New/Returning Player Guide (Lv30-70) for FFXI in 2012

[Ryii]

Here is the link to the Lv1-30 Guide: http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/th...r-FFXI-in-2012

Yay! You're Level 30 now!

Level 30 is always a great feeling in FFXI. It opens so many doors for you to do, and since you've been following my advice, your character is geared and skilled and ready to go!

Now, I should mention that by this time you should have a linkshell. Period. It doesn't have to be a crazy HNM, ENM, Endgame, Aby extravaganza linkshell. It can just be a social linkshell but you NEED to have one. This game is an online game and part of it is interacting with people. Once you get farther in the game it's good to have friends. Hopefully you've met friends along the road from 1-30 but the mindless grind of Gusgen Mines can often lead people to blindly level and not interact. I'm a huge supporter of friendships in FFXI. I have friends that I care so deeply about over the past 9 years and I've never met them! That's the magic of this game. So in any case, get a linkshell. If you're on Leviathan and want one, you can always find me and ask.

Moving on. You're 30 and now you can access Extra Jobs. These jobs include: Ninja, Samurai, Paladin, Dragoon, Bard, Dark Knight, Corsair, Dancer, Puppetmaster, Blue Mage, Summoner, Scholar, etc. There are many to choose from. There are some extra jobs offered by the FFXI Core game but most of them come from expansions such as Wings of the Goddess, Rise of the Zilart, and Treasure of Aht Urhgan.

I'd take some time researching what you think you might like to play and spend a few days unlocking jobs. Some are easier than others but almost all of them require a form of Sneak or Invisible. Especially the ToAU and WotG ones. I just unlocked all of them just because. I like to randomly level an obscure job I really have no interest in just for fun and I might get it to like 40 or something. It's always nice to have variety.

Now, once you unlock your new job you get to do the whole 1-30 again. But this time it's much faster since you know what you're doing! Right?!

Yay! You're Level 30 now!

Welcome back. It's at Lv 30 that a few things should happen to help you out in the future.

1. Start the Abyssea storyline. There are 3 quests you can do starting at Lv 30 that will unlock Abyssea but will also begin a collection of stones that are used to keep you inside Abyssea areas. You get a new stone every 24 hours. So even if you aren't playing in Abyssea areas (because it's not real FFXI), until end game, you will have a HUGE amout of stones built up and you won't need to worry about running out.

2. If you haven't already, get yourself to Rank 3/4 in your Nation. Rank 4 is pretty easy to solo and if you are having trouble you can ask for some help and you should be able to find it. This is when having a linkshell is great. You might even be able to get Rank 5 which is a LOT more time consuming and dangerous at Lv 30 but it's possible with help from high level players. Go to the FFXI Wiki to look up how to complete missions for your nation. It's important.

3. Go ahead and get started on Rise of the Zilart. Back in the old day it was required that you get your Kazham Airship Pass in order to level from 25~ but with Level Synch and a lack of inventive party locations most people don't get this. However if you have any interest in Ninja, Samurai, or Summoner you need to get this. It's a pretty basic quest where you have to get chest keys from various places. Check the wiki for details. After you get your pass, head to Norg and to start the missions. Most of them can't be done until later levels but this helps you from having to start 4 storylines at the same time. It's a pain.

4. Start on Chains of Promathia. This storyline is long. But it's awesome and you do get some good items as well as fun new locations. Go to Qufim and go to Lower Delk. Tower for a cutscene to start the missions.

5. Get your Adventure Fellow NPC. It's a little tricky at Lv 30 to get but you should get him soon. He's your own personal NPC friend that you can bring out once a day for 100 monsters and he helps kill things with you. He levels just like you do and they're great for helping solo through some stagnant levels. Check the Wiki for details on this because NPC Fellow is a WHOLE OTHER forum post.

So honestly, all of this stuff is probably about a week's worth of play for the average casual player. But now you want to level up, right?! Great! However, Lv 30 is kind of a weird place to be. In all honesty, I'd just try to find some solo GoV pages. You can head back to Gusgen Mines or lower Level Sync places but you won't be skilling up at all because you'll be stuck at a Lv 15 Sync.

I know on Leviathan there is still parties in Garlaige Citadel which might be a good option until the Lv 40's. You're a big kid now, so try to find something that works for you. You now know:

1. Level Sync under your job level does not give you any skill ups.
2. You can always find places to solo with FoV and GoV pages that offer decent XP/page.

It might be slower but at least you're learning how to play the game. In any case, I still say avoid Abyssea.

Lv40-60

Ok, here is where my opinion is really going to spew all over the place. KEEP YOUR GEAR APPROPRIATE TO YOUR LEVEL! It just makes you look like a stupid person. I have seen so many Level 45 players in Crawler's Nest wearing Lv1 Bronze Harness Set. STOP IT! Yes, leveling has gotten much faster but you just look like a stupid bimbo when you do that!

That being said, we get to the subject of Artifact Armor. I say, yes...to a degree. Often there are pieces of Artifact Armor that are useless because they loose their value after a few levels. And since it doesn't take a month to get a few levels I just skip them. A good example:

White Mage. White Mage AF Body piece is poop. Also it's REALLY A PAIN TO GET. It still took me like 5 hours on 99 THF. And you can just use Noble's Tunic in like 3 levels and it's SO much better.

So this is time for you to research. Is your AF worth it. It will take quite a bit of time to get. And you will need help. So. It's up to you. If you don't want to get it, cool. Get some armor that's similar and at least level appropriate. It's not that hard and will really help you, especially solo.

NOTE: At Lv 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, and 95 you will have to complete a LIMIT BREAK quest from Maat in Jeuno (Ru'Lude Gardens) in order for your level to go to the next stage. Otherwise you'll be stuck at 50 forever! They get progressively harder as you go on but they are essential to progressing! Go to the wiki and search "Genkai" or "Limit Break" to get details for each of the quests.
Getting to Lv 65~ is not too bad. I use a mix of partying and solo stuff. Some good places are

Crawler's Nest
Garlaige Citadel (solo)
Wajaom Woodlands

And a few others. Just play around. Group with friends. If you're going solo, look for pages that are about 5 levels below you so that way your kills go faster but you're still getting XP. The xp/monster doesn't have to be big, it's about getting the page xp fast!

Once you hit 60/65, take some time to get Rank 5 as well as continue on ToAU, Zilart, and CoP storylines. I'd save WotG until 75.

[Miskay]

Very helpful. Thank you!

[Jedicrew]

Very helpful. Thank you!

yeah very helpful theres a LIKE button by the way :P

[Economizer]

Decent guide, however it is time for me to be "that guy" once again.

White Mage. White Mage AF Body piece is poop. Also it's REALLY A PAIN TO GET. It still took me like 5 hours on 99 THF. And you can just use Noble's Tunic in like 3 levels and it's SO much better.

WHM's AF1 is actually pretty good (even moreso AF1+1 but that's not really relevant here). While the Blessed set at level 70 is incredibly good, and a Noble's Tunic and Light Staff are your goto for parties the AF set has its place.

The pants are very important for beating Maat using the Repose method. The shoes as well with their 20% interrupt down (great for when your skills are underleveled). The pants are also good for making Flash stick longer when soloing, as the shoes are good for lowering interrupt rates. The body has uses for landing enfeebles as well as a macro piece. The gloves are also great for soloing with their +5 STR and are a solid option for macroing into weapon skills, especially after they get upgraded. After the Healing Magic changes go in the gloves will also be the best piece in slot (cap cure potency without gloves is one of the best options, even moreso with the upgrade) for healing according to current estimates about the new cure formula, and even more important for White Mages who haven't been inside Abyssea.

This set is or at least was a complete pain to get regardless of the utility however.

-

Also don't forget to do your job emote quests. The emotes are fun, but also the neck pieces you get from them can be quite amazing (particularly for mages that aren't SMN).

[Haseokun]

I'm trying to figure out where I should be leveling currently as a 61RDM/30WHM. I've been soloing as a RDM61/DNC30 for awhile due to how hard it is to get a party as a RDM/WHM instead of an RDM/BLM or RDM/SCH. I primarily have been leveling off of the Field Manuals in Altepa, but I find that more often then not my NPC and I get ambushed by an Ant, even if we just killed it 5 minutes ago. I focus on the page that involves killing a Cactaur and 10 Beetles. I believe it is page 3 of the Western Altepa Field Manual. It's worth mentioning that my NPC is only lv56 as well, and is set to Stalwart Shield. I do page 3 because page 4 takes way too long. More specifically it takes too long to find the Scorpions in comparison to the Anticans on Page 5 and the Beetles on Page 3. I set her that way so that I could be more of a DD RDM utilizing a combination of spells, dances, jigs, and dual wielding Clubs/Swords, and to worry less about tanking the hits off of her since I don't have Phalanx. She typically dies by using up her MP to Cure III herself when she isn't even hurt and running out of MP, which results in me having to Cure IV her twice. I even began taking Hi-Ether Tanks with me to save her from her own demise by offsetting her lack of mp with my own. I get the feeling I should be in a different area, and people continue to tell me to do Abyssea, which I always decline on. I've also had cases where I've been booted from a party for not having Phalanx, which is quite expensive and hard to get. I'd do the BCNM for it if I were in a BCNM based LS like I use to be, however I am a returning player, and no longer have an LS. I do however have 4 out of 5 pieces of my AF, the only piece missing being the Traders Chapeau Headwear that requires an NM fight. If you could, please mention some better places to solo for lv60-70 with my 56 NPC then Altepa. Altepa does have some good loot btw, primarily the Geodes that the Ants and Beetles drop which sell for 15k each on the Sylph server that I am on. I use to be on the Fairy server, before it was merged with Sylph. My in game name is the same as my forum name, Haseokun.

[Economizer]

I'm trying to figure out where I should be leveling currently as a 61RDM/30WHM. I've been soloing as a RDM61/DNC30 for awhile due to how hard it is to get a party as a RDM/WHM instead of an RDM/BLM or RDM/SCH.

Okay for parties, you either do book burn or Abyssea or you have to get your spells and subs. If it is your choice to decline then you have to accept the consequences.

However you mentioned solo play, which is respectable. Also, don't forget campaign battle, despite the major and easily fixable shortcomings of it. You shouldn't have to rely on meds (seriously if you can afford Hi-Ether Tanks on a regular basis you can afford Phalanx) and your NPC to solo, although they may aid you in getting things done. Also be sure to have super essential spells such as barspells, enspells, Refresh, Haste, your cures, the latest nuke you can use, and of course your enfeebles (especially Dispel).

Consider the merits of Ninja as a subjob as well as Dancer - Shihei are dirt cheap now and there is absolutely no excuse to not have Utsusemi: Ichi (and you don't get Ni until 70+ so you won't be gimped by that at lower levels). There are some situations where /DNC is better and others where /NIN is better, consider them wisely. Also important, be aware that Composure also increases spell recast delay in addition to lengthening spell duration on yourself - you have to consider if having Refresh and Haste last longer on yourself and the accuracy bonus this ability grants is worth the longer recasts on Utsusemi: Ichi and Cure IV.

Now as for gear, do not mainhand a club while soloing as a Red Mage (there are rare exceptions, however I cannot explain all of them for brevity). Offhanding is acceptable if you have a low delay one that offers decent stats. Sword weapon skills, particularly the ones that Red Mage has access to generally suck (at high levels you don't get Sanguine Blade unless you sub something that doesn't have DW and your other option is pretty much getting an Almace). However Red Mage is fortunate because you also have B rank (same as sword) dagger skill, and there are decent dagger weapon skills. In addition daggers hit more often, which works well with your tier I enspells (which are pretty much better then the tier II in every way).

Unfortunately Red Mage dagger selection is generally sub-par until you get to higher levels where Red Mage then gets access to some of the best daggers, such as at 71 the Blau Dolch. For your level you can either go with a Beestinger/Plantoon Dagger build (where the goal is to have your enspell do all the work with very low delay daggers that might not even give TP to you or your target), a Venom Baselard +1 at 63, or for lower level daggers since you say you are 61, a Kidney Dagger (+5% crit rate is amazing), Darksteel Baselard +1, or if you are willing to farm the NM, a Hornetneedle.

For your armor itself most of your Artifact set is macro gear - Warlock's Boots if you aren't using DW, Warlock's Gloves if you are trying to be more defensive with Parrying, Warlock's Tights which should only be worn for cures and casting certain enhancing magic like enspells and barspells, Warlock's Tabard for enfeebles and when getting hit while casting magic, and Warlock's Chapeau which should be macro'd in for every spellcast.

When you aren't casting spells or trying to rely on Parrying you shouldn't be wearing that gear unless you don't have anything better to wear.

For your level the best gear for soloing should be something like:

Head: Emperor Hairpin/Empress Hairpin (DEX, AGI, Evasion)
Zeal Cap +1 (Haste, Accuracy, Attack)
Body: Scorpion Harness +1 (Evasion, Accuracy)
Hands: Battle Gloves (Accuracy, Evasion)
Legs: Combat Caster's Slacks (Evasion)
Bastokan/Republic Subligar (Attack)
Feet: Tabin Boots +1 (Accuracy, Evasion)
Rambler's Gaiters (Evasion, INT)
Waist: Swift Belt (Haste, Accuracy)
Lift Belt (Accuracy)
Virtuoso Belt (Accuracy, Attack)
Back: Dodge Cape (Evasion)
Traveler's Mantle (Evasion)
Amemet Mantle +1 (STR, Attack)

This list is far from complete, learn to check the FFXIAH website using their search function to find gear that fits your level and job.

Also don't forget the potential for food buffs to augment your gear, even if you are only eating the take out menu from a floating book.

As for somewhere to level it will take some creative thought - I'd suggest Bostaunieux Oubliette as a RDM/DNC or RDM/NIN with daggers attacking the bats however I'm not sure that level 61 would be high enough. Campaign battle is always a suggestion. Also you could level sync down to a Crawlers' Nest book burn. Perhaps check Campsitarus for suggestions and modify based on your experience and the fact that you are soloing.

Soloing can be fun and enjoyable - you shouldn't need meds or even your NPC to make it happen either, just your brain and some decent gear. You can make it work.

[bungiefanNA]

There's a skillup tip you missed, for if people level sync or otherwise quickly level faster than they skillup. Castle Zvahl [S] in Wings of the Goddess has about 8 locations a Zvahl Fortalice spawns, and they respawn every 30-60 minutes after they are defeated. They are level 75 (which lets you skillup up to level 82 skill cap) and have 5000 HP. They don't fight back, they're just a stationary structure. They tend to have a spot you can stand near them where nothing will aggro you while you are within melee range. You want to bring a weapon with low enough DMG that you will only hit for 1 HP of damage (so it lasts as many attack rounds as possible while giving you skillup opportunity). Then you just stand there and whack at it for a few hours. I sis that on SAM to get my G Katana skill from 30 to 200-something, and the first Fortalice gave me 100 skill levels while I sat there and watched movies on my other screen. It also got my Polearm skill from 0 to 200-something in 2 kills, and maxed out my Sword skill.

This works for any offensive skill. Magic is harder at the early Fortalice locations because there are elementals nearby that roam into detection range for casting, but the ones deeper in the castle have no such issue.

Getting to the castle is difficult for newbies because there are Tauri on the way with TrueSight, and there's the dragon flying high above Xarcabard that sees you (TrueSight) if you walk under it, but it is worth it.

[Neoraxis]

really good guide,
currently stuck at level 60 cap , need to finish airship pass mission in order to finish limit break 3 D: !
really need to stop pushing it and miss around with crafting and other missions,fame...etc ,too lazy to get to rank 5 now lol.

is there a way to get good gil other than selling scrolls (am selling retrace now)?farming is really slow and doesnt bring much gil...

[Economizer]

is there a way to get good gil other than selling scrolls (am selling retrace now)?farming is really slow and doesnt bring much gil...

Don't sell quested scrolls unless you're doing them on a mule, that always comes back to bite you in the butt.

Do Campaign Battle, get Allied Notes, convert them into Voiddust or cells, sell on AH. Or do the same with Conquest Points (but beware other stuff you can buy with them that might get you more gil). Or synth some low level ingots, like a stack of Copper Ingots or Bronze Ingots or Tin Ingots (Bronze Ingots and Tin Ingots are usually better to buy from their respective guild and put on the AH depending on prices; beware of undercutters for all these recipies and watch prices closely).

There are a few spots to get major gil items but most require you to be a high level to have the optimal time of farming.

For example, taking a Red Mage to sky and killing elementals at 99 is a great way to make decent gil since the clusters stack and people always need them. Or hop off to Den of Rancor (be sure to have Signet refreshed when you first get there so you can get crystals) with 30+ Clothcraft and 10+ Goldsmithing and you can desynth Tonberry Coats and synth Zinc Ore to get more inventory space while you are there while opening chests in hopes you get a Rancorous Mantle. Or take a BST/DNC to Dynamis for two hours a day for currency and forgotten items (currency ~5-7k ea, forgottens ~20-40k ea). There are a few more but most of these pretty much require a 99 job to do.

If you really hate yourself you can try the ultimate luck farm and try for a Hocho, they sell for 2-5M a pop if you can get your hands on one, and you might even be able to farm one around level 75 as a RDM/NIN.

There are going to be more ways then what I just listed but these are a few ideas to get you started. Don't forget to check out FFXIAH and see what you can do to make gil, your brain is your friend (plus people generally are stingy with advice when it comes to gil).

[Neoraxis]

thanks alot Economizer!

sadly AH seems kind of dead to me...i crafted 3 stacks of Copper Ingots but i been waiting for 2 days and none were sold and same goes for retrace and other 40ish gear...

but Voiddust was sold very fast,so i guess i will go kill stuff with low jobs for fast CP.