Levelling seems messed up

[Lium]

Yes, the filler quests are pretty terrible, but if you were focusing on your MSQ, you shouldn't have reached level 60. You should get to HW just before reaching level 52 if you were focusing on it.

Really nothing to do but focus on the MSQ. That's probably your complaint, but that's how this game is set up. The entire game is locked behind MSQ.

I was gonna say this as well. I was only about level 51 by the time I got done with everything. All I did was MSQs. I didn't do any dungeons or trials except the ones that were part of the MSQs. No PvP, levemetes, sidequests, roulettes, Fates, nothing. Just main scenario quests. And I'm still only level 54 and with quite a ways to go in HW. I'm just now starting the Nidhogg quests.

[Shouko]

The MSQ is pretty bad in this regard, they keep the content out well after you cap the max level in order to keep players going into the game, unfortunately it doesn't help much in regards of new players. They really should reduce a lot of the filler ARR quests, even tho i've leveled up 2 characters fully to 70 one starting in ARR and another in HW, working on a 3rd if friends ever come back to the game.

[Tridus]

You're just about there now. You won't need to do any more side quests except the unlock ones and you'll be fine XP wise.

[Penthea]

About 3 weeks ago I finished ARR and was looking forward to diving into Heavensward. However I'm now lvl 60 after nearly 3 weeks of wading through compulsory main story quests. Today I completed The Steps Of Faith and STILL, I am unable to access any Heavensward content, let alone Stormblood.

You're lvl 60 before reaching HW content? How? I lvled an alt recently and did not have this experience at all. I was lvl 52 when I reached HW content. You're obviously getting loads of extra xp elsewhere.

[Hasrat]

You lot keep using the word "filler." In the words of a Spaniard, I don't think it means what you think it means. The majority of those quests have relevance to the story in some way. Just how different do you expect "Heavensward content" to be from the content leading up to it? It's all the same. Talk and walk, talk and walk, dungeon. Talk and walk, talk and walk, trial. Repeat.

[Nedkel]

Dont read the story just force it trough HW and stoormblood, because its banal and not interesting to read all of it.
Maybe save cutscenes and watch them, you could entirely ignore the rest.

[Hestzhyen]

You lot keep using the word "filler." In the words of a Spaniard, I don't think it means what you think it means. The majority of those quests have relevance to the story in some way. Just how different do you expect "Heavensward content" to be from the content leading up to it? It's all the same. Talk and walk, talk and walk, dungeon. Talk and walk, talk and walk, trial. Repeat.

Come on, man. I played that content when it was freshly released and even then it had the feel of being filler. "Oh WoL, nice to see you again. We tripped and woke up a primal can you deal with it while we try to find where we lost the plot a little while back? Thanks bro, we owe ya." was the theme for basically three patches in a row. I feel bad for people who have to go through that in one go now- it was a bit of a chore when it was the new hotness. Thankfully HW tightened up the story line a lot, and it seems like SB is respecting our time again this time around. ARR was a wonderful re-start but it's still the worst part of XIV.

[Canadane]

In all honesty, there's very few filler quests in the MSQ after level 50.
Yes there's some here and there to go slay some ladybugs, but most of it is just a slowly developing story that is actually significant to the overall story of the game.

[Vexander]

Am I the only one who doesn't consider being level 60 before even accessing Heavensward content to be a Bad thing? I mean, you'll be able to breeze through it. Stormblood stuff too. Just enjoy the story.

[Hasrat]

Nah. Through ARR, Leviathan gets brought up all over Vylbrand, Ramuh gets brought up when dealing with the Sylphs, they were definitely something that was always going to come up in some way or another.

It's all (mostly) story. Calling any of it a waste of time just seems hypocritical of the rest of the story for doing the same things.