HUGE pacing issue around level 40

[AcidRainO]

I'm sure this has been mentioned hundred of time, but still:

As a new player, I have found that there is SUCH a big pacing issue starting around level 40. I'm doing all the quests and required content (as well as hunting log, optional dungeons, etc), and yet I still have to grind roughly half of each level to continue with the story.

I really love this game, but this pacing issue is a huge killjoy, almost enough to get me to quit playing the game entirely. For a quest based game to have this issue is a really big deal. In a game like FFXI it didn't matter so much, but here it's awful.

I hope to see a revamp of these levels at some point in the future. I wouldn't be surprised if FFXIV has lost a lot of potential subscriptions to this content-lite section of the game. It's really awful.

[Able]

I hate to be this way, but it just seems like you're complaining about grinding. If you dont have a big tolerance for grinding, then I'd strongly suggest unsubbing immediately. You can't rely solely on quests for XP in this game.

[Moomba33]

Back at launch you basically had to FATE grind to finish off the 40s.

Things are much better now. Do a daily low level roulette, guildhest roulette, go after weekly Challenge Log goals (unlock the Challenge Log from a quest in Limsa if you haven't already), do FATES and Leves while you're waiting in queue for dungeons.
Quests alone are not enough for the higher levels but there are plenty of options if you look around.

If you find leveling too grindy at this point even with all of these options you probably won't enjoy the end of the 2.0 story. The main scenario jumps from level 46 to 49 at one point.

[seekified]

Back at launch you basically had to FATE grind to finish off the 40s.

This. The current state of things is actually a vast improvement, because there's so much to do that gives you extra chunks of exp. I basically fated my way from 41 to 50 in one day in Northern Thanalan on my first go (and then proceeded to avoid that area for a year), but now with challenge logs and roulettes it's much easier.

The whole story quest jumping from 46 to 49 thing is probably to encourage players to do Aurum Vale a few times. That place gives out insane exp if you kill everything, despite its bad rep, actually has some interesting fights.

[aerolol]

Do you have the challenge log unlocked?
Are you doing your daily low level dungeon roulette? The exp bonus you get + the exp from killing dungeon mobs is enough for more than half a level, maybe even one full level up.
At level 41 you can start taking beast tribe quests which give some extra daily experience.

All these things didnt exist in 2.0, so the exp grind was even worse.
It's much easier now.

[Dualblade]

Do you have the challenge log unlocked?
Are you doing your daily low level dungeon roulette? The exp bonus you get + the exp from killing dungeon mobs is enough for more than half a level, maybe even one full level up.
At level 41 you can start taking beast tribe quests which give some extra daily experience.

All these things didnt exist in 2.0, so the exp grind was even worse.
It's much easier now.

Pretty much this right here. My first 50 was before the challenge log itself and I managed to get there around the time I should have been lvl 45, in part because I would do the low roulette. It was as a Paladin which did make it easier to get in but my point is, it isn't quite that difficult to get to 50 even for a new player.

As well if you want to get other jobs to 50 you won't be able to rely on quests since you already did them, though it'll be a bit easier since you will have an auto +50% just from being lower leveled then your highest job.

[MisterLucha]

Between FATE grinds and some leves along with the challenges, my leveling friend and I haven't had too many issues rolling through the 40s. Heard plenty of nightmare stories about the process, but those issues do appear to be alleviated somewhat with the additions others have mentioned.

Then again we've enjoyed the FATEs around Mor Dhona so we stop to do them just out of principle, so maybe we were grinding unconsciously while doing other quests and it just worked out that way.

[AskaRay]

True, I tend to feel the push near 40, but it still isn't terrible. I can gain a level/day even on DPS, and that's off hours on my server.
One roulette usually does it, and then if that's not enough then one run of the highest level dungeon usually pushes me over the level threshold. Combine that with the challenge log, leves, FATEs, hunting log, etc and you're good.

Make sure to eat food, get rested bonus too. If you're in an FC ask them to turn on the leveling bonuses.
Good luck

[Haru]

1x Daily roulette low dungeon gives guaranteed 50% of your exp bar, and daily guildhest will see you earn %10-15 in a 2 min fight.
Also there are very simple weekly challenges which will give you another 50%.

You don't need to rush it but essentially you are guaranteed a level every 2 days if you do daily.

[m3eansean]

For a quest based game to have this issue is a really big deal. .

Hhmm what made you think this was a quest based game and that it was the only way to level? Party up, grind it out. With speed runs of Dzemael, you could get to level 50 in one night by spamming the first room over and over.