-------------------------- Area Guide ---------------------------------------
Qufim:
Qufim is "the spot" after the dunes. This is the next
standard leveling spot. Honestly, it's a little dangerous, especially at
night when the undead are out. You can get good exp. here with a good
group.
Sauromogue Champaign:
This is probably one of the
most farmed areas in the game, due to it's close proximity to Jeuno and
the existence of Tabar Beaks here. Tabar Beaks drop cockatrice meat,
which is used to make the popular meat-mithkabobs. If you're leveling
here, you will need to be careful, because the Tabar beaks do aggro and
they hit hard.
Valkurm Dunes:
This is the place most people go
to level for the first time. I did an extensive write-up on the dunes
directed at players just getting started here.
Buburimu Peninsula:
This
is "Windursts" dunes. Normally, this area is fairly empty, but not
because the leveling is any worse than the dunes. The terrain is
slightly less open than the dunes, making it more difficult to navigate.
All in all though, this zone is very much like the dunes without the
people.
Korroloka Tunnel:
I rarely find groups leveling
here. Normally there are high-levels farming spiders, rangers killing
worms, and beastmasters leveling for fun. This zone is semi-dangerous to
navigate through, because there is a smattering of Jelly's throughout
the cave (sound aggro). It is also fairly confusing. The crabs here are
AMAZING leveling if you can get to them. They are numerous and there is
no aggro around.
Yuhtunga Jungle:
The next "spot". You need
to do a quest to get an airship pass to get here, but once you do,
you'll find out that EVERYONE has done that quest. In my opinion, one of
the most crowded areas in the game. You fight mandragoras if you can
find them to pull, and you have to watch out for aggro gobs (and other
people aggroing them). Very low group skill required. The exception is
two of the areas I've listed. First, the Sahagin, which are superb
leveling material, though the camp area is a little dangerous. Second,
is the zone from Yuhtunga to Yhoator. It's not normally camped because
everyone is fighting over Mandragoras in the next zone at your level. If
you get tired of waiting 5 minutes between battles, take the group over
here instead and you might be surprised. Pleasantly.
Batallia Downs:
A
lot of people love to camp here as an alternative to Yuhtunga.
Personally, I'm not very fond of this area, but it does offer very safe
camp spots. You'll normally camp in one of the bunkers under a hill and
pull the mobs inside. If you're fighting tigers, beware the AoE
paralyze. I would say you want at least a medium level of group skill to
level here effectively.
Gustav Tunnel:
Spectacular leveling, but will not support
multiple groups very well. I suggest you go here during non-peak hours,
or use /sea area "Gustav Tunnel" to make sure the area isn't too crowded
with people your level (will support, at the VERY most, 3 groups).
Don't be afraid to send a tell to a group leader asking if there is
room.
Labrynth of Onzonzo:
Very difficult spot to level,
with only mediocre experience. On the bright side, loot is good. Be very
careful in this zone, and come here with an experienced group that
wants to have some fun (if fun, to them, is living on the edge with
their imaginary character).
Xarcabard:
Let me list the
negatives: Long, difficult travel. Mediocre experience for fight
difficulty. High chance of death. On the positive side...YOU GET TO
FIGHT DEMONS! Ideally, every Samurai's dream would be to level here.
Don't come here without a skilled group, and if you do, expect someone
to say "Why don't we just level in Crawlers'? Pick up the tele-crystal
for tele-Vahzl @ H8. Not that you'll use it very often.
Yhoator Jungle:
A continuation of Yuhtunga jungle. No skill
required anymore, you just beat down the mandragoras even more. If
you're not here to compete with the 4 other groups for the 8 mandragora
spawns, it's a cool zone. Tonberry's and Couerls are in the southern
area near the Temple of Uggelipeh (aka Temple of Tonberry's).
Davoi:
I
love this place. I definitely recommend coming here if you feel you
have a skilled group. Excellent leveling if you can find a way to
effectively deal with pops. Everything that has a name that starts with
"Orc-" aggroes.
Eastern Altepa Desert:
I love this place,
too. Tends to have few people in it, and the leveling is good. High
travel time, and many new players don't know where it is. I suggest
picking up the tele-crystal(G7) if you're leveling here...though it can
be tough to get. You can get a map of the area in Rabao, but if you're
looking at this you should definitely view the map online to find your
way around. All in all, a fairly easy place to level, though Anticans
are tough...look out for AoE silence and AoE petrify.
Sea Serpent Grotto:
Meh, this place is ugly. I haven't fought here so I can't say much about it. Travel time is a small issue.
Garlaige Citadel:
The
Citadel is OK leveling in lower 30s if it's not crowded. If it's
crowded, which it sometimes is, its annoying. This place cannot support
very many groups in the low 30s. In the higher levels, there are more
mobs to choose from. This is one of the more dangerous zones in the game
overall, but the camp spots are safe.
Crawlers Nest:
This
is "the next spot". Since the time I hit 34, I have never been invited
to a PT that was not leveling in Crawlers Nest. I kid you not, for the
past 17 levels every invite has been from someone in Crawlers Nest, or
from someone going there. Ironically, I'm not very familiar with this
zone (I rarely level my main outside of my semi-set group). I know it's a
fairly easy zone to camp, hence the fact that you'll find half of the
server at any given time leveling here. Honestly, if there weren't so
many groups there it would be a great zone, but as is, it is merely a
good zone.
Sanctuary of Zitah:
The opposite of crawlers.
Pretty scenery, completely uncrowded, slightly more difficult to level
(though the camp spot I listed is a good one, one of the few areas I've
found where there aren't many spawns). Unfortunately, I don't think this
zone has the staying power of Crawlers. It may, though, as I think
after you finish leveling off mushrooms you could start throwing in some
goblins for leveling...and then maybe work your way up to couerls...if
you're adventurous, try FFXI Power Leveling .
Quicksand Caves:
A
good spot, slowly becoming a more common leveling area. The different
entrances to the caves house different difficulties of mobs.
Maze of Shakrami: 11-15
11-15: Maze Makers
Valkurm Dunes: 12-18:
12-13: Bunnies [L6], Hill Lizards [M11]
13-15: Goblins (Ambusher, Tinkerer, Butcher) [L6, M11, J6]
14-16: Snippers [J8, I9, F9, I7, F7]
15-17: Damselfly [F7, G9, many more]
17-18: Goblins (Leecher (WHM), Mugger, Gambler (BLM)) [F7, G9, D6-7, many more]
Buburimu Peninsula: 12-18
12-14: Mighty Rarab and Sylvestre [E7, outpost]
13-15: Goblins (Ambusher, Tinkerer, Butcher) [E7, outpost)
14-16: Snippers, Zu [H9, camp at hill near beach].
16-18: Dhalmel [J9]
17-18: Goblins (Leechers (WHM), Mugger, Gambler (BLM)) [J9]
Korroloka Tunnel: 15-17
15-17: Land Worms [Entrance]
Qufim: 18-24
18-20: Land Worms [I8, H7 (lake)]
20-22: Clippers [H7, SW H8, F6 (tower)]
23-24: Giants [F6, or zone into tower]
Sauromugue Champaign: 19-22
19-22: Diving Beetle [H8, H9 location questionable]
Korroloka Tunnel: 22-26
22-25: Clippers [at zone to WestAltepa Desert, difficult to find]
23-26: Huge Spider [Everywhere]
Yuhtunga Jungle: 24-29
24-26: Yuhtunga Mandragoras [G5]
26-29: Sahagin [F11]
28-29: Goblin Smithy [G5, I8 (zone to Yhoator)]
Battalia Downs: 25-30
???: Tigers, Goblins Orcs [Camp Bunkers]
Eastern Altepa Desert: 26-40
26-30: Giant Spider
30-34: Sand Beetle [NW J8, I6], Antican (Auxiliarus, Funditor)[NW J8, I6]
34-36: Desert Dhalmel [I6]
37-40: Goblin (Robber, Trader, Reaper, Poacher) [E9 (zone to West)]
Yhoator Jungle: 28-33
28-31: Yhoator Mandragora [F7]
31-33: Goblin Smithy [F7]
Davoi: 30-33
30-33: Orc (Brawler, Nightraider, Beastrider) [I7 Camp East Bridge. J8/K8]
Sea Serpent Grotto: 33-35
33-35: Ironshell, Skeleton [Near zone to Norg]
Garlaige Citadel: 33-36
33-35: Siege Bats [Near zone to Sauramogue Champaigne]
34-36: Borer Beetle [Near zone to Sauramogue Champaigne]
Crawlers' Nest: 33-56
36-38: Worker Crawler [First main room]
???: Soldier Crawlers
38-41: Nest Beetles
48-50: Rumble Crawler, Horn Fly, Exoray
Sanctuary of Z?itah: 36-41 (highly recommended for scenery/music)
36-38: Ogrefly [I10]
38-39: Myxomecete [I10]
38-41: Master Couerl [F5]
Gustav Tunnel: 37-41
37-39: Hell Bat [zone to Valkurm]
37-40: Hawker [zone to Valkurm]
38-41: Goblin (Reaper, Poacher, Robber) [zone to Valkurm]
Labrynth of Onzonzo: 41-46
41-44: Goblin (Reaper, Poacher, Robber)
44-46: Cockatrice [near zone to Buburimu]
Xarcabard: 43-45
43-45: Demon (Pawn, Wizard, Knight) [E7, zone to Castle Bailey]
Yhoator Jungle: 45-47
45-47: Gobs (Pathfinder, Reaper, Poacher) [G6/I6 , zone to Ifrit's Cauldron]
Quicksand Caves: 46-5?
46-48: Helm Beetle [zone in from East Altepa, G10]
Garlaige Citadel: 49-51:
48-51 Chamber Beetle [fall down first hole on the left] FFXI Power Leveling
primary email here kevincoin@gmail.com