EXP discussion : FFXI General Discussions

So everyone has their little grouping schemes and all of them are good. The one I will put forth now is just a follow up to everyone elses and I think can bring you the most xp you will ever get. First I will start by the rules of running or following a good group.

I make about 2k xp if not more per hour when grouping now. This is how.

If you are leading!
Be effective in explaining everyones part, don't shut our suggestions, take group votes, and be aware of everything around you. Keep in mind, this is your group, so you should always take the first death. If your group fails, it's your fault, not theirs. If somebody doesn't cooperate, don't waste your time.
When forming your group be sure to get ALL SAME LEVELS!!!! I would recommend that you don't waste your time on higher or lower, because you will only hurt your own exp.
Balance your group well. Good balanced groups consists of.
With Adv. Jobs
2 bards > 1whm > 1blm > 1 sam > 1 Pld with subs.
Without Adv. Jobs
2 whm > 1 blm > 2 warr > additional class.

These combinations will allow for endless chaining and endless pulling if you direct correctly.

When joining a group.
Look for groups with 2 healers and same levels.
ALWAYS listen to your group leader, if he blows, ditch him find a better group.

Now for the most effective chaining this is what everyone should do before engaging in battle.

Fighters > Set up skill chains and macros for TP and Skills along with <call> command to make sure no one misses. Set up a order to provoke
and do your best to follow it to keep the hatred on you. Fight at a reasonable distance from your mages to keep them from harms. Sacrifice yourselves for the better of the party.

Healers > If your group is 2whm ready then you should be able to chain for a LONG time with no downtime. 1 healing 1 resting. This is the way it works. Only Cure II when danger is near, Cure 1 for all others. Conserve mana, and be sure to call when you are resting.

Blm > Blast away.

When looking for a place to party try and find areas close to a zone in. For example at level 20-26 delkfut tower is the place to be. From 20-23 you can level outside the tower, and zone if it gets risky. From 23-26 you can hunt just inside the entrance and zone if things get tricky. Picking your ground can be the most important part of getting good xp.

ONLY 1 puller. Make sure there is only 1 puller in the group and that he pulls quick and well. He should call the enemy so everyone knows what is coming, THEN bring it.

XP Chains. The best xp comes from chaining aka pulling monsters that are Even + to the entire group. Which is why it is effective to have well balanced groups.

Skill chain. These cause extra damage and can save your !@#$%^&* when need be.

This is the best I can do. If your interested in places to level, I will post a few.

1-8 > SOLO > Palborough Mines. Rabbits and Quads. you can get level 2 or 3 on the way there then fight rabbits to 5. Quads till 8
8-10 >SOLO > Dangruf Wadi Rock eaters.
10-14> Group > Chaining goblins in Wadi. First clearing after the geyser.
14-18 > Group > Valkurn Dunes. Only hunt the entrance till all are 17
18-25 > Qufim entrance. Be careful can be dangerous.
25-30 > Yughtung Jungle. For more info about this look for the Kazham pass post.

Man .. I don't know how you guys live off 2k/hour .. If i'm not in a PT making at least 3k/hour then forget it .. and when i'm leveling 50+, 4k/hour is minimum or I walk (20k per level guys, and it only gets worse)

You CAN (with the right group) pull down 3-4k/hour even in the dunes (easier when Maze isn't packed to do it there) .. all you need is the right group that's well equipped and knows their jobs.

As far as group balance is concerned .. best setup for fast XP (at least at most levels up to 60 that i've seen)

2 NIN Blinktanking
2 Damage/support (WAR and PLD are NOT DD) - includes SAM, MNK, THF, RDM, BLM, RNG, etc.
Bard
White Mage

That's it. If the everyone's equipment and powders hold up .. you'll be xping like a champ.

Also .. another note: DO NOT STOP!! .. Most NA parties futz around, they chat, yak, etc. When someone levels they take a break to check new stats and whatnot .. this is not optimum.

Even in a rotten PT setup, you can pull down 2-3k an hour if you just KEEP PULLING .. if the WHM knows their job and how to cast efficiently, then they will only run out of MPs on links or aggro. Dont' stop to smoke. Dont' stop to hit hte bathroom every 30 minutes. JUST GRIND .. it'll pay off in the long run.

And keep those damn subs leveled .. it makes a difference people.

excelsio wrote:Be effective in explaining everyones part, don't shut our suggestions, take group votes, and be aware of everything around you. Keep in mind, this is your group, so you should always take the first death. If your group fails, it's your fault, not theirs. If somebody doesn't cooperate, don't waste your time.
When forming your group be sure to get ALL SAME LEVELS!!!! I would recommend that you don't waste your time on higher or lower, because you will only hurt your own exp.

This is very good advice .. all very true. People will get snippy when you try and be assertive, either dump them or walk, it's not worth the effort in the long run. HOWEVER, don't just assume you know everyone's job. Research on Alla and read guides, and study how each class plays effectively so you can recognize a good solid strategy/player when you see one.

Fighters > Set up skill chains and macros for TP and Skills along with <call> command to make sure no one misses. Set up a order to provoke
and do your best to follow it to keep the hatred on you. Fight at a reasonable distance from your mages to keep them from harms. Sacrifice yourselves for the better of the party.

Healers > If your group is 2whm ready then you should be able to chain for a LONG time with no downtime. 1 healing 1 resting. This is the way it works. Only Cure II when danger is near, Cure 1 for all others. Conserve mana, and be sure to call when you are resting.

All good, solid advice.

Bm > Blast away.

Uh .. no. BLM do not 'Blast away' .. they rest for start of fight while tanks build aggro if RDM is enfeebling, or they enfeeble and then take a break to rest for a few ticks. Then, they cast VERY slowly .. about one spell for every 3 melee hits .. so they don't drag aggro. BLM is only 25, so i'm no expert, but BLM are more than just a gun to point and fire .. again, i suggest reading Alla.


Otherwise .. the rest of the info here is pretty solid and accurate. Best way to learn though is to manage an invite to a good JP PT (and yes, there are bad ones) .. I remember my first time, i was about 24-25 RDM in jungle and we were chaining gobs non-stop for 150-250 xp a hit .. it was scary how efficient and fast they were, but they play and play hard.

The key is to stay away from pickup parties. Pickup parties at best tend to do 2-4k/hr max, but a reliable group of ppl you know shoudl be able to pull 5k/hr w/ ease. I know I'm spoiled, but it's really a matter of there is no reason it isn't doable w/ ease. It's all a matter of balanced party, and people that actually know their job and don't just go and "blast away" as some have put it.

Currently, I have 75WHM, 75BLM, 72BRD, 54RDM, 52PLD. Like another said if I'm actually in a pickup party and we're not doing at least 4k+/hr I'll find an excuse to leave because 2-4k/hr simply isn't worth the time. The best thing I can say is that if you are 10-20 90% of the time you will get more exp/hour by soloing "Easy Prey" quickly rather than trying to party in areas liek Valkurm, etc.

cough* !@#$%^&* * cough


"Whites can't SOLO at LVL 15 well they can but EP might kill them U off all Should know this bein a LVL 75 White"

Pick up parties are both Good and bad.

Any PTY that is making 2k per hour SUCKS
Any PTY that is making 4k per hour is POOR
Any PTY that is making 6k per hour is GOOD
Any PTY that is making over 10k well they are PROS

1 st the Dunes since is the Noob Capital.

Stop trying to look for BIG XP #

10-15 You should be fighting Lizard until about 12 and then Gobs and Lizzies until 15. For those that think other wise have u been in a pty in the DUNES with no down time and no PLVL making 10k an hour.


14-17 You should fight Snippers until about 16 but also pulling the low lvl gobs too once all get 15 and tanks are 16. Add Flies, Ghouls and sheeps to the list. Again I lvled 2 times in about 1 hr it brought a tear to my eye. This was with a noob warrior that was having a nut since he had never seen PROS Party in the dunes. I did this yesterday party set up

WAR 15
RNG 14 / War<-- Was about to lvl to 17 when i left
BL 14 / WHi
Whi 14/ SMN
SMN 14 / Whi
Drk 15/ Whi <-- Dark reached 17 was replaced by NIN/ WAR.

As you can see its not the Greatest PTY but since we where not going for the Big XP just for speed we got faster and faster. He had J6 claimed when we CLEARED the area that is when we rested to full. Which was not that long since anyone that has been in J6 knows that their are allot of mobs in that area

I started at lvl 14 about 2k TNL after about 1 HR I was 16. Add that up wow. Yup I know I was very impressed and happy too.

18-20 Snippers Flies Sheeps Pugs higher LVL gobs Mugger, Leecher, and Gambler. Once u hit 20 u could contunie but u run into the problem that PTYS want to see Big #

If people would Learn not to always go For ITS and just KIll everything we would not say 2K per Hour which is pitiful.

Also if you have a Permanet Pty and are making 5K YOU SUCK. A permenat PTY should easily be able to make at least 8K at that is if the area is shared with another PTY.

I have been in High lvl ptys that kick !@#$%^&* and usually the 10k ones are not going after its. They go to a area that everything is Tough or Very Tough and just terminete the whole area it is a beautiful thing to see.

For the Higher LVLs is the same. Those ptys are fighting ITS will always only make 5k to 6k and think WOW that is awesome. Poor Bastards they just dont know how to LVL.

I have to settle with 5k to 6k allot of times because PTYS love to see those 200 300 #.

Dont get me Wrong though. At higher Lvls some PTYS can take ITS down like if it was EP. When you are in those ptys you just wish that it would never end since its GREAT XP these pty Reach 12k Per hour which is about the fastest and the most u can get in the game. These Ptys make SC and MB and Art. U see that MOB HP go down like if it was nothing.

How fast you get exp depends on what mobs you are killing, and the jobs there. Hmmm.... highest exp per hr i got was 7k per hr @@;;;;
10k per hr... is it possible?
chain non-stop???wwwww.

It's quite possible to reach his numbers but it requires:
a) Very good party members with good jobs. (VERY GOOD)
b) A very good camp spot with noone else competing with you.

Most often you'll run out of mobs long long before you can reach any of the higher numbers in alex's post.

You will NEVER EVER make 10k in a normal pickup party, it just will not happen. You will also most likelly NOT get a party that makes over 6k the first time you level to 75.

that was what i was thinking.. lol.. i think i cleared dragon's aery for only 7k+ per hr. no mobs to make it to 10k T.T.

I have done it more then once with pickup parties.

Yes it requires a good spot and good pty members.

For the spot it has to be an area where all the mobs are tough v tough and IT. Also the your pty is able to handle all of them.

Your Pty usually needs to be the only one thier so you dont run out of mobs.

Most of the times the only reason you might not reach 10k or more is because the lack of mobs not because the PTY cant handle them.

But you would definatly make more than 2k per hour. Which can be done Soloing if your job allows it like BST or SMN and some others.

;p not WHITES and BRDs

Try solo 2k/hours as bard!

LOL no thank you

Ewww I can just imagine the torture.

Sorry about the last line.

Whites Brd can solo for !@#$%^&*.

White 61 Vs Gob EP took me 5 min and all my MP it was fun. After I got all my MP i left the area.

Thanks for pointing that out I didnt even notice.

I solo the buffalos in Uleguerand without problem or downtime though, I can imagine most jobs not liking them with their paralize and disease special attacks.
Ep gobs depend a lot on what job they are, I soloed a Goblin Alchemist the other day and Holy, Banish III and Banishga III really sucked hard. Then I soloed a Goblin Shephert and it was soooo easy in comparison.

It just takes a while.

my exp party setup ...

PLD ... pickup member. always same level.
4 RNG ... static members.
WHM ... pickup member. always same level.

last session we hit chain 5 300 in qufim ...
and we did 20-25 in 4 hours.

he he
RNG PWNS

Bah, replace the PLD with a BRD... and maybe the WHM with another RNG.