Gathering is the most relaxing way I know to make gil in Final Fantasy XIV. You put on a podcast, run a node rotation, and walk away with a retainer full of materials that crafters will happily buy. Miner and Botanist are the two jobs that turn that quiet loop into a steady income.
Quick answer
- Miner gathers ore, stone, gems and shards; Botanist gathers logs, plants, fibers and reagents. Both feed the crafting economy.
- The gil comes from two places: selling raw materials on the Market Board, and turning collectables into gatherer scrips.
- Unspoiled and legendary nodes (timed, limited windows) drop the highest-value materials.
- Current-tier crafting materials always sell best, because crafters need them in bulk every patch.
- Both jobs reach the level 100 cap in Dawntrail, and leveling them is mostly passive XP while you earn.
A full gathering setup takes time to level and gear, so if you need gil before your gatherer is ready, you can grab some cheap FF14 Gil and level your Miner or Botanist at your own pace.
Why gather for gil?
Gathering pays because almost everything crafters sell starts as a gathered material. When a new patch raises the crafting tier, demand for the matching gathered mats jumps immediately, and supply takes time to catch up. As a gatherer, you sit at the very start of that supply chain.
It is also low-pressure. Unlike combat farming, you are not fighting anyone for tags or queueing for a party. You set your route and go.
Miner vs Botanist: which should you level?
Both earn well, and most dedicated gil-makers level both because they share the same gear and the same gathering mechanics. Here is the short version.
| Job | Gathers | Typical buyers |
| Miner | Ore, stone, gems, shards, clusters | Blacksmiths, armorers, goldsmiths, alchemists |
| Botanist | Logs, plants, fibers, reagents | Carpenters, weavers, leatherworkers, culinarians |
If you only want one to start, pick the job that supplies the crafts most in demand on your world, then add the second later.
What actually pays: nodes, collectables and scrips
There are three income streams to understand.
- Regular nodes. Standard materials you sell in bulk on the Market Board. Individually cheap, but they add up fast when you list full stacks.
- Unspoiled and legendary nodes. These appear at set in-game times for a limited window and yield rarer, pricier materials. Folklore tomes unlock the legendary versions. These are the high-value targets.
- Collectables and scrips. Gather items in collectable mode, turn them in for gatherer scrips, and spend those scrips on materials, gear, and items you can resell. Scrips are an indirect but reliable route to gil.
How do you build an efficient gathering routine?
Plan your session around the timed nodes, since those windows do not wait for you.
- Note the in-game times for the unspoiled and legendary nodes you want.
- Fill the gaps with regular gathering or collectable turn-ins.
- Keep your GP (Gathering Points) topped up for collectable rotations and bonus yields.
- List materials in sensible stack sizes and check recent sale prices before pricing.
- Send your retainers out on ventures while you gather, for a second passive stream.
Community tools such as Teamcraft and Garland Tools provide node locations and timers, and many gatherers set alarms so they never miss an unspoiled window.
What sells best?
Current-expansion crafting materials lead the way, especially anything used in the latest gear, consumables and housing items. Older materials still sell for glamour and leveling crafters, but the margins are thinner. As a rule, follow the newest patch: whatever crafters are racing to make, you want to be supplying the mats for it.
FAQ
Is gathering or crafting better for gil?
They work best together. Gathering gives you free materials and steady raw-sale income; crafting multiplies the value of those materials. If you only level one first, gathering has the lower barrier to entry.
How long does it take to level Miner or Botanist?
With the leves, the gathering log and the bonus XP from collectables, both level quickly, and you earn gil the entire way up rather than after you finish.
Do I need both Miner and Botanist?
No, but having both lets you supply every crafting job and never miss a profitable material. Many serious gil-makers run both for exactly that reason.
What are unspoiled nodes?
They are special gathering nodes that appear only at certain in-game times for a limited window and yield rarer, higher-value materials than regular nodes.
What do gatherer scrips do?
You earn them by turning in collectables, then spend them on materials, gear and resellable items, making scrips an indirect but dependable source of gil.