MSQs jump from Lvl 46 to 49

[ArcanoJones]

Operation Archon is the Quest I am talking about. The game expects you to grind out 3 levels to continue the story.I have quite frequently been below the level required to continue the story and needed to gain XP of anywhere from 1/4 to a full level. But this looks like a long slog of grinding to me.

[Niwashi]

There's a couple optional dungeons around that level to help with it, Dzemael Darkhold at 44 and Aurum Vale at 47, plus it comes just after the point where the ARR Beast Tribe quests open up. So that gives some more options for gaining levels.

(But yes, gaining those levels does take a bit of a break from the MSQ.)

[ArcanoJones]

Thank you for the advice. I will try those. I also though POTD might be a good place to get some XP.

[Frizze]

Optional dungeons, PotD, clearing some challenge log entries, a few fates, beast tribe quests, some PvP. That particular patch is a rough one(the largest jump in the entire game). If you arent already doing them, this is also a good time to learn about the games Roulette system. Theres a tab on the duty finder for roulettes. At your level there will only be 2 or 3 entries(more show up at higher levels). Frontline Roulette drops you into a PvP match(usually 24vs24vs24), and gives exp as well as some PvP rewards(pvp exp, wolf marks, and at higher levels some tomes). If you have completed at least 2 of them, there will be a Guildhest Roulette - you wind up in a random guildhest and get bonus experience for clearing it along with a few grand company seals(side note: you gain bonus exp the first time you clear each hest on every character class - this is bonus exp many people forget about). And most importantly(for you) theres the Leveling Roulette. Drops you into a random dungeon or primal fight(ifrit, titan or garuda) youve already cleared/unlocked and gives a BIG exp boost at the end of the whole thing. The bonus exp you get from clearing the leveling roulette(for each roulette you only get bonus once per day on your first clear) is worth roughly a level a day(with the bonuses from the other two combined being 1/4-1/2 a level roughly). So clearly you have some options you can explore to help smooth over this rough patch.

[SecretCrowds]

There are side-quests to unlock at those levels in The Waking Sands.

[Gvaz]

I found I had to stop doing side quests in order to continue the main story quests because it would just throw experience at me like crazy