The average completion time for the main quest line of Final Fantasy 16 is an estimated 40 hours. Still, that number rises significantly if you’re a completionist that likes to play through every side quest and collect every trophy available.
For non-completionists, there’s no urgent need to identify and complete every side quest in the game, especially when you consider the fact that there are up to 76 of them in Final Fantasy 16.
However, completing side quests is the best way to earn certain unique rewards. The game does not let you know beforehand what the rewards for each side quest are going to be, so you can’t choose to accept or ignore them based on that without prior knowledge.
However, I’ve played the game and I have that information, so I’ve put together this guide to make things easier for you. This guide to side quests in Final Fantasy 16 lists all the available side quests and recommends which ones are worth completing.
Why Complete Side Quests?
Apart from the fact that side quests offer nice little diversions from the main quest line, the rewards that you can get from them can make them worth the effort.
Rewards generally come in the form of XP to level up Clive, ability points for important upgrades, materials for crafting, mounts, and curiosities for completionists that want to unlock the “For the Hoard” trophy.
Side quests also add a bit more depth to the world-building of the game. Final Fantasy has always prided itself on the stories of each game, and they complement the action bits very nicely. In fact, Final Fantasy 16 might have broken the record for the longest total time of cutscenes in RPG history!
But I digress.
Whichever way you put it, seventy-six side quests are a lot, so many people would still prefer to focus on completing only the important ones. First, I’ll list every side quest in Final Fantasy 16.
Every Side Quest in Final Fantasy 16
Most of the side quests in Final Fantasy 16 begin from The Hideaway, but there are some scattered around other parts of the map such as Rosaria, Waloed, Sanbreque, and Dhalmekia.
Starting Point: The Hideaway
There are 40 side quests that begin at The Hideaway. The list includes:
- Food for Thought, unlocked during the 5th main quest titled “Hide, Hideaway”
- Make Do and Mend, unlocked during the 5th main quest titled “Hide, Hideaway”
- A Place for Everyone, unlocked during the 13th main quest titled “The Hunter and the Hunted”
- Moving Heaven and Earth, unlocked during the 13th main quest titled “The Hunter and the Hunted”
- Needs of the Many, unlocked during the 18th main quest titled “Righting Wrongs”
- Red Letter Day, unlocked during the 18th main quest titled “Righting Wrongs”
- Caulk and Ball, unlocked during the 22nd main quest titled “The Gathering Storm”
- The Fruits of Her Labors, unlocked during the 22nd main quest titled “The Gathering Storm”
- A Culinary Pilgrimage, unlocked during the 25th main quest titled “Here Be Monsters”
- Blacksmith Blues, unlocked during the 25th main quest titled “Here Be Monsters”
- Cut from the Cloth, unlocked during the 27th main quest titled “After the Storm”
- The Root of the Problem, unlocked during the 27th main quest titled “After the Storm”
- The Weight of Command, unlocked during the 29th main quest titled “Bolts from the Blue”
- Do No Harm, unlocked during the 29th main quest titled “Bolts from the Blue”
- Weird Science, unlocked during the 32nd main quest titled “Out of the Shadow”
- Blacksmith’s Blues II, unlocked during the 32nd main quest titled “Out of the Shadow”
- A Bone to Pick, unlocked during the 32nd main quest titled “Out of the Shadow”
- Payback, unlocked during the 32nd main quest titled “Out of the Shadow”
- Smooth Like Butter, unlocked during the 35th main quest titled “Things Fall Apart”
- An Eye for an Eye, unlocked during the 35th main quest titled “Things Fall Apart”
- Not to be Outdone, unlocked during the 35th main quest titled “Things Fall Apart”
- On Balance, unlocked during the 35th main quest titled “Things Fall Apart”
- Please Sir, Can I Have Some Morbol, unlocked during the 38th main quest titled “A Song of Hope”
- Tears of Mercy, unlocked during the 38th main quest titled “A Song of Hope”
- Blacksmith’s Blues III, unlocked during the 38th main quest titled “A Song of Hope”
- Even Weirder Science, unlocked during the 41st main quest titled “Across the Narrow”
- Self-Determination, unlocked during the 41st main quest titled “Across the Narrow”
- Blacksmith’s Blues IV, unlocked during the 41st main quest titled “Across the Narrow”
- Phoenix, Heal Thyself, unlocked during the 41st main quest titled “Across the Narrow”
- Three’s Company, unlocked during the 46th main quest titled “Back to Their Origin”
- Where There’s a Will, unlocked during the 46th main quest titled “Back to Their Origin”
- Nobody’s Tool, unlocked during the 46th main quest titled “Back to Their Origin”
- Trial and Error, unlocked during the 46th main quest titled “Back to Their Origin”
- Aiming High, unlocked during the 46th main quest titled “Back to Their Origin”
- Litany of Errors, unlocked during the 46th main quest titled “Back to Their Origin”
- More Than Words, unlocked during the 46th main quest titled “Back to Their Origin”
- An Inconvenient Truth, unlocked during the 46th main quest titled “Back to Their Origin”
- Priceless, unlocked during the 46th main quest titled “Back to Their Origin”
- A Tail to Tell, unlocked during the 46th main quest titled “Back to Their Origin”
- Silver Linings, unlocked during the 46th main quest titled “Back to Their Origin”
Starting Point: Rosaria
There are 8 side quests to be found in Rosaria. The list includes:
- What a Bird Wants, unlocked during the 14th main quest titled “Homecoming”
- Crystalline Lifeline, unlocked during the 15th main quest titled “Holding On”
- False Friends, unlocked during the 15th main quest titled “Holding On”
- Beast Against Beast, unlocked during the 15th main quest titled “Holding On”
- While the Cat’s Away, unlocked during the 18th main quest titled “Righting Wrongs”
- The White-Winged Wonder, unlocked during the 22nd main quest titled “The Gathering Storm”
- Rekindling the Flame, unlocked during the 36th main quest titled “Cloak and Dagger”
- Rekindling the Flame II, unlocked during the 41st main quest titled “Across the Narrow”
Starting Point: Waloed
There is one side quest that begins in Waloed called “Laid to Rest”. It can be unlocked once you begin the 44th main quest in the game, “Brotherhood”.
Starting Point: Sanbreque
There are 11 side quests in Sanbreque. The list includes:
- Welcoming Committee, unlocked during the 18th main quest titled “Righting Wrongs”
- Dying on the Vine, unlocked during the 18th main quest titled “Righting Wrongs”
- The Want Beyond the Wall, unlocked during the 18th main quest titled “Righting Wrongs”
- Friend of the People, unlocked during the 18th main quest titled “Righting Wrongs”
- Pride Comes Before a Fall, unlocked during the 18th main quest titled “Righting Wrongs”
- Playthings, unlocked during the 18th main quest titled “Righting Wrongs”
- All Bark, unlocked during the 18th main quest titled “Righting Wrongs”
- For Great Justice, unlocked during the 32nd main quest titled “Out of the Shadow”
- For Great Justice II, unlocked during the 36th main quest titled “Cloak and Dagger”
- Under New Management, unlocked during the 41st main quest titled “Across the Narrow”
- Under New Management II, unlocked during the 46th main quest titled “Back to Their Origin”
Starting Point: Dhalmekia
There are 16 side quests in Dhalmekia. The list includes:
- Carving Out A Niche, unlocked during the 30th main quest titled “Riddle of the Sands”.
- Hot Water, unlocked during the 30th main quest titled “Riddle of the Sands”.
- Use Your Load, unlocked during the 32nd main quest titled “Out of the Shadow”
- Get Cart, unlocked during the 33rd main quest titled “Onward”
- Onward to Discovery, unlocked during the 33rd main quest titled “Onward”
- Live and Let Live, unlocked during the 33rd main quest titled “Onward”
- Bearer of Good News, unlocked during the 33rd main quest titled “Onward”
- Bad Blood, unlocked during the 36th main quest titled “Cloak and Dagger”
- Skin Trade, unlocked during the 36th main quest titled “Cloak and Dagger”
- Carved in Stone, unlocked during the 36th main quest titled “Cloak and Dagger”
- Trading Places, unlocked during the 36th main quest titled “Cloak and Dagger”
- Lines in the Sand, unlocked during the 41st main quest titled “Across the Narrow”
- Duty Undying, unlocked during the 41st main quest titled “Across the Narrow”
- Trading Places II, unlocked during the 41st main quest titled “Across the Narrow”
- Lines in the Sand II, unlocked during the 46th main quest titled “Back to Their Origin”
- Duty Undying II, unlocked during the 46th main quest titled “Back to Their Origin”
Which Side Quests Are Worth Completing?
You can tell when a side quest is available by a green marker with an exclamation point inside it on the map of wherever you are.
Side quests that the game deems to be extra important are marked with a plus sign instead of an exclamation point. These quests generally yield better rewards than the regular side quests, so that’s one way to decide which ones you want to take on.
However, when it comes to the progression of the story and the tools that you need to get ahead, there is a smaller number of side quests that can be considered important enough to complete.
For instance, if you want to unlock the “For the Hoard” trophy that I mentioned earlier on, then you need to find and collect all the curiosities required to do so. Many of these can only be earned by completing certain side quests indicated in the table below:
| Name of Side Quest | Main Quest Number | Curiosity Earned |
|---|---|---|
| **The White-Winged Wonder | 22 | Ambrosia’s Tack |
| Under New Management II | 46 | Veil Signboard |
| The Fruits of Her Labors | 22 | Martelle Apples |
| Duty Undying II | 46 | Clayhearth Signboard |
| Blacksmith’s Blues | 38 | Drakeslayer’s Belt Design Draft |
| Lines in the Sand II | 46 | Briar’s Kiss Signboard |
| **Weird Science | 32 | Treated Potion Satchel |
| Payback | 32 | Cid’s Goblet |
| Priceless | 46 | Snoy Daisy Garland |
| Three’s Company | 46 | The Triunity Accord |
| Where There’s a Will | 46 | – Archduke Elwin’s Testament – Rusted Battehelm |
| An Eye for an Eye | 35 | Continental Censer |
| **Blacksmith’s Blues II | 32 | Excalibur Design Draft |
| **The Root of the Problem | 27 | Morganbeard Extract |
| For Great Justice II | 36 | Hanged Man Signboard |
| **Blacksmith’s Blues III | 38 | Ouroboros Design Draft |
| Silver Linings | 46 | Winter Mead |
| A Tail to Tell | 46 | Stolas Quill |
| Aiming High | 46 | Model Airship |
| **Blacksmith’s Blues IV | 41 | – Gotterdammerung Design Draft – The Cracked Anvil |
| **Please Sir, Can I Have Some Morbol | 38 | Invigorated Morganbeard Extract |
| **Trading Places II | 41 | Crimson Caravans Signboard |
| More Than Words | 46 | Charred Sparring Sword |
| **Even Weirder Science | 41 | Expanded Potion Satchel |
| Rekindling the Flame II | 41 | Martha’s Rest Signboard |
| An Inconvenient Truth | 46 | Scholar’s Bonnet |
This is not to suggest that side quests are only relevant if you’re trying to collect curiosities. In the table above, I have marked some quests with the ** sign to indicate that there are more special rewards for completing them.
The White-Winged Wonder rewards you with a Chocobo mount for faster travel in addition to 600 ability points.
The Root of the Problem and Even Weirder Science reward you with increased consumable/potion potency.
Blacksmith’s Blues II offers the Excalibur Design Draft in addition to 900 EXP. You can use this item to craft the Excalibur – one of the strongest swords in the game.
Completing Weird Science increases Clive’s carrying capacity for consumables. It also rewards you with a Bomb Ember (another material used in crafting the Excalibur) and 900 EXP.
Blacksmith’s Blues III rewards you with the Ouroboros Design Draft which is used for crafting the Ouroboros belt and also unlocks The Sons of Ouroboros vambraces.
Completing Please Sir, Can I Have Some Morbol increases Clive’s carrying capacity for consumables.
Blacksmith’s Blues IV rewards you with the Gotterdammerung Design Draft used in crafting the Gotterdammerung sword. This sword is the strongest in the game.
Trading Places II rewards you with 4800 EXP in addition to 400 ability points, 1500 Gil, and 50 Renown.
Finally, completing Onward to Discovery, a side quest that is unlocked during the 33rd main quest titled “Onward” rewards you with The Breath of Earth (Upheaval). This accessory reduces the cooldown time of the Upheaval attack by 3.5 seconds.
So, there you go! At least 10 of the 76 side quests in this game are a must-do, and even more if you want to unlock trophies. Best of luck!
