Powerleveling Suggestions

[CroweMidgard]

I've been playing FFXI off & on since the US PC release. I have in that time gotten Summoner to 75. I also play WOW with my wife. We have currently maxed out everything we can do in WOW and now she is interested in checking out FFXI. She really is interested in the Storys(unlocking jobs\missions), Chocobos raising, racing & minigame, Gardening, Crafting\farming for crafting.

Unfortunately we have a very casual gamer schedule. Maybe 45 minutes to 2 hours every other day. Maybe a serious game day every two weeks. Which leaves getting group very limited. Just wondering if anyone else has a similar situation\experience.

Would the easiest method be to help her experience the things she is interested in would be level a War/Thf with my SMN job, solo\powerleveling until she gets a grps? I figure warrior for damage\survivability and thf for little additional accuracy\damage skills.

Also would 65 be more than enough level wise to do 95% of the missions.

Thanks in advance!

[Callisto]

Re: Powerleveling Suggestions

WAR is a good way for her to jump right in and get groups, however if she really wants to level quickly WHM or a tank job would probably be the way to go. Any job can solo to 15~ in a couple of nights, at which point taking parties becomes better XP/hr.

Since you guys are on a casual schedule, it might be better for you to start a level 1 job as well and just duo with her, that way you guys can just pick up and put down when you want, plus there's the added bonus of you getting an extra job leveled and extra seals/conquest.

As for the missions question, it depends on the job. As 75 RDM I can solo all of the Sandy missions except for 4 of them(the two capped fights and the two BCs with multiple enemies), but another job might have a bit more trouble.

[Evion]

Re: Powerleveling Suggestions

WAR/THF doesn't sound right for this situation, or maybe any other. Anyway, if you want to lv her quickly, you can go two routes I suppose. Have her do a job that deals a lot of damage so she can solo while you heal her (DRK/WAR/DRG/PUP/SAM). Or, have her choose a job that XP PTS love (PLD/NIN/COR/DRK/RDM). Also, she can do 90% of quests at lv 20 and nearly all missions with a 75 SUM backing her... IMHO

Evion

[CroweMidgard]

Re: Powerleveling Suggestions

Thanks for the replies. From what you guys describe. I may try to convince her to go:

1->15 THF - so she has it for her farming
1->30 WAR\Thf - to get to unlockable jobs.
1->?? DRK\War - to do her missions & farming

She loves the melee damage thing. I was under the impression that even with me healing her she wouldn't have the survivablity after 50s. Would having a high level healer negate any advantages a BST\WAR have over a DRK\WAR?

I'm going to get her a gold pass so we have the caps. Since my jobs levels are random, don't think I have one below 15, but few are above 37. I also love the mage jobs (merited eva- etc) and I pretty much have them all at 37, which makes grouping with her and gaining expereince difficult. I guess there is alway Prom.

Thanks Again

[Effedup]

Re: Powerleveling Suggestions

I say you guys duo together...pick a job you may be interested in and start over with her, it'll be much better for her in the long run if you guys both actively work together in a group than have you PL her up as fast as possible. She'll get a better handle on game mechanics (I played WoW for a while myself and it's nothing like FFXI as I'm sure you're aware).

I started playing with a RL friend who was already 75 WHM, but he started over with me rather than PL me for exactly that reason...it takes a lot longer, obviously, but I'm a much better player because of it. For the missions and quests, he just breaks out his WHM, so you've got it covered on that end, too. Plus, since you are on a limited schedule (as we are) it makes it easier, since we had 2 (and now 3, since we've added a member to our static) of the party slots filled from the get go. And if you do end up duoing, the "what job" question gets a little easier, as you can just build a party around what you have, rather than waiting for hours with your flag up. Just my personal experience...

***edit*** yeah just read the response you posted while I was typing mine, so feel free to ignore me ^^

[wrongfeifong]

Re: Powerleveling Suggestions

Don't worry about what most people say. As long the player feel the job works then it will works.

I hate to break it to half of the people around here who love following other people's ideal. there is no set jobs. War/nin is not the only way to go for leveling.

I have seem War/DRK and War/SAM smack every ounce of the enemy far greater then war/nin can even achieve and this is in the 60s+.

With keep in mind, when you are powerleveling, i would suggest from 1-50. Ignore any type invites to healers (healers are burden) and only start making group with possible tanks (galka type melee class) from 40-50 you don't need tanks before 40s.

With powerleveling you don't need those "set" type of groups to be effective. (i often powerlevel myself)

It is better to powerlevel the whole group then solo. 45 min often more then enough for 1 or 2 level until 40 and 1 level for 40-50. (This is from experience... i log in @ altepa...and just bind invite any direct dmger and get start even with 3 people and invite as we fight...don't waste time sitting around if you got powerleveling)

[Icemage]

Re: Powerleveling Suggestions

The only drawback to powerlevelling (and it's a big one IMO) is that people get very lazy and end up not learning their jobs properly. Sure, a WAR/DRK or WAR/DRG is going to slap monsters around for a lot of damage... but they're also going to take a lot of damage in return due to the enmity from all that damage. In a powerlevelling situation, this isn't a big deal, but that player is going to have some very bad playing habits going into the point where powerlevelling is no longer an option and they actually have to watch their hate gain.


Icemage

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: Powerleveling Suggestions

If she can handle the learning curve from WoW to FFXI, she can handle the learning curve from PL'ed to a real, self-sufficient party. Just make sure she knows there are significant differences between how to act in those situations.

Oh, when I PL, I insist the party have a tank, and prefer it to have a healer. I'm a firm believer of the notion that a good PL can act as a guide besides helping out with cures, and whose chief goal is to help a party become self sufficient.

[711rocks]

Re: Powerleveling Suggestions

FFXI is impossible to get anything done partywise with 45 min -2 hours playtime ><

[Jei]

Re: Powerleveling Suggestions

45 minutes to 2 hours hmm....

If you want to find parties and level up, I would recommend you play less day, but longer hours. Like, only weekends but make it 4-5 hours. You will probably have a lot more fun that day. 45 min - 2 hours would be enough for crafting or some other smaller things.

Will help a ton if you can get her a static group on top of PLing.

[wrongfeifong]

Re: Powerleveling Suggestions

2hour is very possible with static and powerlevel.
I play on 45 min-2 hour myself. People don't care as long they get xp. But after 50 it is still possible to Pl up to 60 but @ 60 you have to go back to the long way hours of seeking.

It would help if you play as a BRD, COR, or a RDM @ 60 to make party going right away.

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: Powerleveling Suggestions

I play on 45 min-2 hour myself. People don't care as long they get xp.

I hope you let people know about your time constraints before you join or form parties. Two hour may be marginal, but 45 minute is way too short for my taste.

But after 50 it is still possible to Pl up to 60 but @ 60 you have to go back to the long way hours of seeking.

PL'ed at Lv.50+... That's video worthy.

[Feenicks]

Re: Powerleveling Suggestions

I've been PLed at Lv63 before, it was amazing. We even had two people with /WHM and a PLD tank, you think that we would be able to handle all the healing ourselves.

PLs at merit parties are where things truly become unbelievable.

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: Powerleveling Suggestions

Er, my Linkshell is too "old school" for that. We'd fall down laughing if we see PL at Lv.50+, and become unable to jam on the WS macro. Heck, some of us may even forget to engage auto-attack because we'd be too distracted snorting coffee/soda through our noses...

[CroweMidgard]

Re: Powerleveling Suggestions

Thanks everyone for replies!

She defintely understands the downfalls of PLing. In wow i played a Paladin Tank\Healer and she played hunter for DPS. She is fully aware of Aggro. Also in a some what sadistic way I gave her the concept of Skill Chaining. Coordinating my stuns and highest aggro technique and her high damage techs.

She seems to want a DD but does not really favor one over any other. Reading on her own she has suggested to level RNG/BST. BST first so her pet can always be her level while its subbed... But I don't think she realizes exactly how much effort all those jobs would be.

We both lead busy lives. We will have 4-5 hour sessions. It will only be every other weekend. I ALWAYS tell exact times of how long I'm on. As main healer (75 SMN\50WHM\37RDM) almost my entire FFXI life I always gave the party my time left online at beginning and every 30 minutes after partying.

I'm not big on PLing past 50 unless its helping her solo easy\Decents. If Anything I will jump onto RDM at 37 and group with her from then on.

Thanks again Everyone!