FFXIV gathering: efficiency & gil
Doubling up node windows, passive retainer income, and which materials actually sell.
Two nodes, one window
An unspoiled or legendary window runs about two Eorzea hours — roughly six real minutes — which is long enough to clear more than one node. Plan a short route: hit the first node, then mount straight to a second timed node sharing the window (or a regular node nearby) before the clock runs out. Fieldcraft's countdowns are built for exactly this — line up which windows overlap so you're never standing around waiting on one.
Retainers: gathering while you're logged off
Your retainers can gather for you. Assign one to Miner, Botanist, or Fisher (up to your own level in that job), hand it a tool, and send it on gathering ventures — it comes back with materials whether or not you're online. It's the most reliable passive income a gatherer has.
- A retainer's Gathering stat only has to clear the minimum an item asks for; past that it does nothing for quantity.
- Perception is the stat that matters — on targeted ventures it drives how many items the retainer brings back each run.
- Ventures open up a little after the level-17 story beat; a spare set of scrip gear is plenty to kit out a gatherer retainer.
What's actually worth gathering
Gil follows demand, and demand follows crafters. The evergreen earners:
- Scrips into materia and gear — turn Purple and Orange scrips into the melds and cap gear that crafters and gatherers re-buy every tier.
- Aethersand from ephemeral reduction feeds master-recipe crafting, so it sells steadily instead of spiking and crashing.
- Current timed mats spike hardest the week a patch drops and everyone is leveling crafters — that first window is where the money is.
Chase the new-content spike, then let retainers grind the steady stuff in the background.