New player on Lakshmi - Stuck at level 20..

[Rustic]

I'm figuring I'm stuck at this level because I'm still in level 10-11 gear. But the AH has no armor for Warrior - and when I do the price is around 40k which is beyond my money making capabilities at this point.. There are so few on I'm not getting any suggestion responses in town either...seems the people there are AFK all day. XD

What's a self-upgrade can depend on which nation you're in- and money is again a matter of knowing what's good in the area you're in. Bastok, San d'Oria, or Windurst?

[Aelurian]

What's a self-upgrade can depend on which nation you're in- and money is again a matter of knowing what's good in the area you're in. Bastok, San d'Oria, or Windurst?

I'm in San d'Oria. I've used some conquest points for some leg armor but it's not helping much, the guides say I should be able to do a lot more than what I've barely struggled to take down so far. Also, still no luck on getting in touch for that linkpearl from Auron either. I'm about to lose hope, especially after dying a hundred times killing things for the first drop for my sub-job quest...and no drop from those yet either. Tons of higher ups moving around the area - none of which are willing to help. Wish I was able to go back in time and enjoy the peak times of FFXI again.

[Rustic]

I'm in San d'Oria. I've used some conquest points for some leg armor but it's not helping much, the guides say I should be able to do a lot more than what I've barely struggled to take down so far. Also, still no luck on getting in touch for that linkpearl from Auron either. I'm about to lose hope, especially after dying a hundred times killing things for the first drop for my sub-job quest...and no drop from those yet either. Tons of higher ups moving around the area - none of which are willing to help. Wish I was able to go back in time and enjoy the peak times of FFXI again.

Good grief- yeah, at 21 I can see why you're having headbanging problems! Subjob items are normally gotten in -parties- at 15-20. I wouldn't be trying to take them down solo till 25th, especially those ghouls!

First things first. I see you've got cash flow problems along with the lack of armor, and I can give you a constructive way to progress a bit in the process of fixing them.

Turn around. Head home to San d'Oria. Swap jobs. Why is this a good thing?

One, you're going to need a leveled subjob. For Warrior, I'd suggest Monk (as it adds a nice dose of toughness) or Thief (if you want to re-use some of that gear you have right now). The one crippling thing I see many a newbie have in FFXI is a lack of cashflow- that is, they have no idea how to make money or use it efficiently. You want that job leveled up to at least 15th- 30th in a main job is a common point where you're going to be poking your nose all over Vana'diel for unlocking new jobs or exploring a bit, and a subjob "caps" at half of whatever you have set for your main. Being able to start life as a 20something WAR/10something other job is being prepared.

In my case, I went with Monk. For the first 15 or so levels, you don't really even need weapons- you have fists! Being able to Counter is nice as a subjob, since it means as a Warrior you're generally getting a free whack with your greataxe, and the bonuses to evasion and higher HP means you're feeling a lot more tanky as a Warrior/Monk when you do subjob.

Two, go out there and realize you're in a forest full of money. As a San d'Orian:

Every two bat wings is 200 Gil for a repeatable. A stack turned in is 1200 Gil. At the moment on Lakshmi, stacks of bat wings on the AH are 1000 Gil each. Buy em out, walk over to Secodiand- he's near the Smithing Guild - and trade em two at a time for that 200 Gil and fame reward. You make money AND you get fame, which drops the price on any vendor in Sandy and even in Jeuno, once you get there to a lesser extent. While you're out in the forest, most bats are going to die in one swing to a warrior. Poor little money-bats.

Every worm is either dropping flint stones copper ore, or zinc ore. Each one of those zinc ores? 2000 Gil on the AH. Every four flint stones is 100 Gil to Legata in the Lion Springs and more fame (and hence, cheaper everything off vendors). Auction the zinc ore (it's used for a faction-up quest in Bastok for the Tenshodo) and spam the stones as a trade for more fame. The copper ore? Four of those + fire crystal (orcs) = copper ingot. A stack of 12 of those = 22-24K. While you're at it, if you end up with spare fire crystals, just walk into the smithing guild in Northern Sandy, buy dirt-cheap (10-12 Gil each) copper ores, turn into stacks of ingots (again, doable at 0 skill), sell on AH.

Dead bunnies? The hare meat goes for 9000+ Gil per stack, since it's required for making a very, very used fishing bait. (And can also be stolen by a Thief with the Steal command starting at level 5). The hides can go 3 at a time to Parvipon near the Tanner's Guild for 120 Gil + fame, or a stack of 12 goes for about 2000 Gil.

That kinda money builds up pretty darn fast. As it does, you're going to be able to start picking up those pieces of armor that were too pricy before, a better weapon (most warriors tend towards axes, great or otherwise).

Lone newbies end up hitting that wall you're in now- underfunded, undergeared, not knowing where to go or how to do it without getting killed to death. They sell quest stuff to vendors, wonder why everything stays so expensive, and yeah- it's hard mode. Moneymaking is the hidden part of the equation, and with fewer newbies, there's fewer people to pass those time-honored newbie traditions down. That makes for folks like yourself, who are ready for L21 beetle armor but can't find or afford armor that's half that level.

Don't be afraid to pick on the weak to get yourself stronger- you didn't know before what the path was and getting that far "blind" is admirable. Head back, build up your Gil stock and get yourself properly equipped and a subjob ready to go for when you DO have that quest completed. Soloing, it's:

1) Level your main job into the 20's. Normally, you're scraping together money for upgrades and learning the ropes.

2) Leveling your subjob-to-be. You know where the money is and make it happen in the process rather than randomly killing and selling.

3) Take your now well-equipped main job out there. Two options: Go to Gusgen and hook up with a party there to pick up 21-25 or so (and you can hit 30!), or carefully solo EP's with Grounds of Valor (dungeon) or Fields of Valor (outdoor areas) pages. Personally, I usually suggest people do these levels in Dangruf Wadi if soloing- it's a dungeon with the monsters in a small area and the Gausebit grass from the Wadi Hares you're killing for your GoV page sell for a healthy 30K/stack, never mind the odd bit of loot from brown treasure caskets. Gusgen has the advantage of faster exp with GoV pages, but less money- however, it's the quickest place to find a Ghoul for that magicked skull you need. Either way

4) Get yourself a nice set of chainmail from the armor shop in San d'Oria and go kick the Valkrum Dunes monsters squarely in the chops. Remember to buff up at the book with Regen at least. Saves time and pain.

5) Turn in your three items (crab apron, damselfly worm, magicked skull), revel in being awesome and a WAR/subjob of choice. Note that you can get all of them, you just have to turn them in the requested order. So if Clippers are easiest, hack them up first for exp until you get that apron, then fight Damselflies when more experienced. Again, remember those book buffs!

6) Do Gusgen to 30 or gleefully pummel the hated Valkrum beasties to get there (I had a lot of Goblin revenge killing then), contemplate jobs to unlock. For a Warrior, Paladin or Dancer are rather popular ones to start with, or occasionally Dark Knights for the more hackfrenzied. Crawler's Nest is in your future, but you've got a wide open world to go through. Note that around 40ish with a subjob, you can solo your way through the final Rank 2 fight as well- it took me next to zero time as a 43/21 THF/DNC. Your world has gotten a great deal more wide-open.

As a general guide for soloing- find an area with a Field or Grounds page with monsters that are about 4 levels below you. Ideally, you're slaughtering tons of Easy Prey and repeatedly getting the page exp/gil/tabs in the process. Decimate them. Enjoy the rewards- you can keep it up until they finally stop giving any exp at about 8 levels below you.

Keep asking questions. I got answers.

(Note for later readers: Auction House prices vary by server and time- please, check the FFXIAH website and search items by server before selling on yours. You may find a bargain or make a fortune in the process.)