The Party Finder is a gameplay feature of Final Fantasy XIV, added in Patch 2.1. It allows players to search for and recruit players on their server to participate in group content. This is useful for establishing a party in advance before using the Duty Finder, or for setting up parties for participating in open-world content such as Treasure Hunt.
Patch 3.5 added cross-server features to allow players across the Data Center to form a party in advance before using Duty Finder or Raid Finder. It also added password protected private parties and advanced searching. The Lodestone also began displaying Party Finder data across Data Centers.
Using the Party Finder[]
Through the Party Finder, you can either search for a party to join, or recruit other adventurers to form a party of your own. This feature is unlocked upon completion of the quest "It's Probably Pirates," and can be found in the Social section of the main menu.
The list of parties that are looking for members will be listed on the upper side of the Party Finder window and you may check the details on what kind of members they are looking for. To join a party immediately, select "Join Party." You may also send a /tell to the party leader.
You can search for a party to join by setting a number of conditions such as objective and play style. When recruiting members to join your party, you will have the option of setting various recruitment criteria. Fields include duty type, average item level, roles, play style, and language. Players who are recruiting for a party will have a distinct status icon.
While the Party Finder's primary purpose is to set up a party, the comment lines is sometimes used by players as an unofficial billboard to advertise crafting services or recruitment drive for Free Companies.
Searching for parties[]
Patch 3.5 added a search feature and search filters; using multiple filters at once will allow players to search for specific types of parties. The following filters can be applied to searches:
- Data Center - Displays all available recruiting parties from all Worlds on the same data center
- World - Displays all available recruiting parties in your own World.
- Private - Displays parties recruiting privately.
The following filters can be applied when searching by objective:
- All - 　Displays all recruiting parties
- Duty icons - Displays recruiting parties for each of the respective duties
- Other - Displays parties recruiting with no specific objective.
A detailed search can be used to set various search criteria such as your search area (same data center/same World), or search for players recruiting party members by name. When searching by name, the search will display up to ten players whose First Name or Last Name matches your search term.
Note that cross-server party recruitment will be displayed in blue.
Cross-server[]
As of Patch 3.5, the Party Finder has been expanded to include players from all other Worlds on the same data center. Players will now be able to recruit characters from any of these Worlds and form cross-world parties. Players will be able to use the party chat and register for duties in cross-world parties, as they would normally. Players can be recruited from other Worlds by checking the "Recruit Members Across Data Center" option.
The following features can be used while participating in a cross-world party:
- Party chat
- Registering for the Duty Finder
- Registering for the Raid Finder
- Ready Check
The following features cannot be used while participating in a cross-world party:
- Forming alliances
- Registering for custom matches
- The Sort Party List function
- Actions and functions such as Protect and Teleport Offer, which affect any nearby party members.
- Spells and other effects will function normally once the duty commences.
A special icon will be displayed above party members from a different world. Upon the commencement of a duty, the party list will revert to the normal display. Subcommands cannot be used from the cross-world party list before a duty commences. Player characters cannot be targeted from the cross-world party list before a duty commences.
Note that cross-server party finder can only be used for setting up parties for Duty Finder or Raid Finder content.
Private parties[]
Patch 3.5 also added an option top set up a password lock (four digit number code) for party recruitment. Players recruiting must enter the appropriate code. Private recruitment will only visible under the "Private" tab.