I got vote kicked for the first time today (or, how do I keep nin from taking aggro?)

[Kaes]

Yup, I know it's terrible. The items on the MB will give me +3 to +5 above my current item on a few stats for a few thousands of gil a piece, with prices increasing dramatically after that, +6 for 30,000 gil, +12 for 300,000etc. I don't know if I should first try to buy what I can, or progress some more and keep running dungeons.

My main story is actually at level 38, and I'm intentionally staying on the MSQ to avoid unlocking harder instances until I catch up. I was leveling very slowly until a week or so ago, when I just recently discovered the magical roulettes, which give 150-200k EXP daily. When you add in Challenge Log with 120k for both dungeon challenges, 140k for FATEs, even 50k for commendations... I basically gained 10 levels without a single quest. You can gain half a level a day or more... I might even be level 50 by Saturday.

update: amber ring is on MB for 5,500 gil, Vitality +6, Parry +10. might just get two of those, since I've been hearing that VIT (Max HP) is what tanks need to focus on the most.

[Viridiana]

I was leveling very slowly until a week or so ago, when I just recently discovered the magical roulettes, which give 150-200k EXP daily. When you add in Challenge Log with 120k for both dungeon challenges, 140k for FATEs, even 50k for commendations... I basically gained 10 levels without a single quest.

Take some of the bonus *gil* all that stuff is giving you and buy some gear.

[Kotemon]

As a tank Vit and Def are your two main stats for gear. However for pld adding str and determination "materia" onto vit accessories can help as they should be about capped on vit stats. Do all your class quests and job quests every 5 levels.

1. Make sure all your current gear is about 5 levels from your max level. Accessories are an exception between the mid 30s and mid 40's or until electrum is available. Check the stats on the next couple gear sets within 5 levels ahead of yours to see which ones are going to give you better overall stats to your max level. While Heavy sets means less stuff to lug around. I stopped wearing them past steel.

2. Level your Cnj to 34 for Stoneskin. and Mrd to 26 for Foresight, Fracture, Bloodbath and Mercy Stroke. Protect is only for soloing with Chocobo. Cure if you don't have one or if it cant cure yet. In a party your healer has better Stoneskin, Cures and Protect. But you want access to Stone Skin for those moments. Especially in lower levels since Pld can use it early.

3. If you are going to level GLD then you might as well level Mrd as well as they can both use the same armor until you get your JSE.. In your case you really need to do your Pld quests once you get Cnj and Mrd leveled. You'll get your level 50 hands, feet, legs, and head. All can be equipped at lv 45 and will hold you through lv 50 farming. Desynth that body unless your farming it for materia or equip the whole High Mythril set or farm the Atherial version. At 47 you should look into Mosshorn Scale, Tortoiseshell (hq), Sentinel's Cuirass or Aetherial Cobalt Cuirass to carry you until you get your lv 50 JSE body piece.

Keep your weapon up to date. It should be no less than 5 from your level and ilevel. Right now it looks like you speed leveled your char and just started using it. At best it doesn't look like it'll do anything past Haukke Manor. Brayflox's Longstop if your really lucky.

4. Back to gear.. Tank and healers on duty roulette are two decent ways to farm gil. With gear. If you can't farm it and you cant buy it, then craft it. I learned late in the game on FFXI never fall behind or ignore crafting.. Also gathering is a lot easier here than in XI you just need to keep gathering levels just ahead of your Arm, Bsm, Gsm, Leather, Weaver, and cooking. Those should be craft jobs to make all the gear for tanks, Crp if you are using the wooden Aztec swords or wood for Mrd's axe. Farm ventures and always keep your npc on farming crystals or take a chance and have one do 1 hr ventures for a small chance for gear that's over lv 50. You have a lot of work since Gld (47) and Cnj (18) are the only things you put time into. Once you do start crafting craft each item from lv 1 to lv 40, and farm every "???" in your field log. Do the GC supply quests and Leves, and watch this Video on how to HQ craft most items to ~ lv 50. That should get you your lv 50 rings to reduce gear decay by 10 on those jobs. Ask your FC to help if possible. If you're desperate, do combat leves lv 35, then 40, then 45 that'll give you weapons and gear about that level range and occasionally a coffer will give atherial pieces you might use.

Once all that is started, then you can worry about hate control and how to start farming for the i100 ~ i120 gear.

[Sapphic]

2. Level your Cnj to 34 for Stoneskin. and Mrd to 26 for Foresight, Fracture, Bloodbath and Mercy Stroke. Protect is only for soloing with Chocobo. Cure if you don't have one or if it cant cure yet. In a party your healer has better Stoneskin, Cures and Protect. But you want access to Stone Skin for those moments. Especially in lower levels since Pld can use it early.

Just a slight correction there, WHM improved stoneskin is better, but PLD and SCH stone skin strength is the same 10%. But Stoneskin is useful to cast one on yourself whenever possible if you know big hits are coming, to Stoneskin the MT in 8 peep content helps thing along as well, or just to help out stoneskinning the party for things like coil. EG mega flare in t9 and giga flare in t13, PLD can SS both tanks whilst the healers SS the rest of the party.

[Gralna]

amber ring is on MB for 5,500 gil, Vitality +6, Parry +10. might just get two of those, since I've been hearing that VIT (Max HP) is what tanks need to focus on the most.

Vit should be primary stat for all your gear, and what you put all your bonus attribute points into until you're lvl 50 and ilvl110ish, then you can start subbing in some str accessories if you feel comfortable surviving without them. For pre-50 duties though, always make vit your main priority.

Also as others have said, keep up with your story/job quests, you'll need to finish storyline to unlock most post 50 content, and you get free ilvl50/55 gear from your job quest, along with unlocking access to your relic weapon.

[Lavieh]

Vit should be primary stat for all your gear, and what you put all your bonus attribute points into until you're lvl 50

Horrible advice, While you are leveling STR and WD should be your primary focus. Getting Str on your left side will also produce a good amount of VIT. You do not need VIT for early dungeons, if anything you need STR.

[Hyunckel]

Horrible advice, While you are leveling STR and WD should be your primary focus. Getting Str on your left side will also produce a good amount of VIT. You do not need VIT for early dungeons, if anything you need STR.

I leveled from 1 to 50 using quest rewards and doing only the required dungeon runs. Putting all points into VIT since I thought the item to reset stats was still at 10k seals. I only grinded FATEs to bypass the Lv.47 to 49 gap in storyline.

Never had any issue holding aggro or leveling on my own.

[Gralna]

Horrible advice, While you are leveling STR and WD should be your primary focus. Getting Str on your left side will also produce a good amount of VIT. You do not need VIT for early dungeons, if anything you need STR.

While your enmity generation will be unchallenged, your survivabilty plummets, healed for plenty of tanks that tried this strategy and I'm stuck keeping them targetted and finger on heal button, because their health plummets from full to >10% in less than 1 gcd. As Hyunckel said, if your gear is reasonably close to your current lvl while lvling, you shouldn't have any issues holding enmity, even against lvl sync'd dps.

[ValkyrieL]

Yup, I know it's terrible. The items on the MB will give me +3 to +5 above my current item on a few stats for a few thousands of gil a piece, with prices increasing dramatically after that, +6 for 30,000 gil, +12 for 300,000etc. I don't know if I should first try to buy what I can, or progress some more and keep running dungeons.

1. You are way undergear
2. you need to understand that +1 upgrade is huge, and +3+5 is like god-like huge. as a new player I made this mistake earlier on too...I didn't want to spend 5k gil just to get "+1" than my FC told me that even +1 was huge upgrade.

[Kinseykinz]

My main story is actually at level 38, and I'm intentionally staying on the MSQ to avoid unlocking harder instances until I catch up. I was leveling very slowly until a week or so ago, when I just recently discovered the magical roulettes, which give 150-200k EXP daily. When you add in Challenge Log with 120k for both dungeon challenges, 140k for FATEs, even 50k for commendations... I basically gained 10 levels without a single quest. You can gain half a level a day or more... I might even be level 50 by Saturday.

update: amber ring is on MB for 5,500 gil, Vitality +6, Parry +10. might just get two of those, since I've been hearing that VIT (Max HP) is what tanks need to focus on the most.

Okay...but even so, you can do your PLD job story arc. It won't unlock extra dungeons/or spoil your mainstoryline...but it WILL give you more skills (skills you'll need as you progress via the main storyline anyway), and you'll have, by completing your level 45 job quest have:
-A new head
-New Hands
-New Legs
-New Feet

If you've done any fates/depending on your Grand Company rank, you should be able to buy a decent weapon (shield) with Grand Company Seals that'll cover you. For Free.
As far as the MB's for your accessories....just buy NQ items. WHen you're done with them, Spirit Bond them...you actually might get your gil spent back (if you're lucky)

But, as I have an alt on excali:
Heliodor Earring (ilvl 39): NQ selling for less than 1100gil
Heliodor Bracelet (ilvl 38): Nq selling for 2000gil
Heliodor Ring (ilvl 39): 1 NQ selling for 5000gil (as it is the weekend, watch boards, likely more will list)
Heliodor Choker (ilvl 38): Currently no NQ's on sale, but they seem to be listing for around 5000gil when available. Still you could grab a Garnet Choker (NQ at 4K) and/or a Mythril Gorget (NQ for 2K) and still be better off.
High Mythril Plate belt (ilvl 44) Currently NQ's are selling for about 500gil ea.
so for under 15K (which should be covered by the daily roulette bonuses you get as tank), you can get accessories for your guy.


Even a Sentinel Cuirass will only set you back about 16K.

Really, that's cheap for MB gear. (and the Cuirass will last you until you can get your PLD body at level 50). Also the next best option (Mythril Haubergeon is 10K...and lower level...so really...Sent. Cuirass is better investment).

PS: if you lack the GC seals and/or the rank to get weapons for your level, the Cobalt Katzbalger is selling for 2.5K atm/ HQ Hoblin Scimitar's for 1K ea etc.


PPS: what you really don't want to know however is the prices for these items on my main server LOL LOL LOL. (way, way higher than excali overall...somethings are on par, most not so much).