The Duty Finder menu in A Realm Reborn.
The Duty Finder is the matchmaking system in Final Fantasy XIV that allows players to queue up for instanced 
Dungeons, 
Trials, 
Raids, 
Guildhests, or 
PvP (Player-versus-Player) content without first needing to be part of a pre-made party. This system does support pre-made parties, however, and will fill in empty slots as needed.
Story[]
For most of the game the Duty Finder is simply an out of universe gameplay mechanic and does not have a role in the story, with most dungeon quests simply having a character ask the Warrior of Light to go and gather allies before entering. However starting with the trial Seat of Sacrifice, the Warrior of Light gains the power to summon their friends to their side, giving the Duty Finder an explanation in-universe. Prior to this, during 
The Dying Gasp, the Crystal Exarch uses a summoning spell to similarly call forth allies.
During the Pandaemonium raid series, Themis uses creation magic to generate illusory familiars to aid the Warrior of Light in battle. Likewise, during the Arcadion raid series, the Warrior of Light uses the souls of former champions provided by Metem to create similar familiars, an arrangement which the Warrior accepts under the condition that Metem releases these souls after each victory. In both these cases, it can be inferred that from an in-universe perspective, the player's allies are merely imitations of the paired adventurers.
Using the Duty Finder[]
Opening the Duty Finder, either from the menu or a shortcut placed in a hotbar, will display a list of dungeons, guildhests, trials, and raids. The player must check the box next to the desired duty and select Join. If the player is not in a party, or does not meet the party size requirement for a certain duty, the player will be matched with other players automatically. The player can freely continue adventuring while their parties are being assembled by the server, however if they switch discipline they must switch back before being able to enter the duty.
When undertaking a duty that requires a party, the Duty Finder automatically designates players as tanks, attackers, or healers, depending on their class or job. Players are placed in balanced parties based on these roles, with a ratio of one tank, one healer, and two damage dealers. This amount is scaled depending on whether the content requires 4, 8, or 24 players. Once the Duty Finder has assembled a party and everyone confirms they're ready, players are transported to the dungeon or raid area. Upon completion, players are returned to their respective worlds automatically, at their original location, unless completing the Duty triggers a cutscene or continues a quest, in which case the players will be brought to the appropriate area for that quest. Furthermore, if a group of players provides all of the party members required for a specific Duty, it will allow the party to enter the Duty regardless of party composition (ex: a group of four Dragoons could enter a Light Party dungeon).
Prior to patch 3.5 (The Far Edge of Fate), players could not use the Duty Finder if their chocobo companion was active (summoning one while in queue would cancel it). In addition, solo instanced battles during quests cannot be undertaken if the player has queued for Duty Finder.
As of patch 3.4 (Soul Surrender), the Duty Finder may be used to access a Triple Triad Battlehall or to queue for cross-server Lord of Verminion matches.
The party leader may select additional settings to apply to any duties selected (except Roulettes). These include:
- Join Party in Progress - The player may be placed in an already active and unfinished Duty to replace another player who has forfeit the duty or has been kicked. This option can only be selected if the player is queuing solo.
- Unrestricted Party - The player's party is able to enter the duty even if they do not have enough players. Player levels are not synced, and the party does not need to meet the role requirements of the duty. However, the duty will not grant experience, and the players' equipment will not gain spiritbond. None of the current expansion's duties can be entered with this setting enabled, while all Alliance Raid duties require three separate parties with at least one player in each.
- Level Sync - Only available with Unrestricted Party selected. Syncs player levels to duty's required level, enabling experience and spiritbond gain.
- Minimum IL - All player equipment will be level synced to the absolute minimum requirement to enter the duty.
- Silence Echo - Prevents the party from gaining
The Echo, whether it is automatically granted by the duty itself or gained when the entire party is defeated. - Explorer Mode - The party enters the selected duty in its completed state and without level sync. No enemies or bosses spawn, the player(s) may freely change jobs, summon minions and mounts, spawn training dummies, and use Limit Breaks at will. A duty must be completed by the player to enter it in Explorer Mode. Not all duties are available for this mode.
- Limited Leveling Roulette - When queuing for a Leveling Duty Roulette, the game will only select duties that are within eight levels of the lowest-leveled member of the party. This setting only functions if the players are queuing as a party of four.
- Loot Rules - Changes how the party rolls on loot earned from chests.
- Normal - Looting works as normal.
- Greed Only - Players may only roll Greed on items.
- Lootmaster - The party leader manually distributes items.
Duty Roulette[]
A feature introduced in patch 2.1 (A Realm Awoken), the Duty Roulette lets players queue in for a random instance, with a bonus reward of experience, gil, Allagan tomestones, and/or Grand Company seals. When queuing at the level cap, the bonus experience is replaced by endgame tomestones.
While the roulette can be queued as many times as desired, the bonus reward is only awarded once per day (reset at midnight JST).
In addition, there is an Adventurer in Need reward: if the player matches the desired role, they will be given a payout of extra experience and gil. This reward can always be obtained. However, the reward will not be given if a group queues for a roulette with the maximum amount of players. The role type will be locked in once the player enters the queue, even it changes to a different role in the Duty Finder window while waiting.
Initially the roulettes available were "Low Level", "High Level", "Main Scenario", and "Guildhests". Since introduction, new roulettes have been added and removed. These are the roulettes currently available:
Expert[]
Duty Roulette: Expert covers the 4-player dungeons at level cap introduced in the most recent patch updates. It features between two to four dungeons depending on their patch release schedule, and starting with the second major patch, older dungeons are moved to a separate roulette. This roulette is intended for players to quickly obtain endgame tomestones.
- Unlock Requirements: Completion of all available dungeons
- Party Composition: One to four players (1 tank, 1 healer, 2 DPS)
- Level: 100
- Average Item Level: 670 (highest minimum item level of eligible dungeons)
- Daily Rewards:
7,200 Allagan Tomestones of Aesthetics 80 Allagan Tomestones of Heliometry 40 - Adventurer in Need Bonus: 7,200
| Duty Roulette: Expert |
|---|
|
High-level Dungeons[]
Duty Roulette: High-level Dungeons covers all 4-player dungeons at level cap for previous expansions. Prior to the release of patch 7.0, the roulette was named Level 50/60/70/80 Dungeons. This roulette is intended for players to quickly obtain Allagan tomestones of poetics. Uncapped endgame tomestones are available for players at level cap.
- Unlock Requirements: Unlock at least two eligible dungeons
- Party Composition: One to four players (1 tank, 1 healer, 2 DPS)
- Level: 50 (Sync to 50)
- Average Item Level: 45 (lowest minimum item level of eligible dungeons)
- Daily Rewards 7,050
100
- Job level not capped:
(amount varies) - Job level capped: Allagan Tomestones of Aesthetics 120
- Job level not capped:
- Adventurer in Need Bonus: 7,200
| Duty Roulette: High-level Dungeons |
|---|
| A Realm Reborn |
|
| Heavensward |
| Stormblood |
| Shadowbringers |
| Endwalker |
Leveling[]
Duty Roulette: Leveling covers every instanced dungeon not at a level cap, as well as the three 4-player trials in A Realm Reborn. This roulette is intended for players who are leveling up jobs, and awards significant experience points, gil, and company seals upon completion of the duty. Additional rewards are available for players at higher levels.
- Unlock Requirements: Unlock Sastasha and The Tam-Tara Deepcroft during the main scenario
- Party Composition: One to four players (1 tank, 1 healer, 2 DPS)
- Level: 16 (Sync to 16)
- Daily Rewards: 7,770
839
- Job level not capped: (amount varies)
- Job level capped: Allagan Tomestones of Aesthetics 100 Allagan Tomestones of Heliometry 20
- Job level not capped:
- Adventurer in Need Bonus: 12,000 4,200, 1 Cracked Novacluster and 2 Cracked Prismaticlusters (if player is within 9 levels of level cap)
| Duty Roulette: Leveling |
|---|
| A Realm Reborn |
| Heavensward |
| Stormblood |
| Shadowbringers |
| Endwalker |
| Dawntrail |
|
Trials[]
Duty Roulette: Trials covers all 8-player Trials at regular difficulty. Additional rewards are available for players at level cap.
- Unlock Requirements: Completion of at least two eligible trials
- Party Composition: One to eight players (2 tanks, 2 healers, 4 DPS)
- Level: 50 (Sync to 50)
- Average Item Level: 90
- Daily Rewards: 12,000
- Job level not capped: (amount varies)
- Job level capped: Allagan Tomestones of Aesthetics 60 Allagan Tomestones of Heliometry 15
- Job level not capped:
- Adventurer in Need Bonus: 4,320
| Duty Roulette: Trials |
|---|
| A Realm Reborn |
| Heavensward |
| Stormblood |
| Shadowbringers |
| Endwalker |
| Dawntrail |
Main Scenario[]
Duty Roulette: Main Scenario covers the three 4-player duties at the end of the main scenario of A Realm Reborn and is intended to help newer players find a party for these instances. Cutscenes are unskippable for all players during these instances, so as compensation, a significant amount of experience points and tomestones are awarded.
- Unlock Requirements: Unlock all available duties
- Party Composition: One to four players (1 tank, 1 healer, 2 DPS)
- Level: 50 (Sync to 50)
- Average Item Level: 42
- Daily Rewards: 9,000 350
- Job level not capped: (amount varies)
- Job level capped: Allagan Tomestones of Aesthetics 100 Allagan Tomestones of Heliometry 50
- Job level not capped:
- Adventurer in Need Bonus: 7,200
| Duty Roulette: Main Scenario |
|---|
Guildhests[]
Duty Roulette: Guildhests covers any unlocked Guildhests. Players will receive a daily bonus of experience, gil, and company seals for participating.
- Unlock Requirements: Unlock two guildhests
- Party Composition: One to eight players (2 tanks, 2 healers, 4 DPS)
- Level: 10 (Sync to 10)
- Daily Rewards: 1,120 530
- Job level not capped: (amount varies)
- Job level not capped:
- Adventurer in Need Bonus: 1,800 265
| Duty Roulette: Guildhests |
|---|
Alliance Raids[]
Duty Roulette: Alliance Raids was introduced in patch 4.1 (The Legend Returns) and covers 24-player alliance raids. New alliance raids are not officially added to this roulette until the next major patch after their release. This roulette offers significant experience points and tomestones, with additional rewards available for players at level cap. Patch 6.5 added item level requirements based on the player's class or job level at the time of duty registration.
- Unlock Requirements: Unlock
The Labyrinth of the Ancients and Syrcus Tower during the main scenario - Party Composition: One to eight players (1 tank, 2 healers, 5 DPS)
- Level: 50 (Sync to 50)
- Average Item Level: Highest minimum item level among the unlocked alliance raids a player can enter at their current class or job level
- Daily Rewards: 12,000 120
- Job level not capped: (amount varies)
- Job level capped: Allagan Tomestones of Aesthetics 120 Allagan Tomestones of Heliometry 50
- Job level not capped:
- Adventurer in Need Bonus: 7,200, 1 Cracked Novacluster and 2 Cracked Prismaticlusters (if player is within 9 levels of level cap)
| Duty Roulette: Alliance Raids |
|---|
| A Realm Reborn |
| Heavensward |
| Stormblood |
| Shadowbringers |
| Endwalker |
Normal Raids[]
Duty Roulette: Normal Raids was introduced in patch 4.3 (Under the Moonlight) and covers all 8-player raids at normal difficulty. The Coils of Bahamut are excluded from this roulette, as they were created before the distinction of Normal and Savage difficulties in 8-player raids starting in Heavensward. Additional rewards are available for players at level cap.
- Unlock Requirements: Unlock two eligible normal raids
- Party Composition: One to eight players (2 tanks, 2 healers, 4 DPS)
- Level: 60 (Sync to 60)
- Average Item Level: 170 (lowest item level requirement of eligible raids)
- Daily Rewards: 12,000 80
- Job level not capped: (amount varies)
- Job level capped: Allagan Tomestones of Aesthetics 60 Allagan Tomestones of Heliometry 20
- Job level not capped:
- Adventurer in Need Bonus: 1,440
Mentor[]
Duty Roulette: Mentor is only available to players who have been certified as a Battle Mentor and meet the roulette's completion and item level requirements, which are updated throughout patches. This roulette will place them in any PvE duty needing players, excluding the Coils of Bahamut, Savage raids, Extreme trials from the newest expansion, and Raid Finder duties. Players must queue solo for this roulette, even if all other party members have access to it.
The Mentor roulette can put the player into groups formed for all of the other roulettes. The only duties exclusive to the Mentor roulette are older Extreme trials, which will only appear if there are players specifically using the Duty Finder to clear them.
- Unlock Requirements: Completion of all available duties, have current Battle Mentor certification
- Level: 100
- Average Item Level: 685 (highest minimum item level requirement of eligible duties)
- Daily Rewards: 7,050 Allagan Tomestones of Aesthetics 30 Allagan Tomestones of Heliometry 10
- Adventurer in Need Bonus: 5,400
Frontline[]
Daily Challenge: Frontline is intended to find players for the PvP mode Frontline, which has a single duty that changes every day. The currently active duty is displayed under the "Information" section of the details window. Players receive a significant amount of rewards for participating, such as experience points, tomestones, and PvP-related experience and currency. Endgame tomestones are available for players at level cap. Players can freely change jobs in the PvP instance and obtain experience points for the job they queued as.
- Unlock Requirements: Complete
Like Civilized Men and Women - Party Composition: One to four players
- Level: 30
- Daily Rewards: PvP EXP 1,000 Series EXP 1,500
1,000
- Job level not capped: (amount varies)
- Job level capped: Allagan Tomestones of Aesthetics 50 Allagan Tomestones of Heliometry 20
- Job level not capped:
| Daily Challenge: Frontline |
|---|
Raid Finder[]
The Raid Finder was introduced in patch 3.3 (Revenge of the Horde) to facilitate matchmaking for the most challenging content. Once operating independently, it was merged with the Duty Finder in with the release of Stormblood, appearing under the High-end Duty setting.
Settings[]
The Raid Finder contains additional settings not present in the Duty Finder:
- Matching Requirements: Filters out players by whether they have cleared the instance yet or not.
- Purpose: Defines whether the party's goal is to practice fight mechanics or go for a clear.
- Practice Phase Selection: Defines whether the goal is to practice early or late phase fight mechanics.
Party Composition[]
When queueing solo or with less than a full party, the Raid Finder will match together 2 tanks, 2 healers, 1 melee DPS, 1 physical ranged DPS, 1 magical ranged DPS, and 1 other DPS. The fourth, unspecified DPS class or job to be matched will depend on the settings selected when registering for a raid.
- When selecting Duty Completion: The unspecified DPS player cannot be the same class or job as other players to be matched together in a party.
- When selecting Practice: The unspecified DPS player can be the same class or job as other players to be matched together in a party.
Supported Duties[]
The duties available in the Raid Finder change with every patch, as it features only the most recent Extreme trials and Savage raids, which are moved to the regular Duty Finder when new trials and raids replace them. The only exceptions are Ultimate raids, which never leave the Raid Finder, and Unreal trials, where a different trial is available in each major patch.
| High-end Raids | High-end Trials | Ultimate Raids |
|---|---|---|
|
