I usually level from 10-15 off worms in Konschtat Highlands (D-7). They are easy to kill and give better exp than easy prey mobs in the starter zones. The respawn time can get annoying once you get higher level though.

I find this to be a fun server to play every now and then but for me Era will always be my main FFXI private server. After about a hour or two of playing on Nasomi I can FEEL my life slowly ticking away as I mindlessly grind ever so sloowly to get to lv10 SO small doses is fun for me here lmao.

Thought I'd chime in to agree with OP. I live in Asia, and as such, I play at a really odd time for all the NA and European players. During the weeknights it's pretty much impossible for me to level up; there just aren't enough people online willing to PT (at least at my low level). I've spent the last 3 nights trying to make a Valkurm Dunes PT just to fail due to how few people there are. I really like the server and I'm totally okay with the exp rates, but the lack of people during my time and the inability to solo makes it extremely difficult to progress in the game.

I beg to differ, sounds like a load of bs tbh and I don't like what you're trying to imply (server got really popular lately, there's currantly TONS of people playing) but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for now, might've just been a fluke.

Started levelling my DRG sub last week and I'm getting parties so fast it feels totally off compared to retail (where we'd spend like, hours - if not days - either seeking or waiting for a healer or a BRD or a RDM to pop on search), in a good way;

tell you what, I haven't even gotten the chance to properly seek yet, I start getting invites pretty much as soon as I log in (mind blowing as a DRG, coming straight from oldschool XI, Dragoons are quite strong on here though, definitely up there with the top melee DD's): http://i.imgur.com/8fMoYLT.png

When I play, it's mostly during Asian primetime (I'm italian), too, so I have no idea what you're doing but whatever it is, you're most likely doing it wrong. As a general rule of thumb, with 2-300 people on at all times and level sync available, all it takes to make a party in the Dunes is shouting a couple of times in the server official linkshell chat.




Then give BST a try or go play some offline FF, fam.




This. If you played retail back then you'd know how much easier levelling is on here, comparatively speaking. Level sync and having a server linkshell equipped by most of the people online makes a huge difference.

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FFXI: Searain WAR75 PLD75 NIN75, Garuda server, 2003~2008
Nasomi: Searain PLD75 DRK75 NIN75 COR75 WAR75 2014~

No need to be so hostile...I was merely stating my experience.

Also I'm fairly new and haven't even got advanced jobs unlocked so BST is out of the question. Also there is definitely not 200-300 people online during Asian times unless it's the weekend. It's usually a little over 100.

All that aside I spent 30-45 mins on and off all last 3 nights messaging in LS. The best I could do was get 3/6 people tonight (roughly 2 hours prior to this post). Last night was the same. Monday I was offered 1 invite to play as a BLM (I play WHM/BLM) I wasn't interested in lvling BLM and I had no other DD job high enough. I know from my personal experience this week that I have had very little luck finding people during Asian prime time.

I don't appreciate being called a liar and having someone act so hostile after I'm only confirming OP's experience with my own. I also implied nothing, I merely stated facts. I like the server a lot and in fact it's near perfect on the weekends when the NA and European players can play during the day (their time). The server has a decent population and it's certainly not empty during Asian prime time persay, but it's nothing like when Europe and NA players are all one. Dunes is consistently empty weekday evenings. Finding parties on the weekdays has proven to be very difficult.

**As of writing this post I checked in game and there were 2 people in Dunes**

I was merely rebutting the anecdotal evidence of someone who's been on the server for a week with some anecdotal evidence of my own, just to give you a taste of your own medicine. That being said, If you're looking for instant gratification then this game isn't for you. If you can't seem to be able to get exp by simply popping online and putting the LFP flag up, then make some friends and start a static party or something (that's what I did when I started playing on here and we used to average like 20-30 people online tops), idk.

Besides, there's exactly 154 people online right now (3 PM in EU and super early in NA), plenty of people exping at low levels and I'm sure making a PT in the dunes wouldn't take me long, considering that there's 17 characters online in the 12-18 range (5 of which seeking, including your toon) and that's not even factoring in people above Lv18 who might be willing to sync down.

EDIT:



what's preventing you from making a party, exactly? And that's not even the full list, smh. Do you even have a server linkshell pearl? If not, come get one.

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FFXI: Searain WAR75 PLD75 NIN75, Garuda server, 2003~2008
Nasomi: Searain PLD75 DRK75 NIN75 COR75 WAR75 2014~

As someone who was here when the avg number of players on the server was 40, i will have to agree with Searain. A lot of the time if i couldn't find a party i would make one myself. And most of the time we would begin partying at around 3 to 4 party members while we waited to fill the group. Searain isnt being mean, he is giving you some sound advice. Make your own parties. There are always people on looking for exp. And remember, there is more than one place to party at all levels. So for lvls 10-18 the dunes is not the only answer. I even soloed Jugner Forest on several occasions instead of exping in qufim around lvl 20-25.

Also, make a second character, a mage maybe since you're MNK, get it to your main character's level and then duo stuff during downtime, depending on level and zone, it has the chance to be decent exp (and it's also one less spot to fill in your future parties)

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FFXI: Searain WAR75 PLD75 NIN75, Garuda server, 2003~2008
Nasomi: Searain PLD75 DRK75 NIN75 COR75 WAR75 2014~

His tone definitely comes off as very brash...but yes, I do appreciate the advice. Unfortunately, I have tried the suggestion to make my own PTs, trust me I really have. I've gone out of my way to message people even. It seems people are starting to come online as I type this and there are more people but it's also unfortunately almost 11:30pm on a Wednesday night here. A few hours ago these people weren't here.

I'll continue to give it more tries tomorrow after I get home from work but thus far it really has not gone well. I can usually snag a couple of people but never enough to make a whole party. There's just never enough interest at that time.

I have to say, getting to 20 solo is very easy and will not generally take more time than it would in a party if you are ok with grinding EP and DC mobs. Making a second character will really help allot and it will be extremely easy to do if you have two screens. That said, there are "Sweet spots" all over Vana'diel to lvl solo and small groups. You will have to do some research and god forbid, some adventuring to find them. Believe it or not, the main camps everyone used in retail were not the only ones.

I know people on this server who do a majority of their leveling in small groups of 2 to 3 because they have found camps that yield more xp than a full party. You have to consider the job you are leveling and that will affect what areas and mobs will yield good exp.