Starting again really that easy?

(I posted this in KI and then realised the official forums have pretty much killed that place off.)
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So I'm just wondering, is it really that easy to level up early-on now? I've read about people hitting level 30 and level 37 in a day or two. I've started over twice on FFXI already and the whole subjob/Norg fame/rank 5 routine gets REALLY old, but if I can level up that quickly it may be worth doing again.

I'm not the type of person (anymore) who will play this game non-stop, but I will put some time into it and with my exams now over I have too many free hours over summer and I wouldn't mind pouring some of them into FFXI.

I'm only not going back to my old accounts because I want to buy the whole FFXI package from Steam (with that cool lil reraise/regen/movement speed/skill-up hat) and play a hume rather than my taru or elf - I did get pretty bored of running round as my tiny guy with zero HP and my lanky elf; I'd have no complaints with a hume.

I've always been on Asura - is it worth heading back there or should I try somewhere new? I'm mildly interested by Siren due to the whole Besieged thing making them sound pretty active and organised (it -was- Siren, right?).

Any info on easy jobs to start out with would be great too. I'm interested in SAM, mainly because I wouldn't necessarily have to level up NIN straight away - and possibly RDM, but the thought of doing WHM to 37 is just-... *shudder*

Also, any info on active, friendly EU shells who can help with early missions, etc would be great.

Thanks.

It's pretty fast. The game is throwing exp at you for the first 40 levels. 40-60 is also pretty fast if you get into parties often, or have a job that solos decently.

Start gathering items for fame early on and things will be better, you can solo pretty fast on whatever mobs you like until level 30ish, so just go after yagudos for their necklaces. You'll also have more inventory space now than you had before.

As sam/dnc, you'll be able to solo crazy fast for quite a while.

Thanks for the advice. I'm interested in DNC too so I will give SAM/DNC a try. I'm about to buy the Ultimate Collection: Abyssea Edition on steam now. Suggestions for servers, anyone? Lest I head back to Asura.

And how does the new inventory space work? I remember something about Mog Lockers though I don't know how they work - and there's all the gear storage things. Is this what you mean?

EDIT: Just occured to me, will I still be able to find people to help me with those darned limit break quests? No point levelling up super-fast if I'm capped at 50.

Probably won't be a problem. Just get to know some people-

if your brain has to produce even 1 watt of electricity on the path of 1-90, yes, you're doing it wrong now. it is that easy.

Hello and welcome back! :) I'm on the asura server myself so if you need any help just contact me there.

Awesome, thanks guys. Gonna make a male hume in Windurst on Asura (once my 9 hours of updates finishes) and just storm through the levels. Hopefully gear won't be a huge problem with Valkurm level-syncs. Now I just gotta think of a name... all my usual names are taken by my other accounts. -.-

Ouch, I'm sure you missed those updates... :p

Yes. And the PlayOnline Viewer. -ahem-

Ok, I actually spent the money to reactivate my old account and delete my character for the name - at least I can trade over his gear/items/gil while it's activated.

I'm now Caliburn on Asura. New/returning(/helpful) players, hit me up. ;]

I shall. :P

Leveling is indeed faster, though you missed the Novennial Ring for this year's Adventurer Appreciation. You get about double EXP for enemies now, and you have no EXP loss for death until level 30, with reduced EXP loss at higher levels compared to when you previously played. Fields of Valor and Grounds of Valor also give buffs and bonus EXP/gil for beating certain monsters.

I just soloed my SAM from level 1 to level 30 in about a week because of the EXP boost, and the adventurer appreciation free outpost warps to counter any death I had.

1 level 90 player will be able to help you with all but the Maat fight for limit breaks.

The very first thing you want to do when you reach 30 is talk to Horst in Port Jeuno and get a traverser stone. That starts your timer and you get a new stone in his stockpile every 20 hours. You then want to have a stone in your key items every time you examine a cavernous maw for Abyssea so you can unlock teleports to all 9 zones from any Abyssea NPC in the four main cities.