 100! Need gear while leveling? Vendor Godgyth in Sinus Ardorum sells basic catch-up sets and repair materials (Dark Matter).
Mission Variety: It’s not just hitting rocks or basic synths! Expect standard gathering/crafting, collectible gathering (get that collectability rating high!), Stellar Reduction missions (where gatherers need to find specific items and then successfully reduce them to get the actual required component β can be frustratingly RNG!), and even complex multi-step missions that might require you to gather materials and then switch to a crafter to synth something within the same time limit.
Tracking Your Missions & Managing Your Space Loot
The Mission Widget: During a Stellar Mission, this UI element keeps track of your remaining time, current score, and the thresholds needed for Silver and Gold ranks. Super helpful for knowing how close you are!
Cosmo Pouch Power!: Confirmed! A dedicated, separate inventory just for Cosmic Exploration stuff. Your main bags are safe from moon dust overflow! Hallelujah!
Cosmic Crafting Log: Confirmed! Access mission-specific recipes directly through the exotablet, keeping things separate from your standard log.
Stellar Reduction: Confirmed! Gatherers can use this exotablet function to aetherially reduce certain items into mission components. Useful, but potentially reliant on RNG.
Beyond Basic Missions: Provisional & Critical Alerts! (Confirmed!)
Spice up your grind with these special mission types:
Provisional Missions – Chasing Chains:
Sequential Missions: Score Gold on a regular mission, and you might unlock one of these follow-up missions for just 5 minutes. Chain them successfully for bonus rewards!
Weather/Time Restricted Missions: Some missions only appear under specific lunar weather effects or during certain Eorzean times. Adds a bit of variety and rewards vigilance!
Critical Missions – Red Alert! (Confirmed FATE-like Event):
Think emergency response! Triggered by special weather, these 20-minute events put out a call for specific DoH/L jobs. Two progress bars appear, tracking contributions for the needed classes.
Players on the highlighted jobs can spam special Critical Missions for boosted rewards.
Filling both bars before time runs out = success and maximum bonus rewards for everyone who participated! Failing to fill them = fewer bonus rewards. These are prime time for earning currencies, so jump in when you see one! The requirement likely scales based on server participation.
Mech Ops: Pilot Your Own Giant Robot (Confirmed Lottery & Gameplay!)
Get ready for large-scale cooperative action! Mech Ops are special FATE-like public events popping up roughly every 20 minutes in Sinus Ardorum, lasting 5 minutes each.
Two Roles: You can either hope to be a Mech Pilot or join as Ground Support.
Becoming a Pilot (It’s a Lottery!):
First, buy a Pilot Application item from the NPC Alerot using 1,000 Lunar Credits.
When the Mech Op alert appears on your screen, use your exotablet to submit your application.
The system then randomly chooses five lucky players from all applicants to pilot the giant mechs. May the odds be ever in your favor!
If you don’t get picked, your Application/1,000 Lunar Credits are refunded. Plus, a pity system slightly increases your chances next time. So keep trying! (Just don’t win and then bail, or you lose the fee!)
Pilot Rewards: Piloting is prestigious! Successfully completing the event as a pilot rewards you with a Big Bang Ticket, used for a special spin on the Cosmic Fortune wheel. There’s also a very small chance you might just get the High Mobility Vacuum Suit mount directly instead of a ticket! Jackpot!
Being Ground Support (Still Important!):
Not chosen or didn’t apply? No problem! Head to the event location and join via the Duty List. Ground Support uses special actions (like flamethrowers or drills, depending on the specific Mech Op objective) to destroy smaller targets and gather resources. Depositing these resources at designated Field Scanners helps spawn the larger targets that only the pilots can destroy efficiently. Pilots might also need to refuel at designated spots. It’s a real team effort!
Ground Support still gets good rewards: Cosmocredits, Lunar Credits, valuable EXP for your current DoH/L job, and a temporary buff granting +10 bonus credits on your next 20 Stellar Missions. Definitely worth participating even if you’re not in the cockpit!
Cosmic Exploration Projects: Building the Future (Confirmed Server FATEs!)
Sometimes, emergencies strike amid darknessβemergency weather spawns Red Alerts, requiring your serverβs swiftest hands. These are the major server-wide milestones, marking significant progress in developing Sinus Ardorum. They trigger when the main Infrastructure Index progress bar hits 100%.
Scheduled Events: Everyone on the server gets a notification when a Project FATE is scheduled. After a countdown, the event begins automatically.
Joining In: Head to the marked location and click the “Join FATE” button in your Duty List. These events involve collaborative, non-combat tasks like welding structures, drilling rocks, hammering components, or vacuuming moon dust using contextual actions. They can last a while (one example took 40 minutes!). While some found it repetitive, it’s all about that collective effort!
Evolving Zone: Success = Progress! Completing the Project FATE advances the server to the next development stage, resulting in permanent visual changes to the Sinus Ardorum hub (tents might become sturdy stalls, new facilities appear, etc.) and unlocking new mission tiers or features. Crucially, these Project FATEs happen only once per world for each stage! If you miss the live event, you miss participating, but you can catch up on the visual changes using the Video Log on your exotablet.
Contribution Rewards: Participants get rewards like Gil, currency (Cosmocredits / Lunar Credits), and significant EXP based on their contribution level (though hitting the max reward threshold likely doesn’t require non-stop participation).
Show Me the Space Money! Currencies Confirmed
Two main currencies fuel your cosmic endeavors:
Cosmocredits (White Currency): The workhorse currency earned from most activities. Spend these at the vendor Mesouaidonque in Sinus Ardorum for a wide array of items: the Star Crew glamour set, furnishings, minions (like the Happy Robot!), orchestrion rolls, portrait framer kits, face wear, emotes, materia, and some of the new dyes (like Carmine Red).
Lunar Credits (Blue Currency): Seemingly rarer, earned from missions and successes. Has two primary uses, requiring 1,000 credits each time:
- Buy a Pilot Application for Mech Ops from Alerot.
- Play the Cosmic Fortune minigame at Orbitingway.
- Choose wisely how you spend these! Gamble on piloting glory or spin the wheel for rare prizes?
Stellar Successes: Your Cosmic Challenge Log (Confirmed!)
Check your progress and earn bonus currency via the Stellar Successes menu on your exotablet.
Daily & Standard: Confirmed Daily Successes reset daily, offering a good chunk of both Cosmocredits and Lunar Credits (~1,000 Lunar Credits total per day possible). Standard Successes are long-term goals tracking total contributions, crafting milestones, etc., some even reward research data for your Cosmic Tools! There’s even a title and a super-grindy achievement for getting 500,000 points on every single DoH/L job, rewarding a unique mount (much like the Pteranodon from Ishgard Restoration)!
Rewards: Completing these is essential for funding your Cosmic Fortune spins and Mech Op applications!
Beyond Dailies & Cosmic Fortunes (Confirmed Systems!)
Standard Successes (The Long Haul): Confirmed long-term goals, track overall contributions, reward currencies and tool data.
Cosmic Fortunes – Spin to Win!: In the shadows of spinning fate, the Cosmic Fortune wheel holds surprisesβboth common and cosmic. The prize lottery is live!
Gameplay: Spend 1,000 Lunar Credits at Orbitingway in Sinus Ardorum. Choose one of two presented prize wheels to spin. Landing on a “Stellar Opportunity” panel nets a bonus spin on a higher-tier wheel.
Big Bang Fortune: Use a Big Bang Ticket (earned from piloting a mech) for a free spin on an exclusive wheel with better odds for the rarest rewards.
Prize Pool: Confirmed to include unique mounts (High Mobility Vacuum Suit!), minions (Happy Robot!), accessories (Loporrasol!), face wear, furnishings, materia, fireworks, and many of the new dyes, especially the metallic ones, which seem to be initially exclusive to the wheel (they might be added to the vendor in later phases, similar to how Pearl White dye was handled in Ishgard).
Star Contributors – Become a Lunar Legend!: The Starward Standings leaderboard recognizes top contributors.
How it Works: If your contribution score surpasses the magic number, youβll join the ranks of the Star Contributors. Top contributor on a world during active ranking periods (alternating days). Check rank via Scanningway.
Spoils of Stardom (Lasts 14 Days!): Purely cosmetic (no titles/item rewards confirmed). Winners get a hologram display in Sinus Ardorum (unlocks later), name on the Starward Standings stela, and a glowing Astral Aura effect in the zone (toggleable).
Staying on Top: 14-day ineligibility after winning (unless still #1). Server bragging rights!
Cosmic Tools: Your Crafter/Gatherer Relics! (Confirmed Progression!)
The main event for many DoH/L players! The new enhanceable relic tools (starting at Level 10, ultimately reaching iLvl 720 with special effects) are here and will be upgraded throughout the 7.x patch cycle.
Looking Good: Sleek, sci-fi white metal aesthetic confirmed. Very futuristic!
Getting Started: Unlock the system via Researchingway in Sinus Ardorum. Get your first tool from the Cosmic Prototype Coffer (from the “A Cosmic Homecoming” quest). Obtain prototypes for your other jobs for free by talking to Researchingway again.
Enhancing Your Tools (Confirmed In-House Grind!):
Earn research data for a specific job’s tool by completing Stellar Missions as that job.
No Need to Equip Confirmed: You accrue data for the tool selected in the Cosmic Research menu on your exotablet, even if you’re using a different tool during the quest-synced mission (as long as you’re on the correct job). Progress is tracked automatically.
Tracking Progress: The “Cosmic Research” tab on the exotablet shows how much data you have and need for the next upgrade stage (e.g., 55/200 points). You can preview the stats and bonuses of upcoming upgrades here. You can even overcap the required data.
The Upgrade Process: Once you have enough data, report back to Researchingway in Sinus Ardorum to enhance your tool to the next stage. The tool’s level requirement will increase as it gets stronger.
Bonus Effects Confirmed: Upgraded Cosmic Tools gain passive bonuses. A key one is an increased Lunar Credit earning rate when completing missions, starting at +5% at stage 2 and going up to +15% at stage 4 (though this bonus is affected by a Known Issue currently). This creates an interesting trade-off: use your powerful, fully-melded crafted tool for potentially faster mission clears, or equip the (initially weaker) Cosmic Tool to earn bonus currency? Waiting until the tool offers the 15% bonus might be the most efficient strategy for currency farming. Completing one tool also grants a permanent buff that speeds up research data acquisition for all your other Cosmic Tools, encouraging you to eventually level them all!
Self-Contained System Confirmed: It appears the entire Cosmic Tool upgrade path relies solely on participating in Cosmic Exploration activities and using the resources and currencies obtained within Sinus Ardorum. No need to buy expensive items off the market board or farm unrelated content!
Glamour, Dyes, and Mounts: The Shiny Rewards! (Confirmed Items!)
Beyond the tools, what other cool loot awaits?
New Glamour Sets: Confirmed Spacesuit (with race-compatible helmet options!) and Star Crew (Star Trek-style) glamour sets are available as rewards (Star Crew set is buyable with Cosmocredits).
DYES! Glorious New Dyes Confirmed!: The full list of vibrant new regular (Neon Pink, Bright Orange, etc.) and metallic (Metallic Ruby Red, Metallic Cobalt Green, etc.) dyes is available! Find some at the Cosmocredit vendor, and chase the others (especially metallics) through the Cosmic Fortune wheel! Prepare for maximum Eorzean fashion impact!
New Mount – Ride Your Mech Confirmed!: Yes, you can get that awesome High Mobility Vacuum Suit mech as a personal mount! Obtainable as a rare prize from the Big Bang Fortune wheel, or as that super-rare direct drop for lucky pilots during Mech Ops.
Collectibles, System Shake-ups & Bug Squashing! (Patch Day Reality!)
What’s an adventure without souvenirs? Patch 7.21 delivers some adorable and stylish new collectibles:
Happy Robot Minion: Look at this little guy! A cheerful-looking digging robot minion, complete with a grabber arm and scoop. Utterly charming!
Loporrasol: Yes, that’s right β a Loporrrit Parasol! It features adorable Loporrit ears on top and even has stars underneath. Highly sought-after item for any discerning collector. Simply amazing!
New Face Wear: Some stylish new glasses options are also being added, likely tied into the Cosmic Exploration rewards or the fortune wheel. Very chic!
Heritage Found De-Instanced: The extra instances that were added to Heritage Found back in Patch 7.2 to alleviate congestion there are now being removed. So, no more instance hopping for extra Hunt Marks in that specific zone.
Achievements, Portraits & Plates: Get ready to track your progress and show off your accomplishments! New achievements and titles related to Cosmic Exploration have been added. Time to start climbing those cosmic leaderboards. New accents for Adventurer Plate portraits are available. New elements for customizing your Adventurer Plate itself have also been added. Spruce up that profile!
Text Commands for New Emotes: Those new emotes come with text commands!
/viz: Triggers the “take a picture” selfie emote using the Exotablet. Strike a pose!
/rage: Lets your character “shake with rage.” Perhaps useful after failing a difficult craft or getting booted from a Mech Op lottery?
Dictionary & Trophy Updates: The auto-translation dictionary gets some new terms, and PlayStation/Xbox players can expect new trophies and achievements related to the patch content.
New Music & Sounds: Naturally, new areas and activities come with new background music and sound effects to enjoy.
Launcher Adjustment (PC Players Take Note!): Heads up for PC players! The game launcher has been updated to use something called “WebView2”.
What’s This Mean?: For most players (especially on newer Windows versions), this might already be installed. However, certain Windows 10 configurations might require a separate installation of the Microsoft Edge WebView2 runtime.
Automatic Install: If you don’t have it, the launcher should prompt you to install it automatically when you first run it after the patch.
Login Reset: Be aware! This update will likely reset the “Remember Square Enix ID” checkbox on your launcher. You’ll need to tick that box again if you use it.
Windows 10 Heads-Up: While not mandatory yet, the transcript notes Windows 10 support officially ends later in the year (September-October 2025). Sticking with Windows 10 might mean encountering this extra installation step.
Bug Fixes & Known Issues (Live Patch Notes Final Fantasy 14)
Patches bring fixes and sometimes new quirks! Be aware of the following:
Resolved Issues:
- An issue in Cruiserweight M4 Savage where certain enemy actions (Sand Surge, Wind Surge) dealt more damage than intended. Ouch! Fixed now.
- A bug where the “target out of range” indicator for Duty Actions wasn’t displaying correctly.
- An issue preventing certain Elite Marks from being targetable. Hunt trains rejoice!
- A Bard text error where Barrage incorrectly listed Shadowbite’s potency (damage wasn’t actually wrong, just the tooltip).
- A weird Sage issue where an unusable action appeared in the Actions & Traits window. Ghost skill begone!
- A hairstyle color bug affecting certain races with specific styles (Void Swept Strands, Sharlayan Studies, Sharlayan Rebellion), causing parts to display incorrectly.
- Incorrect material qualities displaying when dyeing certain older Augmented gear (Temple Circlet, etc.).
- Graphical glitches when equipping specific Ninja Hakama leg gear on certain races. Incorrect colors appearing on the Argu Culottes leg gear.
- Crafting recipe error where elemental clusters for new Chronopio Leather and Diatrima Felt were swapped. Oops!
- A striking dummy that erroneously appeared near the Kugane Aetheryte Plaza (some wish this was a feature!). It’s gone now.
- An animation bug when using the /sit emote with certain housing furnishings, causing the sitting animation to trigger incorrectly after moving.
- An issue preventing recipes from displaying in the crafting log if you used a Master Recipe book for which you didn’t meet the level requirement.
- Wondrous Tails duties (specifically Bowl of Embers, Naval, Howling Eye at level 99 synced down) not marking the task as complete. Frustrating! Fixed.
- Objects obstructing the view during certain quest cutscenes (ongoing investigation).
- The Egg Hunter Riggy item from the Hatching-tide seasonal event not being added correctly to the Toy Chest for some players after completing the quest. Hopefully restored!
- Several in-game tooltips were edited to more accurately reflect their effects, especially regarding damage scaling.
…And various other minor issues.Good riddance to those!
Known Issues:
- Dialogue from Scanning Way (the ranking NPC) might incorrectly display info from the previous ranking period. Doing another Stellar Mission should fix it for your next chat.
- UI bug where the cursor can move to empty areas in certain Cosmic Exploration reward windows. Minor annoyance.
- Specific NPCs in Cosmic Exploration displaying incorrectly under certain conditions. Other players displaying incorrectly if the timer runs out during a Cosmic Exploration Project event. The Orbiting Way NPC (Cosmic Fortunes vendor) might temporarily disappear while the “Mech Hangar Beta Expansion” Project is active. They’ll reappear once the project finishes.
- Joining Mech Ops as ground support, leaving, and then rejoining might make the Field Scanner tool inaccessible. Using the “Stellar Return” ability (teleport to base) should fix it.
- The Lunar Credit bonus granted by having enhanced Cosmic Tools occasionally doesn’t work. Oof, that’s a bummer. Relatedly, the specific 5% Lunar Credit bonus from certain Cosmic Tool enhancement levels might not be calculating/applying correctly. (This also reveals that enhanced tools do give a currency bonus!)
Keep these in mind as you explore!
Final Thoughts & Hype! (Now We’re Exploring!)
And that wraps up our deep dive into Patch 7.21’s massive Cosmic Exploration system, now live and ready for action! It’s a hefty patch truly centered on giving Disciples of Hand and Land their own dedicated, long-term progression content. It offers a deep, self-contained loop involving server-wide cooperation, unique activities like Mech Ops, rewarding Stellar Missions, a fun lottery in Cosmic Fortune, and those desirable Cosmic Tools to grind and enhance. With the advent of Patch 7.21, the future’s rewritten under the moonβs glow, turning the page one mission at a time.
While some Known Issues need squashing, there’s a whole universe (well, moon base for now!) of crafting and gathering to explore. From piloting giant robots and spinning prize wheels to collecting adorable robot minions, stylish spacesuits, and those incredibly vibrant new dyes, there’s plenty to keep dedicated DoH/L players busy for a long time. What part are you diving into first? Let the lunar expedition continue, and happy crafting/gathering!
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WhatΒ isΒ Cosmic Exploration? Is it like fighting monsters?
Nope, put your swords and spells away for this one, Warrior of Light!Β Cosmic ExplorationΒ is something totally different and super special, mainly for everyone who loves making things (Crafters, Disciples of Hand) and gathering stuff (Gatherers, Disciples of Land). Think of it like a massive, ongoing community projectΒ implementedΒ in Patch 7.21, kind of like how everyone rebuilt Ishgard back in the day (if you were around for that!), but this time… IT’S IN SPAAAACE! Specifically, you’re setting up a cool new base camp on the moon, in a zone calledΒ Sinus Ardorum. It’s not about battling big bads; it’s about teamwork (well, sort of indirect teamwork with everyone on your server) to explore, gather resources, craft supplies, and literally build up the base camp over time. You do this by taking on little jobs calledΒ Stellar MissionsΒ from your special space gadget, theΒ exotablet. As more and more people on your whole server complete these missions, the base camp itself will actuallyΒ changeΒ β tents might turn into buildings, new paths might open up, maybe cool decorations appear! Plus, you unlock new areas to explore within the zone and get access to better missions and heaps of coolΒ new rewards. It’s designed as long-term content that will grow with future patches throughout the 7.x series, maybe even taking us to new planets eventually!
How do I start this space adventure? Do I need to be max level?
Getting your moon boots on is surprisingly easy β no need to be a max-level crafting guru! The guide explains the requirements are actually super low. First, the big one: you absolutelyΒ mustΒ have finished the entire main story questline for theΒ EndwalkerΒ expansion. That’s the non-negotiable part; you need that story context. But after that? You only need to haveΒ any single oneΒ of your crafter or gatherer jobs (like Miner, Botanist, Fisher, Carpenter, Weaver, etc.) atΒ Level 10Β or higher. That’s it! Just level 10! So even if you’ve barely touched crafting or gathering, you can jump right in. If you meet those conditions, just teleport over toΒ Old Sharlayan, find the friendly Loporrit NPC namedΒ NamingwayΒ hanging out near the main Aetheryte plaza (the guide gives coordinates X:2.6, Y:3.6 to help you spot them), and accept the quest called “A Cosmic Homecoming.” That quest will guide you through the initial steps, introduce you to the story, give you your firstΒ Cosmic ToolΒ prototype in a coffer, and issue your essentialΒ exotablet. Easy peasy!
Where does this all happen? Is it a new planet?
Not quite aΒ newΒ planet just yet, but definitely a newΒ place! For this first phase of Cosmic Exploration introduced in Patch 7.21, your adventure takes place right on Etheirys’s own moon! After you accept the starting quest from Namingway in Old Sharlayan, the story will direct you toΒ Mare LamentorumΒ (the zone we visited in Endwalker). There, you’ll find another Loporrit namedΒ DrivingwayΒ (at X:21.9, Y:13.2). Talking to them initiates a cool cutscene where you hop into a moon buggy and get chauffeured over to a special, previously inaccessible part of the lunar surface. This new dedicated zone is calledΒ Sinus Ardorum. That’s where you’ll establish your base camp and where all the Stellar Missions, Mech Ops, and other Cosmic Exploration activities happen for now. It starts off looking pretty basic, but remember, the whole point is that as your server makes progress, this zone will visually change and develop! And the guide mentions that future 7.x patches (like 7.3x, 7.4x) are planned to expand Cosmic Exploration further, potentially taking us to entirelyΒ newΒ stars or planets beyond the moon!
What’s this “exotablet” thing the guide mentions?
Think of theΒ exotabletΒ as your brand new, super important, all-in-one cosmic multi-tool! You get handed one right at the beginning of your Cosmic Exploration journey. It’s not a physical item in your inventory, but a special new UI window you can open up while you’re in Sinus Ardorum. The guide compares it to the Islekeep’s Index from Island Sanctuary, and that’s a good way to think about it β itβs your central hub for managingΒ everythingΒ related to this content. From theΒ exotablet, you’ll be able to: see and accept availableΒ Stellar MissionsΒ (your main tasks); check your inventory of special space materials in theΒ Cosmo Pouch; look up recipes in the dedicatedΒ Cosmic Crafting Log; use theΒ Stellar ReductionΒ ability if you’re a gatherer; track your progress on upgrading yourΒ Cosmic ToolsΒ in theΒ Cosmic ResearchΒ menu; check your daily and long-term achievements inΒ Stellar Successes; see how your whole server is doing on theΒ Infrastructure Index; apply to pilot giant robots inΒ Mech Ops; spend your currency to play theΒ Cosmic FortuneΒ lottery game; and even rewatch importantΒ Video LogΒ cutscenes showing how the base camp has evolved! Itβs literally your command center for navigating all the different systems within Cosmic Exploration.
What are “Stellar Missions”? Are they hard?
Stellar MissionsΒ are the heart and soul of Cosmic Exploration β they’re the main repeatable jobs you’ll be doing as a crafter or gatherer to help the exploration effort (and get rewards!). You pick them up from a list on yourΒ exotablet. Each mission will give you a specific task: maybe gather 25 chunks of a certain moon rock, catch 10 space fish, or craft 5 specific widgets using materials found in the zone. The really cool part, as the guide emphasizes, is that they useΒ quest sync. This means the mission automatically adjusts its difficulty to matchΒ your current levelΒ on the job you accept it with. So, if you take a mining mission as a Level 10 Miner, the rocks will be easy to hit, and the reward will include Level 10 EXP. If you take theΒ same typeΒ of mission as a Level 100 Miner, the rocks might require higher stats (though your gear also syncs down slightly, the challenge scales up), and the reward will be geared towards endgame (like more currency instead of EXP). This makes them accessible for everyone from level 10 upwards! You get scoredΒ Gold, Silver, or BronzeΒ based on how well you perform (maybe hitting quality thresholds for crafts, or gathering quickly), and getting Gold gives the best rewards, including moreΒ research dataΒ for your Cosmic Tools and a chance to unlock bonus Sequential Missions. While the basic D-class missions are easy, the guide notes that as the server progresses and higher tiers (C, B, A) unlock, the missions get harder, culminating inΒ Expert RecipesΒ for crafters at the highest ranks, which will definitely require good gear and skill! There’s also variety, including missions for gatheringΒ collectiblesΒ or using the trickyΒ Stellar ReductionΒ ability.
Is this good for leveling my crafters and gatherers? Mine are low level!
Oh, absolutely, YES! The guide strongly suggests that Cosmic Exploration is shaping up to be potentially one of theΒ very bestΒ ways to level up your Disciple of Hand (crafter) and Disciple of Land (gatherer) jobs, especially if they’re not already at max level 100. The key reason is thatΒ quest syncΒ system used forΒ Stellar Missions. Because the missions automatically scale their difficultyΒ andΒ their EXP rewards to match your current level (from Level 10 all the way up!), you can just jump in with a low-level job and start contributing right away while earning massive chunks of experience points. The guide points out you get EXP appropriate for your level for completing missions, making it a potentially very efficient leveling grind compared to older methods like leves or collectibles, especially since you’reΒ alsoΒ earning the special currencies (Cosmocredits/Lunar Credits) andΒ research dataΒ for yourΒ Cosmic ToolsΒ at the same time! Plus, if your gear is lagging behind as you level up, there’s even a vendor NPC right there inΒ Sinus ArdorumΒ namedΒ GodgythΒ who sells basic catch-up gear appropriate for various level brackets, so you don’t even necessarily need to leave the zone to stay reasonably equipped for the scaled missions. It looks like a fantastic way to finally get those neglected DoH/L jobs leveled up!
What are “Critical Missions” or “Red Alerts”? Sounds exciting!
They definitely sound like the most action-packed part of the regular loop! Think ofΒ Critical MissionsΒ as emergency events, like special FATEs designed just for crafters and gatherers withinΒ Sinus Ardorum. According to the guide (and confirmed by live letter footage like that meteor storm!), theseΒ “Red Alerts”Β trigger sometimes based on special weather conditions in the zone. When a Red Alert happens, a big warning flashes, and your UI shows two special progress bars, each linked to aΒ specificΒ crafter or gatherer job that is desperately neededΒ right nowΒ to handle the crisis. If you happen to be on one of those currently “in demand” jobs (or switch to one), you can undertake special Critical Missions repeatedly during the 20-minute alert window. These missions likely give much better rewards (Cosmocredits,Β Lunar Credits, maybe tool data?) than standard Stellar Missions. The goal is for everyone on the server playing those needed jobs to complete as many Critical Missions as possible to fill up both progress bars before time runs out. If the server succeeds,Β everyoneΒ who contributed gets bonus rewards! If you only partially fill the bars, you still get some bonus, just less. It encourages players to react quickly, switch jobs if needed, and work together (indirectly) to overcome the emergency β a really dynamic and potentially lucrative event when it pops!
I get to pilot a GIANT ROBOT?! How does that work?
Right?! Giant robots on the moon! These special events are calledΒ Mech Ops, and the guide explains they are large-scale, FATE-like activities that happen periodically (roughly every 20 minutes) inΒ Sinus Ardorum. When one is about to start, everyone gets an alert. Now, you don’t justΒ getΒ to pilot one β it’s a lottery system! If you want aΒ chanceΒ to be one of the pilots, you first need to talk to the NPCΒ AlerotΒ near the mech hangars and buy aΒ Pilot ApplicationΒ item, which costsΒ 1,000 Lunar CreditsΒ (the blue space money). Then, when the Mech Op alert appears, you use yourΒ exotabletΒ to submit that application. Once the application time ends, theΒ gameΒ randomly selects exactlyΒ fiveΒ lucky players from everyone who applied. If you’re chosen, congrats, you get to stomp around in a cool mech for the 5-minute duration of the event!
What if I don’t get picked to be a mech pilot? Can I still help?
Absolutely! Don’t feel left out if you aren’t one of the five chosen pilots (or if you decided not to spend theΒ Lunar CreditsΒ on an application). You can still fully participate in theΒ Mech OpΒ event asΒ Ground Support. When the event starts, just head to the location marked on your map and join in using the Duty List (like joining a FATE). Your role as Ground Support is crucial! While the pilots in their giant mechs handle destroying the really big targets, the Ground Support team uses special event actions (the guide mentioned things like flamethrowers or drills, depending on the specific Mech Op objective) to destroy smaller objects or gather resources scattered around the area. You then take whatever you gather/destroy and deposit it at designated Field Scanners on the ground. Doing this not only scores contribution points but also helps spawnΒ moreΒ of the big targets for the pilots to destroy! Pilots might also need ground support to clear paths or maybe even deliver fuel sometimes. It’s a real cooperative effort between the pilots and the ground crew. Plus, Ground Support gets really good rewards too: you still earnΒ CosmocreditsΒ andΒ Lunar Credits, you get a nice chunk ofΒ EXPΒ for your current DoH/L job,Β andΒ you get a special temporary buff that increases the amount of credits you earn from your next 20Β Stellar Missions! So, definitely worth jumping in every time a Mech Op pops!
The guide mentions a “Cosmic Fortune” wheel. Is it like gambling for prizes?
Pretty much, yeah! Think ofΒ Cosmic FortuneΒ as the fun reward lottery or “spin-to-win” minigame for Cosmic Exploration, very similar in concept to the Kupo of Fortune from the Ishgard Restoration days. The guide explains you need to find the Loporrit NPC namedΒ OrbitingwayΒ in theΒ Sinus ArdorumΒ base camp. To play, you spendΒ 1,000 Lunar CreditsΒ (that blue currency again!). When you pay up, you’re presented withΒ twoΒ different prize wheels, each showing a different set of potential rewards, including a top “jackpot” prize. You get to look at both wheels and decide which one has prizes you’re more interested in trying for (maybe one has the Loporrasol umbrella you really want, while the other features a minion or a dye). Once you pick your wheel, you give it a spin, and hope lady luck is on your side! You can win all sorts of coolΒ new itemsΒ this way.
What’s a “Big Bang Ticket” for Cosmic Fortune?
Think of theΒ Big Bang TicketΒ as your golden ticket to theΒ bestΒ prize wheel! The guide explains you get these special tickets primarily as a reward for successfully participating as aΒ Mech PilotΒ during aΒ Mech OpΒ event (instead of the temporary credit buff that Ground Support gets). Once you have a Big Bang Ticket, you take it back toΒ Orbitingway, the same NPC who runs the regular Cosmic Fortune. Instead of spendingΒ Lunar Credits, you use the ticket to get oneΒ freeΒ spin on anΒ exclusive thirdΒ prize wheel, called theΒ Big Bang Fortune. This special wheel apparently has much better odds of landing on the rarest prizes compared to the two standard wheels you pay credits for. It’s likely the best way to try and get things like the High Mobility Vacuum Suit mount or other top-tier collectibles offered in Cosmic Exploration. So, winning that mech pilot lottery definitely has its perks beyond just stomping around in a robot!
What are “Cosmic Tools”? Are they like the ultimate weapons for crafters?
Exactly! Well, ultimateΒ tools, not weapons, but yes! TheΒ Cosmic ToolsΒ are the brand new, special “relic” tool series specifically designed for all the Disciple of Hand (crafter) and Disciple of Land (gatherer) jobs,Β releasedΒ as a core part of theΒ Final Fantasy XIVΒ Patch 7.21 Cosmic Exploration content. You get your very first one, a basic “Prototype,” right after completing the starting quest “A Cosmic Homecoming.” You can then get the prototypes for all yourΒ otherΒ DoH/L jobs for free just by talking to the NPCΒ ResearchingwayΒ inΒ Sinus Ardorum. They start off looking pretty simple and are usable from Level 10. But the whole point is that youΒ enhanceΒ them over time by participating in Cosmic Exploration. As you upgrade them through various stages, they get stronger stats, start to look much cooler (the guide mentions a sleek, white sci-fi metal aesthetic), and eventually, by the end of the 7.x patch series, they’re expected to reach item level 720 and gain powerful special passive effects (like boosting crafting quality, improving gathering chances, or even increasing yourΒ Lunar CreditΒ earnings!). They are the long-term gear progression goal for dedicated crafters and gatherers within this content.
How do I upgrade my Cosmic Tools? Is it complicated?
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The process actually sounds less complicated than some past relic grinds, mostly just time-consuming! The guide breaks down the enhancement loop forΒ Cosmic ToolsΒ pretty clearly, and it’s designed to be entirely self-contained within the Cosmic Exploration content β no need to farm unrelated dungeons or buy super expensive items off the market board, which is a huge plus! Hereβs the basic flow:
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First, make sure youΒ haveΒ the Cosmic Tool Prototype for the job you want to work on (remember, get them fromΒ ResearchingwayΒ after your first free one).
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Open yourΒ exotabletΒ and go to theΒ “Cosmic Research”Β tab. Select the specific tool you want to gain progress on. This tells theΒ gameΒ which tool’s “experience bar” to fill.
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Now, go out and doΒ Stellar MissionsΒ while playing as that specific jobΒ (e.g., do Miner missions if you’re upgrading the Miner tool). The great news, confirmed by the guide, is that youΒ don’tΒ actually need to have the often-weaker Cosmic Tool prototypeΒ equippedΒ while doing the mission! As long as you have the correctΒ jobΒ active and the tool selected in the research menu, completing missions will earn you progress points calledΒ “research data.”
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Aim forΒ Gold ranksΒ on your Stellar Missions, as this gives you significantly more research data per mission compared to Silver or Bronze!
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Keep checking the Cosmic Research tab on your exotablet. It shows a progress bar (like 55/200 points) telling you how much data you’ve earned and how much you need for the next upgrade stage. You can even preview the stats and bonuses of the next tool version here!
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Once that progress bar is full (you’ve collected enough research data), head back toΒ ResearchingwayΒ inΒ Sinus Ardorum. Talk to them, report your completed research, and they will upgrade your tool to the next enhanced stage! Its appearance might change, its stats will improve, and its level requirement will likely go up too.
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Repeat this process for multiple upgrade stages throughout Patch 7.21 and future patches (7.3x, 7.4x, etc.) until the tool is fully completed! Also, once you fully completeΒ oneΒ tool, the guide mentions you get a permanent buff that makes earning research data for all yourΒ otherΒ tools faster, encouraging you to eventually upgrade everything!
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What kind of cool rewards can I get besides the tools?
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Oh, there’s a whole treasure trove of cool stuff to aim for besides just upgrading yourΒ Cosmic Tools! The guide highlights a bunch of excitingΒ new itemsΒ and rewards you can get through participating in Cosmic Exploration, primarily by spending yourΒ CosmocreditsΒ at the vendorΒ MesouaidonqueΒ or by getting lucky with theΒ Cosmic FortuneΒ minigame (usingΒ Lunar CreditsΒ orΒ Big Bang Tickets). Expect to find:
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Glamour Sets:Β Two awesome full sets were shown β a classic whiteΒ SpacesuitΒ (with helmet options friendly for Miqo’te and Viera ears!) and a slickΒ Star CrewΒ outfit that looks straight out of Star Trek (this one is confirmed buyable with Cosmocredits).
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Amazing New Dyes:Β This is a huge one for fashion lovers! A whole palette of vibrant new dyes, including sought-after Neons (Pink, Yellow, Green) and brilliant Metallics (Ruby Red, Cobalt Green, Dark Blue, Pink). Some are on the vendor, others seem exclusive to Cosmic Fortune initially.
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Mech Mount:Β Yes, you can get your very ownΒ High Mobility Vacuum SuitΒ mount, just like the ones used in Mech Ops! Probably a rare win from Cosmic Fortune or that lucky pilot drop.
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Adorable Minion:Β The guide showed off a super cuteΒ Happy Robot MinionΒ with a digger scoop!
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Unique Accessory:Β TheΒ LoporrasolΒ (Loporrit Parasol!) looks amazing with its ears and stars.
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Face Wear:Β New stylish glasses options.
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Housing Furnishings:Β Lots of new themed items to decorate your space apartment (or house!), including winners from the 2022 design contest and new Cosmic Exploration themed pieces like tables, lanterns, and that cool street lamp.
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Music:Β NewΒ orchestrion rollsΒ featuring the music from Sinus Ardorum.
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Portrait/Plate Customization:Β New accents and elements to personalize your Adventurer Plate.
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Emotes:Β TheΒ /vizΒ (selfie) andΒ /rageΒ emotes.
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And probably more hidden goodies!
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Can my friends from other servers come visit my moon base?
Unfortunately, no, they can’t visit your specific server’s instance ofΒ Sinus Ardorum. The guide is very clear on this point, and it’s an important distinction from how some past content like theΒ initialΒ launch of Ishgard Restoration worked. Cosmic Exploration is explicitlyΒ Home World locked. This means only players whose characters belong to theΒ sameΒ Home World (or server, like Ragnarok, Cerberus, Balmung, etc. within your data center’sΒ Realm) as you can enter the same instance of the Sinus Ardorum zone, participate inΒ Mech OpsΒ together, contribute to the sameΒ Infrastructure IndexΒ progress bar, or see your server’sΒ Star ContributorΒ hologram. Your friend logged into the Chaos data center cannot travel to the Light data center and join your Cosmic Exploration activities. Itβs designed this way to keep the progression and community effort focused entirely within each individual world server, likely also to help manage server load for this potentially popular instance-based content. So, make sure to coordinate with friends on yourΒ ownΒ server if you plan to explore the cosmos together!
