Exp Level & MSQ

Hi all!

I just came back to the game after a long break and I'm starting over with a new character.

I remember when I last played a couple of years ago that the game would not let me level past Level 60 until I got far enough in the MSQ to start the Heavensward expansion, and it gave me a prompt in game that this was the case, naming the quest I would have to complete to go higher. At that time, I had already purchased through the Endwalker expansion and it was registered.

Is this still the case? I've read several people online say that levels are not locked behind MSQ - maybe that's changed but I know this wasn't the case a couple of years ago.

If it has changed, I may switch to a new class soon - I just started again 10 days ago and my dragoon is already Level 57, and I'm still pretty early in the MSQ, and also on a double XP server.

Thanks!

Here is a list of the different components of the game and what access they grant:

• Free Trial: Allows you to reach Level 70 and everything in the Heavensward and Stormblood expansions, including their patches and endgame content (except Ultimates). The only restrictions are social (can't create parties, FCs, limited chat capability, etc).
• Starter Edition: This is exactly the same as the Free Trial except it removes the social restrictions. It costs almost the same amount as a subscription fee and pays your first subscription free (you get +30 days). Thereafter, you have to pay a subscription fee to login at all.
• Dawntrail: This grants access to the latest expansion, Dawntrail and all previous expansions (including Shadowbringers and Endwalker). Requires the Starter Edition.
• Complete Edition: This is just Starter Edition + Dawntrail (includes the +30 day subscription).

When you last played, the level cap on the Free Trial was most likely 60 and it only went up to Heavensward. So it sounds to me like you were either on the Free Trial, or you had only purchased the Starter Edition. You will know this by if it requires you to pay a subscription fee to play, and by if it says Free Trial when logging in.

So if it says Free Trial while logging in and you don't currently pay a subscription fee, then what you need to do is check your email for the Starter Edition purchase, get the code for it, login to the mog station and then enter it. Then same with the Endwalker purchase email. If you use the Steam version, the codes are available by checking the CD Keys.

If in fact you aren't on the Free Trial and do have Endwalker registered, then you are correct, the game would not have prevented you leveling to 90 at all, but you wouldn't be able to reach 100 now without getting Dawntrail.

The only other scenario that there would be a level cap is if you played back in Heavensward itself (pre-2017) and had only purchased the Heavensward expansion.

The only thing it's gating at all is actual progression of the Main Scenario quest. The only level cap is that of the expansion registered on your account, which if what you said is true (Endwalker), would be level 90. Blue Mages have a slightly lower cap of 80.

https://support.na.square-enix.com/f...la=1&kid=76363

Thank you for the response!

I'm not sure what happened then - I had Endwalker registered and still couldn't go past 60, so it must have changed. I have Dawntrail registered now, so that raises the cap even higher. Now I just have to decide if I want to stick with my overleveled dragoon or level an alt class. I could also stop doing roulettes, that would help. ������

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SentinelBasch

have to decide if I want to stick with my overleveled dragoon or level an alt class. I could also stop doing roulettes, that would help.

---

It's true that if you do anything other than the MSQ, at all, you will probably get overleveled. There is typically a gap of 1-3 levels at the end of ARR and each expansion that requires just a little bit of leveling via other means (such as FATEs and sidequests), but it's usually not that much.

From Endwalker onwards, they made the MSQ itself enough without sidequests.

You can do roulettes on other classes (since you can switch to them by changing weapon then saving a gearset). They are mostly intended for secondary classes.

Alternatively, you can just ignore that you are a higher level because it doesn't matter. The story will "sync you down" to the level of the MSQ for all duties, dungeons and trials. You virtually can't do content higher than the level of the MSQ in most cases due to the MSQ gating new areas and its associated content, so your "real" level is the level of the Main Scenario Quest, in most cases.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jeeqbit

There is typically a gap of 1-3 levels at the end of ARR and each expansion that requires just a little bit of leveling via other means

---

I'm pretty sure it's only ARR that has a gap.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Iscah

I'm pretty sure it's only ARR that has a gap.

---

They all do up to Endwalker. I went through the expansions only doing MSQ, all sidequests and 6 FATEs per zone and in every expansion there was almost a level gap except Endwalker and Dawntrail where they changed the system.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Iscah

I'm pretty sure it's only ARR that has a gap.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jeeqbit

They all do up to Endwalker. I went through the expansions only doing MSQ, all sidequests and 6 FATEs per zone and in every expansion there was almost a level gap except Endwalker and Dawntrail where they changed the system.

---

It's only ARR. There is no MSQ for Lv47 and Lv48, and it has been this way since ARR Beta. The rest of the expansions have MSQ throughout all levels and it's almost enough to keep two jobs current without doing anything but MSQ.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rongway

It's only ARR. There is no MSQ for Lv47 and Lv48, and it has been this way since ARR Beta. The rest of the expansions have MSQ throughout all levels and it's almost enough to keep two jobs current without doing anything but MSQ.

---

I can tell you for a fact that even through Endwalker, doing literally nothing but MSQ (and associated duties) on one job will leave you short on exp at a few points.

I've made it a point the last couple expansions to exclusively limit one job to only "required" exp, and every time, there are just a couple spots that necessitate a few FATEs to roll up to next MSQ level.

(this is assuming starting each expansion at previous level cap. Can make no claims for starting from scratch)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rongway

It's only ARR. There is no MSQ for Lv47 and Lv48, and it has been this way since ARR Beta. The rest of the expansions have MSQ throughout all levels and it's almost enough to keep two jobs current without doing anything but MSQ.

---

Well, our experiences significantly differ then. Doing just MSQ on just one job is not enough in any expansion except EW and DT for me personally and leaves about a level gap - again, even with sidequests + 6 FATEs per area.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hasrat

I can tell you for a fact that even through Endwalker, doing literally nothing but MSQ (and associated duties) on one job will leave you short on exp at a few points.

---

Regarding that, they intended for just MSQ (without sidequests) to give you enough in Endwalker, but they miscalculated slightly and admitted this. But I included it as an exception on the basis that SE intended it to be enough.

An update on this: I just decided to stick with my Dragoon through the rest of ARR content, except will be raising Paladin and White Mage soon for some dungeon running - I really love playing with both of them in group content.

At Level 44 in MSQ, and Experience Level 67 on Dragoon, and counting.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jeeqbit

It's true that if you do anything other than the MSQ, at all, you will probably get overleveled. There is typically a gap of 1-3 levels at the end of ARR and each expansion that requires just a little bit of leveling via other means (such as FATEs and sidequests), but it's usually not that much.

From Endwalker onwards, they made the MSQ itself enough without sidequests.

You can do roulettes on other classes (since you can switch to them by changing weapon then saving a gearset). They are mostly intended for secondary classes.

Alternatively, you can just ignore that you are a higher level because it doesn't matter. The story will "sync you down" to the level of the MSQ for all duties, dungeons and trials. You virtually can't do content higher than the level of the MSQ in most cases due to the MSQ gating new areas and its associated content, so your "real" level is the level of the Main Scenario Quest, in most cases.

---

I started 10 days ago as well. At first i did the MSQ only. Till i started doing the additional quests thinking i might be building some rep like they have in wow. So i did quite a few outiside of the MSQ line. I cleared whole shrouds of quests and did a few fates.

I should have done the blue quests but did nto touch them for some reason.

When i picked up the MSQ again and started doing that i got to a point were i was 28 and had to get more XP from other sources as i did not have enough to do the next MSQ which requird that i be 30.

So even though i did tons of outside quests and fates for XP i was still well short of progressing the MSQ at 30.

An update on this - still working on ARR and will be for a while. Dragoon is 95 and White Mage is 92.

It's unbelievable the difference that Double XP makes. For my crafters, I'm having great success with only doing their recipes through Lv. 15, for which 99% of the mats are buyable from the guild vendors, and then doing the Lv. 1, 5, and 10 leves. This puts me at about Lv. 30, and I've been able to take classes from 30 to 50 just by doing the daily Ixal quests. I do like to complete all the "recordable as complete" recipes at least once, and this will make that process so much faster with Lv. 50 gear.

I'm also able to solo Rank A marks with ARR gear, which is great.

I'm also gradually getting more used to playing with a controller, although my double taps, L2+R2 and R2+L2 are still occasionally sticking, which is frustrating. I also wish there was an option to disable R1 hotbar cycling, as I have big fingers and I occasionally press it inadvertantly, then wonder why my heal isn't going off. Those couple of seconds until I realize can make a big difference in some content. But it's still much better overall than it was.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SentinelBasch

For my crafters, I'm having great success with only doing their recipes through Lv. 15, for which 99% of the mats are buyable from the guild vendors, and then doing the Lv. 1, 5, and 10 leves.

---

Possibly too late for you, but once you get above the materials provided by the guilds, you can then go to the material suppliers in the housing district to take you up to level 25ish materials.