Final Fantasy XIV has invited several players since its launch of the recent expansion Shadowbringers. This raises the question: How can I level up my character? What about my alternate jobs and classes? Maybe you want to max out the level of all your jobs so that you can be flexible depending on the situation. This is a guide on how to start with that.
For your main job/class, focus on numbers 1 and 2. For your alts are the rest of the list.
10. Levequest
One of the old ways to level up a character fast is through accepting levequests available in different sanctuary locations. Levequests are repeatable quests that give various rewards.
This method is good for starting up. They are not battlecraft levequest stop at level 58, while Grand Company levequests stop at level 45. Doing them after a certain level causes an EXP penalty, so it’s not recommended for late-game leveling. Levequests are better reserved for Disciples of Hand classes.
However, some battlecraft leves or GC leves provide a great amount of EXP. Just check them from time to time.
How Levequests work:
- All levequests for level 1 and 5 are automatically unlocked.
- Starting at level 10, speak to specific Levemetes who give trial levequests
- Unlock levequests every 5 levels from level 1-45
- Some levequests’ difficulty may be scaled up, increasing the rewards
9. Side Quests
Next are the side quests. Most side quests are to be reserved as an EXP source for your alts, but note that some are to be done to unlock some content like the Deep Dungeons. More information about the Deep Dungeons on number 5.
Side quests are usually done while you’re in the queue for duty, especially for the duty roulette.
Rewards vary per quest, but they all give some EXP to your current class. It’s also a way to get rid of those exclamation marks over people’s heads when you go into smaller towns.
How Side Quests Work:
- Accept a Side Quest
- Follow the Quest
- Obtain Rewards
The methods are straightforward.
8. The Hunt
Upon unlocking the Second Lieutenant rank in your Grand Company, you will get a quest nearby the headquarters titled Let the Hunt Begin:
- Maelstrom – Trachraet in Limsa Lominsa Upper Decks (X12.7, Y12.7)
- Twin Adder – Scarlet in New Gridania (X9.9, Y11.4)
- Immortal Flames – Mimio Mio in Ul’dah – Steps of Nald (X8, Y9)
Accomplishing the quest will unlock the Hunt board, which are classified into the following:
- Regular Mark Bills: Daily
- B Rank Elite Mark Bills: Weekly (refreshes on Tuesdays)
- A Rank
- S Rank
In Heavensward, Clan Mark Bills were introduced available in the Clan Hunt Board in Foundation (X12, Y11), which refresh daily. Subsequently, Stormblood introduced Veteran Clan Marks Bills, which is available in Kugane (X11, Y10) or Rhalgar’s Reach. Both of these two reward Gil, Centurio Seals, and EXP. For Shadowbringers are the Nutsy Clan Mark Bills found in The Crystarium (X9.5, Y9.4). This will reward EXP, Centurio Seals, and Sack of Nuts which is a currency used to exchange for some materia.
How The Hunt Works:
- Accept a Mark Bill
- Kill the monster in the mark
- Obtain rewards
This is a good way to kill time as you wait for your duty finder to find a party.
7. Hunting Log
When you’re playing solo, hunting logs is one of the best ways to earn EXP in your downtime. It is a list of monsters to kill, location, difficulty, and experience rewards. As you progress through the whole list, you go up a rank and a new list is given to you holding more rewards to be earned.
To unlock the hunting log, finish your first class quest.
An example of the hunting log.
How Hunting Logs work:
- Open up Logs in your player menu and select Hunting Log (default keyboard shortcut is H key)
- Select a class and difficulty.
- Hover your cursor over the target to know the location.
- Kill the required amount of targets.
- Rewards will be awarded automatically.
This is another way to kill time while you wait for your party in the duty finder.
6. Challenge Log
When at a loss on what to do in the game, you can check your Challenge Logs for the game’s suggested activities. They reward the player with Gil and EXP. Additional rewards can be given upon overall completion of the challenge log. This log refreshes weekly on Tuesday at 1:00 AM (PDT) and can be done repeatedly.
To unlock the Challenge Log, complete the level 15 Main Scenario Quest Rising to the Challenge from I’tolwann in Limsa Lominsa Upper Decks (X11.4, Y11). A prerequisite of the quest is a level 15 quest Call to the Sea from Bartholomew in Ul’dah – Steps of Thal (X10, Y12) for those who started in Gridania or Limsa Lominsa, or from the serpent officer in Old Gridania (X8, Y11) for those from Ul’dah.
An example of the challenge log.
How The Challenge Log Works:
- This awards a percentile of your max EXP based on your current level
- There are different categories in the challenge log, depending on what you want to accomplish
- The tasks are listed and you can do as it says
- Rewards will be awarded automatically
5. Beast Tribes
As you go through the Main Scenario Quests in A Realm Reborn, you are introduced to the existence of beast tribes: different races that made their attempts to summon god-like beings called Primals.
Unlocking beast tribes vary per tribe. The first one available is the Ixali beast tribe unlockable through Scarlet in New Gridania (X9, Y11) in the quest A Bad Bladder.
How Beast Tribes Work:
- Each day, you only have a limited daily allowance of Beast Tribe quests that you can do
- There are Disciples of War or Magic and Disciples of Hand beast tribes, select which applies for you
- Each expansion has a different set of Beast Tribe, do quests according to your level
- They work like side quests, but you may have to interact with some items limited to the tribe
- Obtain EXP upon completion of the quest
4. Free Company
You can join a Free Company (FC) to make some friends who can accompany you in your quests, as well as earn up to 10% bonus EXP.
Most active players in an FC don’t mind accompanying others since it’s a one-hit kill when you run lower-level dungeons unsynced. Running a dungeon unsynced means going in an undersized party (compared to the recommended party size). However, you don’t get EXP rewards for your run on unsynced. It’s recommended for times when you have been waiting for hours and the queue hasn’t moved so that you can move on with your story progression.
How Free Company works:
- Upon reaching level 25 and joining a Grand Company, players can find a Free Company through the Lodestone Free Company search portal
- Find a Free Company which applies to your interests and needs
- Some will have the bonus EXP buff active
- Make friends along the way
3. Deep Dungeon
Deep Dungeon is a dungeon crawl having several floors. There are two types of Deep Dungeons in FFXIV, The Palace of the Dead (PoTD) and the Heaven-on-High (HoH). Both dungeons change their layout per run, with the boss per set floors only the same.
While some may argue that this makes one feel dead inside, you can do this task while watching Netflix or doing some other task since you don’t need to think that much.
For PoTD, it is recommended to go over floors 51-60 repeatedly until level 60, then proceed to repeat floors 21-30 for HoH.
To unlock PoTD, start the level 17 quest The House That Death Built found in New Gridania (X12.0, Y13.1) by talking to Nojiro Marujiro. As a prerequisite of the quest, accomplish the main scenario quest Into a Copper Hell. Enter the Palace of the Dead by speaking with the Wood Wailer Expeditionary Captain in Quarrymill (X25.2, 20.6) in the region South Shroud. The dialogue box has an old-RPG game aesthetic, but the actual dungeon crawl will use the usual art style.
To unlock HoH, have a character on at least level 61 and do the prerequisite quest Tide Goes in, Imperials go out, then talk to Hamakaze found in Ruby Sea (X6.2, Y11.7) to get the quest Knocking on Heaven’s Door. To enter Heaven-on-High, speak with Kyusei in Ruby Sea (X21.4, Y9.2).
How Deep Dungeon Works:
- Finish PoTD to floor 60.
- Reset your progress or start a new run on an empty save file.
- You get to repeat floors 51-60
- Upon reaching level 60, do various things like class quest to raise your level to at least level 61
- Finish HoH to floor 30
- Do the quest that is unlocked after finishing said floor
- Clear your data where you finished floor 30, and repeat floors 21-30
- Repeat until you reach level 70.
2. Duty Roulette
In the Duty Finder window, you can select duty roulette. Through the duty roulette, you can be awarded EXP daily. All you have to do is finish random trials, dungeons, and raids. The instance is random but will be based on what you have finished so you don’t have to worry.
Also, when you are the Adventurer in Need for the selected duty roulette, which is based on what is not in abundance in the queue (usually a tank or a healer), you get to have bonus EXP and Gil.
You can also earn tomestones through this which can be exchanged for gear and other items. Tomestone gear in the current tier can substitute for a crafted gear of the same tier/iLvl range.
How Duty Roulette Works:
- Enter queue for the Duty Roulette:<type of category>
- Finish the dungeon
- Earn EXP
This method is recommended for those who are leveling for 71-80. If you have finished the roulette for today and want to keep grinding, just do the highest level of Shadowbringers dungeon that you can do. There are no shortcuts.
1. Main Scenario Quests (MSQ)
The best way to earn EXP for your main class is still through playing through the main storyline through the MSQ. You get to immerse yourself in good stories while earning loads of EXP for finishing each quest. You might have to do some dungeons or trials to get through them, all you have to do is follow the story.
This is the number one thing you have to finish before looking at other things to do in the game.
How Main Scenario Quests work:
- Find the blue exclamation mark over people’s heads. The next MSQ title can also be seen when you look at the top left portion of your screen.
- When you click the quest title on your screen, the map will open to show where the quest giver is
- Do the quest
- Finish the storyline
The only time you have to look at the rest of the list when you’re leveling your main class is when you don’t meet the level requirements for the MSQ. This can easily be filled with Duty Roulettes or other methods which don’t take much time.
You do not have to select only one method to follow to level up. You can mix and match them according to your free time, interest, and play style. Happy gaming!
