The FFXIV Alchemist has a big impact for a class that crafts such tiny items. The dedicated potion masters of Final Fantasy, these Disciples of the Hand create consumable items most commonly used by endgame raiders. But they have a few more tricks up their sticky, wet sleeves. Before you can learn all of those, however, you need to actually unlock the class and progress through its many quests. Hence this FFXIV Alchemist unlock and locations guide! You can use this to keep track of where to go as you make your way through yet another FFXIV crafting class.
FFXIV Alchemist Quest Locations
Finding your next Job quest in FFXIV can be tedious. You can search through your log of completed quests, which tells you the last mission you completed for any particular class, as well as the name of the NPC you need to speak with for the next one. But where is that NPC? Are they in the same place as last time, or did they move? Assuming you haven’t played a particular class in a while, where the hell was “last time”?
To help with this, we’ve laid out a simple table to indicate the region, coordinates, and required level for every Alchemist Job quest. Note that the first quest, “Way of the Alchemist,” begins at the Alchemist’s Guild in Ul’Dah, the capital city of Thanalan. The coordinates are listed below, but it’s worth noting that the guild has its own Aethernet shard. Odds are you may have already unlocked the node by the time you’re reading this!
| Level | Quest Name | Area | Coordinates |
| 1 | Way of the Alchemist | Ul’dah – Steps of Thal | (X: 9, Y: 13) |
| 1 | My First Alembic | Ul’dah – Steps of Thal | (X: 9, Y: 13) |
| 5 | The Second Principle | Ul’dah – Steps of Thal | (X: 9, Y: 13) |
| 10 | All of Your Beeswax | Ul’dah – Steps of Thal | (X: 9, Y: 13) |
| 15 | For Fair Love | Ul’dah – Steps of Thal | (X: 9, Y: 13) |
| 20 | The Arcanist’s Tome | Ul’dah – Steps of Thal | (X: 9, Y: 13) |
| 25 | Practical Alchemy | Ul’dah – Steps of Thal | (X: 9, Y: 13) |
| 30 | Baleful Brews | Ul’dah – Steps of Thal | (X: 9, Y: 13) |
| 35 | Cease and Assist | Ul’dah – Steps of Thal | (X: 9, Y: 13) |
| 40 | Might Made Right | Ul’dah – Steps of Thal | (X: 9, Y: 13) |
| 45 | Ultimate Alchemy | Ul’dah – Steps of Thal | (X: 9, Y: 13) |
| 50 | Momentary Miracle | Ul’dah – Steps of Thal | (X: 9, Y: 13) |
| 50 | Without a Trace | Ul’dah – Steps of Thal | (X: 9, Y: 13) |
| 53 | Magic Marks the Spot | Mor Dhona | (X: 23, Y: 8) |
| 55 | From Hells | Mor Dhona | (X: 23, Y: 8) |
| 58 | Burden of Proof | Mor Dhona | (X: 23, Y: 8) |
| 60 | What Death Can Join Together | Mor Dhona | (X: 23, Y: 8) |
| 60 | Not Quite Dead Yet | Ul’dah – Steps of Thal | (X: 9.2, Y: 13.6) |
| 63 | The Forbidden Blade | Ul’dah – Steps of Thal | (X: 9.2, Y: 13.6) |
| 65 | Do Goldsmiths Dream of Gilded Sheep | Ul’dah – Steps of Thal | (X: 9.2, Y: 13.6) |
| 68 | No Sin Unpunished | Ul’dah – Steps of Nald | (X: 8 Y: 12.4) |
| 70 | A Love Beyond Lifetimes | Ul’dah – Steps of Thal | (X: 13.9, Y: 10.8) |
| 70+ | The Crystalline Mean | The Crystarium | (X: 10.9, Y: 8.6) – Speak to Bethric |
| 80+ | Studium Deliveries | Old Sharlayan | TBD |
Notes on the Crystalline Mean
Starting at Level 70 on all FFXIV crafters and gatherers, including the Alchemist in this case, there are no more class-specific quests. Instead, you gain access to “The Crystalline Mean.” This is a small gathering spot for special NPCs in The Crystarium, back on Norvrandt, after you reach the capital city during the Shadowbringers campaign. It has its own Aethernet point (simply noted as The Crystalline Mean) — but it’s on the top floor of the city near the Amaro Launch if you have trouble finding it initially. Crafters and gatherers of sufficient level will also find their eyes drawn there by the blue side quest marker. The opening quest is also simply called “The Crystalline Mean.”
There are five notable NPCs in the area with five unique quest chains. Each chain is tied to not just one crafting or gathering class, but several — meaning you can complete any step of the questline as any one of the appropriate classes. The sole exceptions is Fishers; they get their own quests separate from any other classes.
Put another way, The Crystalline Mean functions very similar to Role Quests for the combat classes — where any DPS magic user can complete any step of the DPS magic questline. In this case, Crystalline Mean missions for the “Facet of Nourishing” are shared between Alchemist and Culinarian. You can complete any quest in their series as either Job (so long as they meet the level requirements). Said quests start at Level 70 with “Friends of a Feather,” after talking to the NPC Bethric at (X: 10.9, Y: 8.6) in the Crystalline Mean.
Pretty much every Crystalline Mean mission involves talking to someone, crafting items, and turning them in — like Custom Deliveries for characters in Idyllshire, Eulmore, and the like. You’ll receive XP and Gil for every quest and delivery — as well as Scrips from the latter. This makes the quest chains an excellent way to level up your classes. Not to mention you can use the Scrips to buy useful items and gear as you progress your Disciples of the Hand and Land.
Note that you need to complete the Level 72 Main Scenario Quest “The Crystarium’s Resolve” as any combat class to reach and unlock The Crystalline Mean.
Notes on Studium Deliveries
We don’t currently know a lot about this new series of quests, but developer Square Enix laid out the very basics in a November Live Letter prior to the release of Endwalker. On that topic: these appear to be the Endwalker equivalent of Crystalline Mean quests. Given that the Studium is a confirmed location in Old Sharlayan, it’s fairly safe to say the quests will occur there. Just know that this is based on preview information and some educated guesses — so take it with a grain of salt until Endwalker goes live. At which point we’ll have a Studium Delivery guide to go with everything else.
FFXIV Alchemist Basics & Importance
Alchemist is one of the best and most reliably useful crafting classes in FFXIV — even if it’s not necessarily the best Disciple of the Hand to level up right away. Classes that make tools and armor — like the Blacksmith and Leatherworker — can help you cheaply produce better and better gear to make leveling up faster. Culinarian can create food that bestows a 3% XP boost across all roles. In contrast, the Alchemist doesn’t provide much of value until the late-to-endgame of FFXIV. When it does, however, that value is reliable (not to mention profitable).
As you can probably guess from the name, Alchemists are best known for crafting potions. These consumables typically function like more potent versions of food (i.e. they confer strong stat bonuses to the user). The tradeoff is that the effects of potions expire quicker and usually come with a cooldown timer. Whereas food can last up to one real-world hour (more with Free Company buffs) with no restrictions on how much you eat. The end result is that potions are very popular for high-level players looking for an edge in content like Savage Raids. And because they’re consumable, unlike equipment that stays useful for months between patches, people always need more.
This makes the Alchemist — alongside the Culinarian — one of the better classes for earning consistent Gil in FFXIV. Though it also means you have more competition on the market boards. You’ll likely need to keep a closer eye on prices and check back more often to undercut sellers who undercut you.
Alchemists also make money by selling items to other crafters. Besides potions, the class can create a unique consumable type called “syrups,” which basically split the difference between potions and food. Syrups don’t last as long as food — but longer than potions — and stack their effects alongside any buffs you get from chowing down. Because of this, high-level syrups are often used while crafting endgame “Expert Recipes.” Along the way an Alchemist can also sell intermittent crafting materials (e.g. glue, ink, growth formula). These can also be sold to other crafters who don’t feel like leveling up an Alchemist themselves.
Last but not least, the Alchemist is also responsible for crafting Arcanist, Summoner, and Scholar weapons. It’s not the most versatile portfolio of gear to create, but it’s something.
And there you have the very, very basics of how to unlock the Alchemist in FFXIV. Not to mention you have a handy list of locations to check as you progress the class quests off and on throughout your adventure. Best of luck making money off those raiders!
