Want a New Look in Eorzea? Your Ultimate Guide to FFXIV Appearance Changes
After hours of playing, even the best Warrior of Light can feel stale. Maybe that fiery red hair now looks like a cone. Or those subtle tattoos? They might seem loud now. Don’t worry! Eorzea has many ways to refresh your look. We’re diving deep into every option for change.
Aesthetician: Your Friendly Neighborhood Makeover Mage
First up, we have the Aesthetician. They are your go-to for small, different moments. Think of them as magical hairdressers. Unlocking the Magic Mirror: Access to this stylist isn’t just given. You must complete a level 15 quest called “Beauty Is Only Scalp Deep.” Head to Limsa Lominsa Upper Decks to find S’dhodjbi at coordinates (X:11.1, Y:11.0). Consider this mini-adventure before you start changing your aesthetics. For help,
Phial of Fantasia: The Ultimate Reset Button (Almost)
If a new hairstyle isn’t enough, there’s the Phial of Fantasia. This potion is your character creation do-over. Picture it as hitting “reset” on your entire look. Fantasia’s Function: A Second Chance at Character Creation: The Phial takes you back to character creation. After using it, you log out and back in. You’ll see the creation interface. It’s like Groundhog Day but for your character choices. What Can You Change? Prepare for a Full Transformation: Fantasia allows significant changes: * Race (Au Ra to Miqo’te? Lalafell to taller? Many options!) * Gender (you may relate more to pointy ears now) * Appearance (all sliders and options are back) * Date of birth (if you care about avatar astrology) * Guardian (your virtual soul’s deity). It’s a complete overhaul for adventurous spirits. Limitations: Some Things Are Set in Stone: Fantasia has limits. You can’t change: * Starting class and city. Your origin story stays fixed. * Character name. You must keep your original name. There’s a different service for name changes, discussed later. How to Use It: A Simple Potion with Powerful Effects: Using Fantasia is simple. Consume the Phial in-game, log out, then log in to the character selection screen. Right-click your character (or press the square button on consoles) to edit your appearance. Fantasia’s Fleeting Window: Act Fast, Glamour On: After confirming your changes in the creation screen, you get 60 minutes for further tweaks. If you log out even briefly, you might have time left to adjust. It’s perfect for indecisive adventurers.
Glamour Prisms: Dress to Impress (Without Changing Gear)
Glamour Prisms differ from the Aesthetician and Fantasia. They focus on changing your gear’s visual appearance, not your base look. Think of it as transmogrification or glamouring. Projecting Your Style: Fashion Over Function (Visually): Glamour Prisms project the image of one item onto another—keeping high stats while changing visuals to your favorite low-level gear set! You achieve this through the “Cast Glamour” action. Unlocking the Glamour Wardrobe: Like the Aesthetician, Glamour Prisms unlock after completing the level 15 quest “If I Had a Glamour.” This early quest opens vital aspects of FFXIV fashion.
Obtaining the Elusive Phial of Fantasia: Freebies and Purchases
Now that you know about the Phial of Fantasia, how do you obtain one? There are ways for both frugal and less frugal adventurers. The Free Fantasia Fairy: Earning Your Transformation: You can get a Fantasia for free! Square Enix offers several ways to claim one: * Main Scenario Quest Rewards: Completing key MSQs earns you a free Fantasia. Finish the level 50 quest “The Ultimate Weapon” in *A Realm Reborn* for one. As of patch 7.0, finish the level 17 ARR MSQ “The Scions of the Seventh Dawn” for another freebie. Early in your adventure, you can score this reward. * Veteran Rewards: A 30-day subscription to FFXIV grants a Fantasia through the Veteran Reward system. Patience is worthwhile for free customization! * Dawntrail Goodies: Rumors suggest players receive a free Fantasia during the upcoming *Dawntrail* expansion. Watch for expansion launch bonuses! * Moogle Treasure Trove: an eye on in-game events, like the Moogle Treasure Trove events. These events sometimes give Phials of Fantasia as rewards. Great for grinding tomestones while changing your look! *Wandering Moogle in Old Gridania: Patch 7.1 brought a Wandering Moogle to Old Gridania (X:10.7). Talk to him for free Fantasia! Free stuff is always welcome. Purchasing Fantasia: For the Impatient and the Repeat Offenders: If you need a Fantasia *now* or love reinventing your look, just buy them. * Mog Station: The Mog Station is the main source for purchasing Fantasia in FFXIV. Buy Phials of Fantasia individually or in packs of 3 (for the truly indecisive). For purchases, check the
Character Profile Editing: Your Online Persona
FFXIV allows editing of your character’s online profile beyond just in-game appearance. This profile is your persona outside the game world via Lodestone. Biography Tweaks: Tell Your Story (Online): On Lodestone, go to “My Site” and select “Profile” for detailed profile editing. Here, tweak your character’s biography. Create a backstory or write something witty to share with other players who find your profile.
Other Appearance-Related Services: Name Changes and World Hopping
Appearance changes sometimes signify shifts in identity and community. FFXIV offers services for such changes. Character Renaming Service: Second Thoughts on Your Nickname? If you regret your edgy newbie name, use the Character Renaming Service! For $10.00 USD, change your character’s name legally in Eorzea. Access this through Mog Station under “Games & Additional Services.” The
Facewear: Accessorize Your Face!
For fashion-forward adventurers, Facewear adds customization. These accessories fit in a dedicated slot and vary from stylish glasses to masks. Unlocking the Facewear Slot: Accessories Await! You must acquire a Facewear item first to activate the slot. With a Facewear item, the slot unlocks in both main and Character menus. You can get Facewear in a few ways: * Gold Saucer: The Manderville Gold Saucer, FFXIV’s amusement park, has various Facewear items. Time to grind some MGP! * Calamity Salvager: Found in major cities, Calamity Salvagers swap Fashion Accessories for items, including Facewear.
Restrictions and Limitations: The Fine Print
Before making appearance changes, keep some important caveats in mind: * Fantasia Consumption: Using a Fantasia consumes the Phial, even if appearance stays the same. Think carefully before using that potion. * No Multi-Character Mayhem: You cannot play on multiple characters at once. One Warrior of Light per login! * Untradeable Dyes: Certain dyes cannot be traded or sold on the market. This relates to item economy rather than direct appearance limitations but is important when planning to dye your new glamoured gear. So there you have it, adventurer! A complete guide to changing your appearance in Final Fantasy XIV. Whether you want a new hairstyle or a race change, Eorzea offers the tools. Go forth, experiment, and create the Warrior of Light you’ve always wanted! Just don’t spend all your Gil on Fantasia. There are mounts to buy too!
