New Player/Returning Player Guide for FFXI in 2012

[Valcarde]

So... the game is essentially 'Get to 10, go to Gusgen mines, stay there till 35-ish'?

No more groups in the Dunes? Meaning if I don't have any linkshell friends I may as well just level up and then go try to get the other subjob items solo?

Really starting to regret resubbing...

[Aljaheeri]

I am too valcarde. I got to 12 and headed to valkurm like the old days and there was not a single person in the zone. Pretty disappointing.

[Rustic]

I am too valcarde. I got to 12 and headed to valkurm like the old days and there was not a single person in the zone. Pretty disappointing.

Yeah, it's one step in the game that seems to have suffered greatly. Mind you, I've stabbed my way through to THF 20 solo without getting past Sarutabaruta, and I might just keep going until I can solo my subjob stuff. Figured if I'm going to be that long as a single job, having TH and plenty of money to go with it was a good idea...honestly, it's the biggest flaw in the level-up road at the moment. New players are 10 levels further from subjobs at least, and that's assuming they can manage fights at 24-25 vs. the mobs in question.

Mind you, I can do it, but seeing the changes made me shelf RDM for THF for a while just to be sure I'd be able to get past that wall with a minimum of fuss.

[bungiefanNA]

So... the game is essentially 'Get to 10, go to Gusgen mines, stay there till 35-ish'?

No more groups in the Dunes? Meaning if I don't have any linkshell friends I may as well just level up and then go try to get the other subjob items solo?

Really starting to regret resubbing...

Leveling was removed as a focus of the game. It's now something to be done quickly, so you can jump into the events you want to do with a job you want to do. Subjob items are ridiculously easy to get at level 30+, and you will definitely have a Magicked Skull from a Gusgen party.

You can also level solo without Gusgen. I did Sarutabaruta, Tahrongi, Buburimu, and then Battalia getting my SAM to 30 for Abyssea. Took me about 12 hours and then another 6 in Abyssea.

Go do story missions or endgame with friends. Find a linkshell to do them with. 99 is easy to get in a week or so.