Returning player, any advice /welcomed!

[Sciobladestrife]

Thank you all for the responses.

I currently do not have any of the Abyssea add-ons or the seekers expansion, basically all the content that was suggested I do not have access to.
My goal for this post was not to find the quickest way to hit the level cap, but just some helpful tips about all of the changes over the years. For example I recently found out that we can mail Ra/Ex Items between our characters, this was huge news to me.

[Hawklaser]

Abyssea and SoA are really the only big changes since WotG, and they will be giving the three Abyssea add ons away free in an event in early August running until early October.

On top of the being able to mail some Rare/EX items, there is also the Mog Sack which can be purchased for 10k and is another on character storage option that macros can not access, essentially a Mog Satchel without the Token requirement.

There are also the Magian weapons, but outside of the elemental path ones, need Abyssea to be able to finish them.

[Daemon]

We're both not new, just returning (left around abyssea) we have a couple 99's but we wanted to start some new classes from scratch, so we've been doing THF and RNG. We have gil thats ok and know most of our way around the game (excelt any of this voidwatch or new expansion, we dont have it yet)

We can go to Windy to level, it was very slow trying to level yesterday (didnt see Hawklaser's guide at the time), so I ended up just PLing my friend in gusgen. Would be just nice if we could both lv rather than pling each other just to 30 and kinda being forced to abyssea the rest. So looking for alternative leveling routes that might add a bit more adventure XD

Disclaimer: Opinion... not fact.. um.. subject to human error... debates will always happen even if its not one... Yes trolls still exist... Yes i edit my posts to correct errors, not change my words to make you look bad...and all other things that you see in every other disclaimer.

Ok great. Just wanted to cover my back first before I go on lol.

Here are my suggestions. Although can be a little vague as its hard to determine a precise answer based on many factors of not knowing your gear, ability, skills, experiance, and other things. However I did the best I could to give you a general estimated guess.

Use Field Manuel's for doing pages. Usually you are required to do 5-6+ monsters before gaining a decent exp reward. Setting it on repeat until mobs turn to "too weak."

It really does make that much of a difference. Rather than how much exp mobs give, just killing the number required can be faster once you're strong enough to eliminate quickly.

Don't forget to use Emperor band or sub /COR for Corsair roll to help you gain extra exp. I believe both roll and band can stack.Note: You gain extra exp bonus from mobs but not from page objectives.

Before heading to Gusgen Mines duo, id stick on the map outside of your home nation until you reach 10-12. Then move to the next map and stay until 15-18. If you have tabs it helps to get protect, Regen buff, also refresh if you plan on subbing WHM. Old school we use to level crafting to 50 and make melon juices, so if you don't have tabs, you can make or buy them in AH.

You earn tabs by completing 1 page per Vanaday.

Gusgen Mines can be easy for both of you at about level 15+ as long as you don't link skeletons or pull ghouls. Can most likely stay there until 29-30, at around lvl 27, skeletons might check as too weak but ghouls should be easy prey. Survival & ease also depends on gear and food. Very easy if you can bring a Blue Mage with "Bludgeon" to Level Sync with you at 18. The spell is massive against undead.

Note: Becareful when using Cure or HP drop at low levels if you decide to play Gusgen mines. Skeletons will link and agro from far away. Which is why I suggested 15+.

You could also level up in Buburimu Peninsula by outpost (Just watch out for Goblins) or Maze of Shakarami. Those areas would better suit you if both were level 15+. Although I think staying in Tahrongi Canyon would be faster and easier.

Valkurm Dunes might be safe at around 15+ and stay there til around 20.
Start off either on Rabbits or Lizards and work your way up to crabs and higher monsters.

You also can level up in Giddeus until 15-18. Pretty easy for 2 man setup. Best place to skill up Clothcraft for free. Also best place to desynth ingots for Smithing.

If you do decide to play in Windurst, you can stay in West Sarutabaruta and select either Mandragora or Bee objective. Bees near town are weaker than near exit to Tahrongi Canyon. Both of you could stay there til 10. Outer Horutoro Ruins is great at level 5+ if you want to earn some gil off Fire Crystals / Wild Onions.

Tahrongi Canyon I would do saplings and mandies (Lv. 12-15)until you are strong enough to do pages for Dahmel. Those (Dhamel) should be easy at around +15. You can do page with Bee, Mandragora, Sapling, objective, before taking on Dhamel/Crawler.

Unless subbing Dancer, It's easier to survive and might allow you to do those at around 13-14 depending on gear/skill etc. Just don't sub it for Gusgen Mines as Drain Samba or Drain type spells in general do not work on undead. Ninja sub is also a waste as skeletons often use AoE ability to blind which kills Utsusemi shadows.

Qufim Island can be done around 22+ with 2 people doing worms and crabs, then giants. If you cannot progress past level 28 in Gusgen mines, Qufim downstairs port Jeuno can fill the gap for you to make it into Abby. Around 26-28+ you can stay near Delkfutts Tower until 30. (Watch out for Weapons if you decide to level here, you might want carry silent oil or sneak your way pass them.) also watch out for banshee and ghouls at night until you are 26+.

Outside of Kahzam Yuhtunga Jungle can be done at 26+ Duo. Watch out for goblins. Again it also depends on gear, the job you play and your skill. Some people might be able to play this area at around Lv.24+.

Yhoater Jungle maybe 27+ or Higher.

I also suggest buying HQ armor sets. I know gear was implemented at certain levels like 1/7/10/16 etc.
I believe Scale/Solid was 10, Beetle set was 16..kind of like Tier levels.
If you cannot find them in Auction, shout and ask for a high level crafter to make them for you. Crafters stopped putting up armor because people were not buying them anymore.

Food and Armor does make a difference how well you survive and how fast you can kill. Especially at low levels outside of abbysea.

Recap: From the view of 2 people duo partying. This is my LVL Requirement suggestion for these Areas.

West Sarutabaruta 1-12
Tahrongi Canyon 12-18
Buburimu Penensala 15-20
Valkurm Dunes 15-20
Maze of Shakarami 15-20
Gusgen Mines 15-30

Qufim Island 25-30
Lower Delkfutts Tower 25-30
Crawlers Nest 30+

Yutunga Jungle 25-30
Yhoater Hungle 30+

In my guide one of my tips I added will help you in this situation which I will copy and paste here. It's not done but I've been working on it here and there adding stuff when I'm free.

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/th...egy-Guide-FFXI

Copied from my guide:

Pro Strategy Tip
Instead of moving up to higher level exp mobs, once exp starts to go down, stick with fighting the lower levels instead because you can kill these easier opposed to spending more time killing higher level ones.

Example
If you gained 150 EXP from 1 Crawler.
And you gained 95 EXP from 1 Mandragora.

Observe factors such as "Over the course of time" and pace.

So if it took 1 minute to kill X1 Crawler but also took you 1 minute to kill X3 Mandragoras.

That means killing X3 Mandragoras will give you 285 EXP as oppose to 150 EXP from fighting X1 Crawler. Therefore lower EXP mobs can sometimes prove to be easier and better in the long run.

Fighting something that's higher level may give you more EXP but because its harder and has more HP "over the course of time" may prove to be slower than fighting something slightly weaker and lower in experiance points.

This way of leveling will help you to gain exp without wasting so much time. Buffs from field manual will help and also 1 person sub Cor while the other sub WHM, you can get refresh at the NPC.

Buying Jesters Hat is nice to have for an occasional Cure II. It has Cure II enchantment unlike other items where you deplete charges and toss out, this one has unlimited charges with a 10 minute recast per use. Can be worn at Lv.5.

Check out my guide also as I'm making it to help new and returning players who are lost or new.

Again link is here: http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/th...egy-Guide-FFXI

Hope that helps.

[Legomike]

a good place to grind GoV pages is upper tower first page roughly caps at 49 can start low 40s or sooner with other people casket offers you the potestas bomblet which sells for a nice 1-2m on Lakshmi. middle tower good exp spot also

[OmnysValefor]

Not even trolling, welcome back to the game. I've almost replied a few times that you should run away while you can. This is hardly the game it was, and in most ways, has gone downhill.