How to Get a Chocobo in FFXIV

Aaron Donald October 20, 2021

Although the Final Fantasy 14 world is captivating, exploring it on foot can be too time-consuming. Fast travel is available through Aetherytes, but you’ll first need to visit Aetheryte areas in person. The quickest way to do so is to mount a Chocobo. But how exactly can you get one?

In this entry, we’ll show you how to unlock the Chocobo mount in FFXIV. We’ll describe the requirements and the quests leading up to it.

How to Get the Chocobo in FFXIV

As previously hinted, the Chocobo doesn’t automatically spawn once you start the game. Instead, Final Fantasy 14 requires you to complete a few quests and perform certain activities to unlock the mount. Complete the following requirements and quests to fulfill the necessary conditions:

Climb to Level 20 with your character.
Complete the “Lord of the Inferno” mission to unlock “Hero in the Making” from Minfilia Warde. These quests should be marked with jagged outlines and not standard circles.
Join a Grand Company. Your options include “The Immortal Flames,” “The Order of The Twin Adder,” and “Maelstrom.” These companies aren’t player-made – they’re run by NPCs that offer you extras and rewards in exchange for Seals. Additionally, you may need to perform the “Company You Keep” questline before joining your Grand Company.
Once you’ve selected your Grand Company, speak to its Commander to initiate “My Little Chocobo.”
Collect 200 Seals by participating in Duty Roulette, FATEs, company quests, and exchanging crafted items through delivery missions.

Once you complete the 200 Seal collection, it’s time to get your Chocobo. Check out the steps below to complete the process:

After amassing 200 seals, return to your Grand Company and find the Quartermaster.
Press the “Materiel” section in the right part of your screen.
Choose the “Chocobo Issuance” option.
Make your way to your Chocobo Stablemaster.
Trade the Issuance for a Chocobo.
Open the “Actions/Traits” section and equip the Chocobo Whistle.
Place the item in the Action Bar to access it quickly.
Click the “Whistle,” and your Chocobo should spawn to your location.

How to Get Chocobo Armor in FFXIV

Chocobo armor is part of your Market List. However, it goes by a different name – Chocobo Barding. You can acquire a considerable number of Barding types. Here are some of the most popular ones:

Abigail Barding – available via Trimmed Sacks in the Palace of the Dead
Angelic Barding – purchased at the Mog Station
Barding of Light and Black Mage Barding – obtainable through the NPC Jonathas, Old Gridania, and three Achievement Certificates
Behemoth Barding – unlocked by purchasing FFXIV “A Real Reborn” Collector’s Edition
Blissful Barding – crafted by Heaven-on-High or Goldsmith
Bozian Barding – available from Zadnor Lockbox

How to Get the Chocobo to Fight in FFXIV

One of the most significant benefits of using your Chocobo is that it can fight alongside you. Follow these steps to access this ability:

Reach Level 30 after unlocking your Chocobo through a Grand Company.
Head to Camp Tranquil in the southern section of South Shroud.
Once you’re there, you’ll find an NPC that should give you a normal quest (not a part of the main questline). The mission will require you to visit another zone and help an NPC at his stable.
Travel to the zone where you’ll complete the mission.
Gather Gysahl Beans and bring them to the NPC to complete the first part.
Once you complete the quest, you’ll unlock the ability to summon the Chocobo for combat.

Keep in mind that you can only summon your Chocobo with Gysahl Beans. Apart from Camp Tranquil, you can also buy them in all major cities. Once your Chocobo spawns for combat, it can’t be mounted unless you send it away first.

Can You Get the Chocobo Past Level 10 in FFXIV?

The Chocobo maxes out its level upon reaching Level 10. To get the stead past the level cap, you’ll need to unlock the skill for the Chocobo to gain experience for its current rank. The item you’ll need for this task is the Thavnairian Onion.

To determine whether your Chocobo has maxed out its experience, navigate to the “Companion Details” window. The steed has reached its maximum rank if the colors change in the “Exp Value” and “Rank” windows.

Once you’ve established the Chocobo’s level, you can now raise its rank:

Reopen your “Companion Details” and “Chocobo Stable” window.
Choose “Thavnairian Onion” as the steed’s reward. Don’t press the “Feed” option.
The color of the sections should again be normal, allowing your Chocobo to keep gaining experience points.

Every level reached with this method requires a Thavnairian Onion. The maximum rank your Chocobo can achieve is 20.

If your companion reaches the highest level while in the Personal Housing Chocobo Stable or Free Company, you’ll need to take a different approach:

Take the Chocobo out of the stable.
Summon it again using your Gysahl Beans.
Kill a unit to gain one experience point and to level up your steed properly.
Once the Chocobo ranks up from this experience, feed it your Onion. This way, you’ll enable your companion to unlock more experience for its new levels.

Don’t Neglect Your Chocobo

Leveling up your FFXIV Chocobo can be one of the most beneficial strategies in the game. As your steed gains more experience, it becomes a formidable asset. It becomes a trusted companion with several attacking modes to help you out whenever necessary.

What’s the level of your FFXIV Chocobo? How long did it take you to reach level 10? What’s your favorite Chocobo Barding? Let us know in the comments section below.