New Expansion=Easier Solo=Less XP loss no deleveling?

[DakAttack]

Re: New Expansion=Easier Solo=Less XP loss no deleveling?

It's all about location and accessibility as well as ease of fighting. There really are a lot of places to go to level, but it just doesn't seem like it at times. Certain areas require a bit too much running, others harbor monsters with attacks that are too deadly, and certain other areas just fly below the common player's radar.

The only reason why people fight goblins is because of their tendency to kill themselves while inflicting little damage to the party. The damage their inflict is related to the amount of health they have left so under about 30% health they'll do a negligible amount of damage that can be easily healed. When they're above 70% and commit gobukku it's likely they'll take a few tarus down with them. Other than that they're relatively low on defense and down have other crazy abilities.

[Coinspinner]

Re: New Expansion=Easier Solo=Less XP loss no deleveling?

I meant that many mob families are either too hard to exp on compared to others or too uncommon in the areas they appear. Compare Bees or Funguars to Crawlers or Mandies. All common but not the same strength.

There's also some mobs that work with a NIN but not a PLD.

[aegina]

Re: New Expansion=Easier Solo=Less XP loss no deleveling?

i've tried some of those "alternative" levelling spots before, and i am usually unimpressed. most of the mobs we skip have some annoying ways to one-shot one or more members of your pt, or some other annoying ability i'd rather avoid. at least, that's the way it was in most of the alternative camps i've been at.

i'll party at new spots, but i've stopped expecting any good to come from them. some of them are good, but i've found the "cookie cutter" zones have drifted that way for a reason.

[lionx]

Re: New Expansion=Easier Solo=Less XP loss no deleveling?

And Buburimu is just that much harder than Valkurm >_>; Mandies are of course harder than Lizards ><; Not to say much but..sometimes the cookie cutter areas suck alot..like valkurm everything is harder in general, from lizards to flies. Mandies and Birds are WAY better.

[aegina]

Re: New Expansion=Easier Solo=Less XP loss no deleveling?

i meant of the places i've tried.

i think valkrum is more popular than burimbu because... um... it's closer to sandy and bastok, perhaps?

[Macht]

Re: New Expansion=Easier Solo=Less XP loss no deleveling?

Sadly Lionx is right there, Mandragora's are pretty damn easy to kill. Only reason I ever knew that this zone died generally was because of placement of mobs, some of the ones harder then mandies were to easy to link to which is why players liked the seperation that Valkurm provides.

Even still it's baffeling that Maze of Shakrami having a tunnel that supports 1-2 parties (like many other EXP zones do) can level you from 10-15 wicked fast is so often left unattended. I solo'd that tunnel as a RNG just me alone kept up with the badly setup party that was there too making 3k an hour easily, at 11 I had another player join me duoing worms and still made 3k an hour. So I was fighting mobs that would of given EXP way beyond the 250 exp if that darn cap wasn't there.

Lv. 10 and 11 made 250 exp a kill on worms even after getting another member was still making 250 exp. The other member being only 9 was also getting 250 exp so obviously the exp we got was being capped.

[silentsteel]

Re: New Expansion=Easier Solo=Less XP loss no deleveling?

=/ thats kinda stupid. . . they should raise the cap to 300 or something, if they didnt even have the cap at all, then we might be able to go for 20k an hour XD Wow that would be nice.

[Aeni]

Re: New Expansion=Easier Solo=Less XP loss no deleveling?

As for location and leveling, most players in their mid 20s all go to one place: Yuhtunga. Why? Let's say, even if you were a creative player and you'll go a bit further and do Sahagins near the zone to Norg. Why?

There's crabs in Korroloka Tunnel that mid 20s can exp on. Late 20s, go further out and into Altepa or any of three major beastmen strongholds. Seriously, it's not just location. It's common sense really. Even veteran players make the same mistake of trying to be creative when they're really just being as nubs as the nubs hitting up the overcrowded areas.

Location is all about:

-Convenience
-Accessibility, including consideration for newer players that may not have certain telepoint crystals or keys or what have you
-Being able to get back to a town in a relatively safe manner.

I don't call running from Yhoator back to Kazham a relatively safe option >.> Seriously, I want to see people stop acting so stupid.

Also, all monsters are able to be taken on w/o much issues. Paladins can tank pugs just as well as a ninja, so I don't want to see anymore BS being floated about. Worried about that AOE move? That's why you have barspells. If it's not effective, cap your skills >.> About high time people wake up and realize that although they got Rank 10 under their belt and seen the ending for CoP missions, they've really only played about 10% of the total game >.>

[Coinspinner]

Re: New Expansion=Easier Solo=Less XP loss no deleveling?

Both:
Rabbits - Evil little bastards. Avoid.
Goblins, - The standard exp mob.
Crabs - Hope you brought some magic damage.
Pugil - I think Barwatera is available in time. No big deal.
Leech - Don't fight them. Ever.

Bubu:
Mandies - Sleep is bad at a level where Cure costs a lot of MP.
Birds - Miss miss miss miss Hell Dive zone zone zone
Dhalmel - DEF down and Berserk at a pre-Dispel pre-Erase level. Can heal too.
Crawler - Like crabs, but squishy in between DEF boosts. Easy.
Buburimbu/Helldiver - OMG teh suq.

Dunes:
Flies - Nobody exps on these, right? /cringe
Lizard - I remember their stone as being a glorified stun, and their AE a joke.
Bats - Like easier pugils.
Sheep - Like Dhalmel with a cone-shaped(?) sleep and no healing.
Marchelute/OtherGuy/Ghost - ROFL.
Emp - Mmm.

Both areas are about the same IMO, but I spent a lot more time in Buburimu than Valkurm so...

[eriatarka]

Re: New Expansion=Easier Solo=Less XP loss no deleveling?

Best EXP monster -> worm ^_^

only times i leveled off of worms was 14-20, but those were amazingly fast levels. 20 to 22ish worms in qufim too.. nice and fast. havent leveled off any worms at other levels though.

[TheGrandMom]

Re: New Expansion=Easier Solo=Less XP loss no deleveling?

The one thing that I've noticed over the years is that in the lower lvls (under 50), people tend to stay close to a zone of some sort. So in a way this influences the decisions we make about our camps. Take Yhoater for example. When you go exp there where do the majority of people camp? Right by the zone. Some adventerous pts go further in but if they don't have a solid pt they usually pay for it with a wipe/near wipe from a gob aggro.

When we are new to the game we are all nubs and we ask the veterans where they exp'd. We get told the usual spots so thats where we go. Usually the people who are more creative are the ones that have a higher lvl job and are lvling up another job. They may have seen or heard of a out of the way spot and try that. They have more experience putting a pt together and convincing people to try something new. But for the most part the new players tend to stick with the tried and true and we get into a rut.

I know that my last job I lvled I went from 20-30 in the jungles in one day. If you know the times when its slow and you do it right, you can really do well even in the tried and true spots.

[lionx]

Re: New Expansion=Easier Solo=Less XP loss no deleveling?

Both:
Rabbits - Evil little bastards. Avoid.
Goblins, - The standard exp mob.
Crabs - Hope you brought some magic damage.
Pugil - I think Barwatera is available in time. No big deal.
Leech - Don't fight them. Ever.

Bubu:
Mandies - Sleep is bad at a level where Cure costs a lot of MP.
Birds - Miss miss miss miss Hell Dive zone zone zone
Dhalmel - DEF down and Berserk at a pre-Dispel pre-Erase level. Can heal too.
Crawler - Like crabs, but squishy in between DEF boosts. Easy.
Buburimbu/Helldiver - OMG teh suq.

Dunes:
Flies - Nobody exps on these, right? /cringe
Lizard - I remember their stone as being a glorified stun, and their AE a joke.
Bats - Like easier pugils.
Sheep - Like Dhalmel with a cone-shaped(?) sleep and no healing.
Marchelute/OtherGuy/Ghost - ROFL.
Emp - Mmm.

Both areas are about the same IMO, but I spent a lot more time in Buburimu than Valkurm so...

About Mandies..the tank usually doesnt need a wake up call and its only 8 MP for a Cure, its generally a non-issue i would think. You dont need CureII to wake people up, get a RDM to help you out or a BLM/WHM or anyone with CureI to help the WHM out and its fine. I seen a few LS parties there(like LS exclusive) and they lvl SO much faster..i swear. As for Birds, bring a WAR and Shield Break it as much as you can, it really helps at low lvls. Of course, Mandies are anti-NIN...but i think by the time you get Utsusemi, you move on already.

And...people actually do exp off flies T_T...its so painful and crushes your chains if you arent smart...it crushes them so hard...

I dont like Lizards though, the reason being is that you cant make a party without a WHM under lvl 12, and by the time you are lvl 12 you are already slowly going to move on to goblins. Without Poisona you take heavy hits from Plaguebreath and you know some people dont sub WHM(BLM/RDMers out there..) even when they hit 12....their AoE does stop you from chaining...theres no Curaga and if there is its painful to use even...and you gotta cure each and everyone out of orange. Petrification is not THAT bad at this lvl...but still annoying if your backup tank is an idiot and doesnt provoke upon notice or warning. The Brain Crush also kills NIN tanks if they got shadows down and you cant dispel silence unless you invest in Echo Drops and not everyone at those lvls are gonna do that.. :x...the other two weapon skills generally arent much of a concern if you got a competent tank/healer.

Maybe i made it look worst than it is, but Mandies by far are more easier than Lizards IMO. I dont remember anyone exping off of sheep or bats too =/ But Crabs and the sort usually arent an issue since their specials are very weak at this lvl.

Of course the ol saying that "Theres always some Rarab in Vana'Diel that can kick your ass" always stands true....-_-...

TGM: Thats why its cookie-cutter, usually it works out great if done right. However that doesnt mean theres other places that are not that different or as bad, like Makara over Yhoator(also near zone). That doesnt mean you go exp in Xarcabard or something like that, but just wanna say theres also other places that arent that inconvienced to go to, and can be equally and if not better than current areas as well. But i agree that a smart party at low lvls, at the "cookie cutter" areas can excel very well as well. But i just like to keep my options open ^^


Back on topic however, i like to hope that theres more things to be done, like exping with 3 people or partying with less than 6, and accomplishing the same things as 6 would be nice too at times, just less strict party formation maybe..i dunno, be nice to not have to invite a RDM or a BLM or something :x...Most things are done by 6 people currently too, maybe alot more 1-3 people stuff be nice.

[Karinya]

Re: New Expansion=Easier Solo=Less XP loss no deleveling?

Heh, I actually have exped in Xarcabard. Worked pretty well until an ice elemental popped near us. Demons are scary looking, but not really more dangerous than other mobs of the same level. I've also exped in Beaucedine, Zi'Tah, Monastic Cavern, Uggalepih, Den of Rancor, Upper Delkfutt's, Batallia, Sauromugue, and Sea Serpent Grotto, as well as the more common spots.

I have also exped at one time or another on rabbits, monkeys, tonberries, spiders, anticans, scorpions, tigers, antlions, leeches, flies, dhalmels, cockatrices, coeurls, lizards, goobbue, demons, pots and eyes, and gotten good exp from all of them. You have to know what you're doing, but in general, monsters with strong/annoying attacks have lower defense and HP than the traditional crabs, beetles, crawlers, which don't hit back very hard but by comparison take FOREVER to die. And mandies and weapons keep interrupting SC with sleep/stun, which makes them take a long time to die too.

The monsters with strong physical resistance (elementals, ghosts, slimes) are bad exp choices for most parties but easy for manaburns.


I think the reason Valkurm won over Bubu is that bogies are evil. There's usually at least one or two people in a pickup party that don't have SJ yet and want the items for it. Bogies, at level 18, require an alliance and usually some deaths. Ghouls can be killed by a single party, although the drop rate on skulls is much lower. This is also the reason some parties xp on flies - it's a habit that started when almost every party had someone who needed the damselfly worm, and now it continues even if they don't and would be better off fighting something else.

The reason there is only one exp spot per level range at low levels is that people looking for PT will go where there are a lot of other people of the same level either PTing (and may need a replacement) or forming PTs. At higher levels you tend to assume that parties will last more than 10 min without turnover, and that everyone has teleport crystals and chocobo licenses; in other words that you can get from town to wherever the party is (or wants to be) in a reasonable amount of time.

[little ninja]

Re: New Expansion=Easier Solo=Less XP loss no deleveling?

i can remember when bat downs was full of players exping on gobs an tigers. but now that place is barron, i dont even see tiger farmers anymore. the occasion person passing thru, or hnm campers is all you will see in the downs. but thats pretty much for most zones nowadays.

[Coinspinner]

Re: New Expansion=Easier Solo=Less XP loss no deleveling?

I used to farm fangs. I felt the sting of inflation pretty hard.

About Mandies..the tank usually doesnt need a wake up call and its only 8 MP for a Cure, its generally a non-issue i would think. You dont need CureII to wake people up, get a RDM to help you out or a BLM/WHM or anyone with CureI to help the WHM out and its fine. I seen a few LS parties there(like LS exclusive) and they lvl SO much faster..i swear. As for Birds, bring a WAR and Shield Break it as much as you can, it really helps at low lvls. Of course, Mandies are anti-NIN...but i think by the time you get Utsusemi, you move on already.

And...people actually do exp off flies T_T...its so painful and crushes your chains if you arent smart...it crushes them so hard...

I dont like Lizards though, the reason being is that you cant make a party without a WHM under lvl 12, and by the time you are lvl 12 you are already slowly going to move on to goblins. Without Poisona you take heavy hits from Plaguebreath and you know some people dont sub WHM(BLM/RDMers out there..) even when they hit 12....their AoE does stop you from chaining...theres no Curaga and if there is its painful to use even...and you gotta cure each and everyone out of orange. Petrification is not THAT bad at this lvl...but still annoying if your backup tank is an idiot and doesnt provoke upon notice or warning. The Brain Crush also kills NIN tanks if they got shadows down and you cant dispel silence unless you invest in Echo Drops and not everyone at those lvls are gonna do that.. :x...the other two weapon skills generally arent much of a concern if you got a competent tank/healer.

Maybe i made it look worst than it is, but Mandies by far are more easier than Lizards IMO. I dont remember anyone exping off of sheep or bats too =/ But Crabs and the sort usually arent an issue since their specials are very weak at this lvl.

I've never seen a WAR use a greataxe that early. I know it's different now but way back then... when I started they all used swords, scythes, polearms, and greatswords. When I went back as THF and BST I couldn't find any WAR to tank and either did it myself or found some other DD melee to do it.

I remember those mandy fights pretty well. A WHM/- at that level has like 80-130 MP, and mandies spam Dream Flower sometimes. 8 MP is a lot at that level. They're still easier than lizards, yes. But I remember lizard's flame AE doing single digit damage, sometimes in the teens. Do NIN actually use Utsusemi at that level? I remember most players in dunes not having food or even ammo for pulling, never mind tools or echo drops.

LS parties are always better than PUGs. 2 them.

Actually the biggest difference between dunes and bubu is the mob placement. It was mentioned earlier, but in bubu mob types and level ranges are mixed together.