While Square Enix’sFinal Fantasy 14is by and far most well-known for its emotional main storylines in expansions like Heavensward and Shadowbringers, the game still features plenty of sidequests that contribute heartily to the world of Eorzea. Perhaps the most infamous and hilarious of those supplementary questlines is that of Inspector Hildibrand Manderville. Often backed by his eccentric “Agent of Inquiry” soundtrack and devoted Miqo’te sidekick Nashu, Hildibrand embarks on various detective-style adventures throughout each expansion inFinal Fantasy 14that involve some of the most whimsically preposterous situations. In essence, it’s sharp detour from the more dramatic and serious narrative of the main story, and players have embraced it wholeheartedly.
The Hildibrand Adventures is an extensive questline inFinal Fantasy 14that starts as far back as A Realm Reborn, and it not only provides plenty of wisecracks and laughs but also some surprisingly great rewards, including access to powerful weapons. Hildibrand is making his grand return in the Dawntrail expansion, so if you’re looking to get caught all the way up to his latest shenanigans, you’ll need to know where to start.
How to Complete Hildibrand Questline in Final Fantasy 14
The Adventures of Hildibrand questline inFinal Fantasy 14is one that’s not immediately available when first starting your journey in Eorzea. Accessing it requires a certain amount overall progression with your character and the main story. The pre-requisites for unlocking the Hildibrand questline include:
Once those objectives are done, go to thecity of Ul’dah - Steps of Naldand look for a Hyur NPC named Wymond at (X:9.8, Y:8.7). Speak to him to start the Level 50 quest called “The Rise and Fall of Gentlemen”. This is the inaugural quest that starts the Adventures of Hildibrand, and the first arc consists of 21 Level 50 quests that you’re able to embark on during A Realm Reborn. Some of them offer unique rewards such as the iconic Manderville dance emote, the Wind-Up Gentleman minion, and the classic Manderville glamour outfit.
To access subsequent arcs of the Hildibrand questline you will need to purchase and download each ofFinal Fantasy 14’s expansions, which currently include Heavensward, Stormblood, Shadowbringers, Endwalker, and Dawntrail which also featuresplenty of other post-MSQ activitiesfor players.
Each expansion of the game has its own pre-requisites for starting the next arc of Hildibrand Adventures, which are outlined below. The one exception is the Shadowbringers expansion, which did not feature an arc of the Hildibrand questline. Dawntrail will feature the “Inconcievably Further Hildibrand Adventures” arc starting in Patch 7.15. Just like with previous expansions, you will need to have the Dawntrail Main Scenario Questline completed.
Hildibrand Arc (by expansion)
Starting Quest and Pre-requisites
Further Hildibrand Adventures
(Heavensward)
Pick up Level 60 quest “A Gentleman Falls, Rather Than Flies” from Nashu at (X:5.9, Y:9.9) in the Pillars area of Ishgard.
- Unlocked by completing “Heavensward” Main Scenario Quest (Level 60)
Even Further Hildibrand Adventures
(Stormblood)
Pick up Level 70 quest “A Hingan Tale: Nashu Goes East” from the
- Unlocked by completing “Stormblood” Main Scenario Quest (Level 70)
Somehow Further Hildibrand Adventures
(Endwalker)
Pick up Level 90 quest “The Sleeping Gentleman” from the Excitable Youth at (X:11.8, Y:11.2) in Radz-At-Han.
- Unlocked by completing “Endwalker” Main Scenario Quest (Level 90)
(Dawntrail)
TBD
In addition to the quests themselves, the ‘Somehow Further Hildibrand Adventures’ arc in Endwalker also provided access to theexpansion’s series of relic weapons, also known as the ‘Manderville weapons’. While they no longer serve as viable gear with the addition of Dawntrail’s battle content, they remain one of the most popular sets of relic weapons for glamour purposes.
