What is The FFXIV Sprout Icon & When Do You Lose It?

Have you ever wondered what the Sprout icon is next to your character’s name in Final Fantasy XIV? You’ve probably also asked yourself “when will it go?” The aim of this article is to tell you exactly what the Sprout Icon is and when you’ll get rid of it. 

Now in theory the sprout icon is to highlight who is a new player in FFXIV, although someone could look pretty geared up and still have the icon. So it’s not really complete beginners that have the icon. 

In Fact you could still have the sprout icon even if you’ve played FFXIV for hours and finished the first expansion.

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Everyone has their own opinion of the Sprout icon. Some want it gone as soon as possible, as they feel it makes them look like a brand new player and they might not feel new or want people to think they’re new. 

Others are happy to keep it and even love having it. My advice, don’t be so quick to get rid of it. I’ll go into more details why shortly…

When Do You Lose The Sprout Icon?

You’ll lose the sprout icon in FFXIV when you’ve played over 168 hours and completed the Stormblood expansion pack. 

This does surprise a lot of players, as 168 hours is a decent amount of played time. Not only that but you’d expect once you’ve gone past A Realm Reborn content, you might not consider yourself a “new player” anymore. 

Once you’ve lost your sprout icon, its gone for good. 

Although saying that, if you’ve not played for over 45 days then it is possible to get your sprout back. 

This is optional though, you don’t have to keep the sprout icon if you don’t want it.

What’s The Point Of Having The Sprout Icon?

One of the best things about FFXIV is the community. In fact they won the best community award in 2022. 

The community is one of the friendliest and people are always willing to help others, especially new players. Which is really needed as it’s such a big feature rich game, new players can be overwhelmed. 

In theory by marking players with the sprout icon, it helps people see who is a new player. This allows people to be a little more understanding if they make mistakes. At the same time, it helps people find others to offer help or support. 

There are some cases where more experienced players will send gifts to those that have the sprout icon. 

The Benefits of Having The Sprout Icon in FFXIV

The sprout icon in FFXIV does have mixed feelings. Some people like them, whereas others also hate them. 

There are however some key benefits to having and trying to keep the sprout icon. 

Don’t Worry About Making Mistakes

When we start playing a new game, we’ll make a ton of mistakes. Dungeons and Raids can be very hard to play when you’re new. There can be complicated mechanics, as well as complicated job rotations to learn. 

In other MMO games, it’s not possible to see whether someone is new or not. Having the sprout icon will help show that someone is new. Other players tend to be a little more forgiving with any mistakes you might make. 

Saying that, you shouldn’t be ashamed of making mistakes even if you’ve played for a long time. 

Take Advantage of Experience

FFXIV has been around for a very long time now and has an incredible amount of lore. This can be very intimidating for a new player and can also result in them having a lot of questions. 

I’ve found that if you have a sprout icon and you ask a lore question, people are more than happy to answer. Not only that but because they love the lore so much, they’re more than happy to expand on anything and share anything you want to know. 

Free Gifts

Now I should start off by saying that as a sprouted player, you should never expect to be given anything and you should always appreciate it when you are. 

It’s also worth noting that it’s not guaranteed, as it certainly depends on the server. 

The FFXIV community is amazing and many people, when they see a new player wandering around, will happily start a trade and give a gift. This might be gear or Gil. 

They generally do this because they know how hard it is getting started and just a little helping hand can really go a long way. 

Your Helping The Game Grow

With every new player that joins Eorzea, the game will continue to get bigger and last longer. Sprouted players are the new generation of people that are not only enjoying the incredible story but are helping to keep FFXIV alive. 

Boosted XP with Mentors

As a new player, you can find yourself a mentor and party up with them. By doing so you get an experience boost. This extra boost can really help you level up much quicker. 

Can You Turn Off The Sprout Icon?

Yes you can turn off the sprout icon in FFXIV. All you need to do is type /nastatus in the chat box and this will toggle the sprout icon on or off. Its worth noting that its only possible to do this until you hit 168 hours and reach Shadow Bringers. Then as long as you continue playing it will stay away for good. 

It is worth thinking about whether or not you want to turn it off. As mentioned above, there are some great benefits to having the Sprout Icon displayed. Plus you should be proud that your a new player and learning all about FFXIV.

Final Thoughts

The sprout icon in Final Fantasy XIV can have mixed feelings, but it does have some key benefits. These benefits include players being more understanding and forgiving if you make mistakes, taking advantage of the game’s experience, and getting a boosted XP with a mentor. Additionally, new players helping to grow the game are appreciated by the community. Ultimately, whether or not you keep the sprout icon is up to you.