Maior's Alternative Leveling Guide

...or how to get the levels you want without all the heartache....

We've all been there before...

• ...you've just been invited to a party in the dunes. As you're travelling to the campsite, you suddenly see the tank's life drop into the red. Party chat fills with "OMG" and "ZONE". Soon, everyone is dead, and two people HP to Jeuno, or Whitegate. "Why did you pull a Goblin Leecher?" your party leader asks, shortly before everyone disbands...
• ...you're partying in Qufim by the tower and everything is going smoothly. The party is getting great chains on VT crabs and pugs. Two people in the party excuse themselves to leave, but have replacements coming. The replacements get there and complain about the VT mobs. Soon, they have everyone convinced that IT++ Gigas inside the tower are a better way to go. The first Gigas pull aggros two IT bats, but your party is able to manage them. The next pull links two Gigas and another bat and the party wipes. You delevel....
• ...you have a great party out chaining crawlers on Mount Zhayolm. Your refresher leaves and their replacement is in Jeuno. You find out the replacement doesn't have ToAU, however, since they are the only refresher on, your party decides to accomodate them. Everyone heads to Bibiki Bay, which takes an hour to get to and set up camp (people stop at the AH in Al Zahbi, others go AFK while they "get a drink"). Just as you get there, your new refresher says "shower, brb"...
• ...you get a party invite from someone in Uleguerand Range. You /sea the area and see they are the only party there. The party has a BRD and a RDM, as well as a BST and a BLU, everyone is rank 10 and the setup is looking sweet. You agree, and Teleport-Vazhl or OP Warp. You get to the zone, and ask them to invite you. Just as you zone in, you see the following shout from the party leader "yeah? well f*ck you too!". Everyone in your party logs, and you are left alone in the zone...

When the party system works in FFXI, it works very well. A party of knowledgable players can get rocking high EXP/rates and everyone can have a great time...

However, when the party system in FFXI doesn't work (usually because you're with crappy or mediocre players, people with bad attitudes, or HNMLS-cronies), it really doesn't work.

One of the little known secrets of FFXI, however, is that there's actually many alternative ways to gain EXP other than the EXP party grind. This guide is all about these alternative ways.

What sort of EXP rates are we talking?

Naturally, your mileage in these alternative methods may vary. It really does depend on which jobs you have available at different levels, what areas you have access to, and sometimes how much you are willing to spend. However, if the alternative methods are all taken into account, it is completely possible to get upwards of 20,000 EXP every week without ever stepping foot in an EXP party.

In this guide, we will cover some, but not all of the alternative methods. Some of these methods will be easier and more accomodating for some people, while at the same time quite hard for others. For example, some people will have very little difficulty ascending a Promyvion spire and defeating the ENM boss at the top, while others will see this as an insurmountable task.

The best way to use this guide is to focus on those things which you feel you (and possibly your friends) can accomplish. Certainly be open to try different things, but if you really aren't cut out for something, move on to another.