Is FATE really the best way to level up? Leveling through instances

[Tonkra]

What im thinking about is that everybody seems to perform non stop FATE's after an other. Most peoples opinion is that FATE grants you the most exp for level progression.

I think its a pity that the people seem not consider leveling through the instances. I queue up for Halatali in Duty finder for around 18 mins or like that.


Do people imply dungeons just for drops? I mean i have the feeling that i level up much faster by doing dungeons over and over again.
plus in an instance you can equip your twink quiet easy through drops.



Why do people dont consider instances as a way to level fast? i think its quiet a pity.
I am shouting for a group for Halatali, but mostly no one reacts


personally i am getting sick of FATE from time to time. Sometime its a good way to level if you just want to level for 10-15 mins and some guild leves in between.. but an instance can grant you also very much exp and really fast. if not even faster than FATE + makes more fun to me personally

in an instance i receive 1,5 - 2,2 k per mob in halatali @ level 23 for example. While i receive around 4-6k per FATE after completing it in around 5-7 minutes. FATE mobs only grant around 200 exp at that level which means 10 monsters = 1 monster in an instance.

so this means you receive as much exp by just killing 3-4 monsters in a dungeon (in around 2 mins) than receiving the FATE exp reward after 5-6 mins (+ riding to FATE and waiting time)


Lets say the group kills 3 monsters (one mob group) in around 1-2 mins one after an other in Halatali which gives you around 6k then, seems to me to be much faster than a FATE. Considering you have to move from FATE to FATE and that you have to wait for a FATE from time to time.

Comparing EXP at level 20:


FATE exp
reward exp around 4,5k - 6k
average exp per monster 200
average completing time (differs from 5-7 mins concerning how many people are participating)

Dungeon exp
average exp per monster 1,5 - 2,2k
average time you need to kill one monster around ~20 secs

[Noshpan]

FATEs haven't been the most efficient means of leveling for a couple of patches. It's all about dungeon grinding now.

[SirTaint]

My process is:

Solo to 9
Aleport to 16

At 16+
Roulette daily
Flag for 2 closest level dungeons
Fate while waiting

When you get bored do your hunting logs. If it is 30 min until I have to log or it's in the morning when there are no Fate groups I XP my Chocobo and solo Fates below my lvl.

[cotti]

You're almost 3 months late on your observations (and they are not original anyway).

Think again when you use some of the resources introduced in 2.1, like the Party Finder, notice the changes in exp. gains in dungeons, and the tweak to FATEs that made them quite longer when there are more people in the same zone.

[Almalexia]

Do FATEs between leves (standard+GC) while running the Guildhest/Low level roulette daily - and then level-appropriate dungeons after that.

Mix in standard quests and hunting log entries, and you have a very lucrative, well-paced leveling system.

[Evil_Betox]

By the time the duty finder pop up for my THM i have already done enough fates worth 2~3 dungeon runs, yeah the exp is better there but if you are DPS then following SirTaint method is more efficient.

[Cherie]

Can always queue for a dungeon, then go do fates or leve's until it pops for you.

Standing around is boring. I play games to be entertained!

[Artemiz]

For a start your figures are way out, yesterday I hit lvl 24 on SMN doing Aleport/Quarrymill leves and duty roulette. In this example

Comparing EXP at level 20:


FATE exp
reward exp around 4,5k - 6k
average exp per monster 200
average completing time (differs from 5-7 mins concerning how many people are participating)

Dungeon exp
average exp per monster 1,5 - 2,2k
average time you need to kill one monster around ~20 secs

You seem to be including rested bonus to dungeons but not to FATE's, that doesn't help. When I was getting 2k from Halatali mobs I was also getting 450-550 exp from FATE mobs due to rested bonus. The difference is more like 4-1 not 10-1. Then when you consider that doing FATE's in a party means you get the exp from every mob your party kills it adds up fast. Take the Goblin fate just outside Aleport where they run down the hill for example, they take seconds to kill and a party can easily kill 30 of them during the FATE, in less than 5 minutes. During a FATE like that you get far more exp from the mobs than you do from the FATE bonus, that's why everyone loves Dark Devices and other FATE's like it. I never did understand why everyone got so excited about the Lupus FATE in Costa Del Sol, it takes forever and there are no weak mobs to mop up for fast exp.

In short the difference in exp is usually much smaller than you're suggesting in your OP so whether to FATE or do dungeons for exp usually comes down to que times and effort/concentration. FATE's are easy, you don't need up to date gear and they can be face rolled by players of all skill levels. Some dungeons can be a pain like Qarn and Aurum Vale, especially if the other players in your party keep making mistakes.

Recent updates have made dungeon exp competative with FATE exp but it didn't make it better, at least not by a lot. FATE's are much easier and can be done semi afk in crappy gear while chatting to your friends. That's why people like them, they're easy and they work (in terms of leveling at a decent pace)

Personally I'll do a bit of both and it usually depends on what dungeons are going to give good exp at my level. I'm happy to do Haukke manor, Stone Vigil and Dzemael Darkhold all day long because I enjoy them. If however Aurum Vale is my best exp dungeon wise then I'll be FATE grinding, I'd rather eat my own gentlemans sausage than farm that turd hole.