Quote Originally Posted by KaivaC View Post
Gonna have to have to challenge you on this point. 270 is not, at this point, nor ever, normal. Even with the initial 4.0 launch and players rushed through MSQ, you're gonna pick up enough gear to be much higher than 272 - both because of MSQ rewards and the fact that every dungeon in 4.0 gives you at least one piece of gear at the end. My question is how were you 270 in 4.0 when you went through? Did you toss all that free gear that the game gave to you? Did you entirely drop all of the Shisui/Bardam/Doma gear? The HQ gear that the MSQ gives you leading up to Abania? It's almost as if you have to go out of your way to stay at 270 when you reach that point in the MSQ.
For my experience, every time the quests offered gear, I took the Materia option. Furthermore, I did every single side quest as they became available, and still kept taking the materia.
For dungeons, yes, I did get one single gear from the prog dungeons. Every single time. Seems they didn't want me getting Dragoon gear, as no chests offered a piece, and it was Earrings as my guaranteed drop for each one. I certainly was not gonna go out of my way to grind these leveling dungeons for gear. Never bothered equipping them. Found more interest and value out of getting Grand Company seals with them.
I did hit Lv.70 well before reaching Castrum Abania, but my Lv.70 job quest had a prerequisite MSQ that I apparently hadn't reached yet. Ended up getting that done after Castrum Abania when I went to see if I had finally done the quest. And then I still didn't end up using that gear, because by then my FC leader had gifted me an HQ Lv.380 gear set as reward for my first Lv.70.
As for the experience of my run itself, I was using Diversion and and Elusive Jump to keep 2nd on the Enmity List. Perhaps my tank was even worse geared? No clue. I certainly didn't care to inspect them to find out. Healer didn't complain about anything. We were done with the dungeon pretty quick. No one died. Never needed to wait on anyone's TP or MP. Got a chest piece at the end of the run, thought "cool, I'll trade you for Grand Company seals since I'm gonna get artifact gear in a few minutes anyways". That's basically been my mentality for gearing all throughout my leveling process in this game.
I didn't bother trying to gear from 1-50. I just simply used my Artifact gear to get tomestones for 130 gear. Thought "50-60 aint much to deal with. I'll just gear at 60." Sure enough. Got to Lv.60 on 130 gear. Used Artifact gear to get tomestones for 270 gear. Believe you me, I was primed to do the same bloody thing for Stormblood. And I ended up with 15mil gil in the process too. Way worth. My house is nice.