So we've got a very strange situation going on with the way EXP is generated. It's nothing new of course, it was the same way all of HW. I'm talking about leveling alt-classes (your first max-level should be done via MSQ of course).
In ARR the way to level was running your daily roulettes first, followed by an unhealthy dose of FATE grinding.
In HW the way to level was running your daily roulettes and completing challenge logs, and after it was implemented - grinding POTD til your eyes fell out.
In SB however, its basically the exact same, at least for non-tank/heal classes who can't just insta-queue the highest level available dungeon.
But this is, as I said, nothing new. I'm not even really going to complain about the current leveling-meta it because its not the point I want to address.
What I want to talk about specifically though, is the reason these are the dominant leveling methods.
- Monsters in dungeons are worth exponentially more then outside of a dungeon.
- Daily roulette runs reward a hefty amount of EXP
- FC bonuses and EXP equipment increases the amount of EXP gained from dungeons
- Challenge Logs for dungeons can be completed simultaneously, for a moderately good EXP boost
- Benefits from rested experience, Armory Bonus and food EXP buffs.
These are pull factors. If these didn't exist, people would never want to run dungeons.
In between this high-return form of leveling, and the last tier - is POTD. It's not the funnest way to level, but it has high EXP return with relatively low time investment. However for many of us who burnt out in HW, its a very unattractive activity, hopefully something they improve upon with the SB deep-dungeon. This is only effected by Armory Bonus, which means going from 60-70 becomes even more of a bear.
But then, on top of these, are the push factors from other sources of leveling. Mob grinding, FATEs, daily hunts, their associated challenge log entries, side quests.
- Monsters reward extremely low EXP in comparison to their dungeon counterparts.
- FATEs, even with the new SB exp mechanics - are very low return on time/effort
- Daily Hunts are worth about as much exp as a FATE, but you have to find, travel, kill in order to see that amount. Not saying this should be worth more then a FATE of course.
- Side Quests take about as long as either FATEs or hunting, and give about half as much EXP.
- Challenge Logs for FATEs are basically the only reason to do the FATEs themselves EXCEPT when you're DPS and waiting in a queue for 15+ mins at a time.
So what exactly am I proposing here? Surely its not asking for a nerf to the current leveling meta.
Here's a list of proposals, not saying all should be implemented simultaneously, as that may break the game. But maybe others will think some of these ideas are good as well.
- Make FATE's give more experience. Like, 2x as much at least.
- Maybe allow us to spend a lot of Company Seals or Poetics to get small bits of EXP in return? Such as 500 Poetics for 10% of a level (seriously I have poetics coming out the friggin ears here and nothing worth spending them on)
- Increase the consumption rate and return of rested EXP on monsters outside of dungeons.
- Make hunts require a lot more killing (such as 10x mobs vs. 3x) and increase the EXP to match (so 3x current EXP for a hunt)
- Add challenge log entries for weekly hunts that reward EXP for non-maxed characters.
- Make roulette daily bonuses once per role instead of once per character. (So you can get a Tank roulette bonus, and a DPS roulette bonus, and a Heals roulette bonus).