Just Returned, Need Some Advice...

Hi all! I've decided to return to the game after a long break. Started playing right when ToAU came out. Then stopped for awhile, and came back briefly and tried the Abyssea content but didn't get too far. So I reactivated my old character and trying to get a job leveled up to 99. But I have some more questions...

I did read the returning to Vanadiel bgwiki I think it's called, also read some of the other posts on here. I left off with BLM at 75, WHM at 80 and RDM at 80. Want to work on getting BLM to 99 first since I like this job the most. I did do some leveling in Abyssea few years back but since returning I've been soloing the book pages in Zeruhn mines using the Trusts. I would join an Abyssea alliance but I can't find one and so far can't find anyone that will answer. The soloing is kind of slow but it's pretty good compared to the old days.

Here are my questions:

Should I server transfer to a more populated server or do you think Carbuncle is fine? I can't really find anyone that will answer me in game, but maybe most everyone is over in Adoulin? Do I need to get to 99 before worrying about heading over there? Are there any Linkshells recruiting returning players or would I need a different server?

I also can't find anything on where I should move to soloing after Zeruhn Mines. Most of the soloing guides are outdated and are from when 75 was cap. Maybe move to the Korroloka tunnel at 78? Not sure about the 80's.

Finally, my gear is pretty outdated. It's all stuff that was descent at 75. Genie weskit, Wizard's petasos, Sorcerer's Sabots, etc. Should I just use this stuff and wait to get gear at lvl 99? I found some pieces that I can buy with cruer in Abyssea once I hit like 78-80. Would that stuff do till 99?

Any advice is greatly appreciated, and thanks in advance!

I cant speak for the Carbuncle server since I'm on Odin, but I'll give you my input on the other questions.

As for leveling you're probably gonna have to just grind it out soloing to 99 as there's almost no more people (from what I see on Odin) doing exping in parties besides capacity point farming at 99. I heard Gustav Tunnel was a pretty decent soloing camp but I'm not sure at which level (the adamantoise mobs and giant worms).

As for gear I wouldn't waste any gil/time upgrading gear besides maybe working on getting AF and relic and you'll need it later on at 99 to upgrade. Make sure you do Records of Eminence at this will greatly increase your exp gain and will also give you sparks which you can use either to trade in for gear or for gil. At 99 you can get the set bonus gear from sparks which will give you a shitload of defense.

Which AF gear are you referring to? Is the relic gear that you get from the Abyssea cruer prospectors, and then it can be upgraded to +1 and +2? Sorry I'm a little out of the loop on gear.

Ok there are 3 types of AF now, AF1 from the quest line, relic from dynamis and AF3 from abyssea.

Abyssea gear is lv90 equipment and while some parts are amazingly useful for how they enhance abilities, they aren't general use pieces anymore.

Relic was first altered so that it could be upgraded to level 90, now it can be further upgraded to lv99 with ilevel 109 and 119 versions. The HQ versions are often the best pieces for what they do.

AF1 didn't get the upgrade to 90 option, but now is able to be upgraded to 99 the same as relic. Again, for what the pieces do they are often best in slot.

The upgrades to the 109 versions are pretty easy, though require a bit of farming. You could easily upgrade 10 pieces in a day assuming u have a job suitable for the fights.

Edit: Josi gave more detail with less flavour text. :D

reforged gear should be your main goal, but sparks gear is the "i just got back don't judge me" gear of today. Its cheap relatively speaking (getting enough sparks for it is relatively easy). sparks are also going to be your main source of rem (109/119) pages for reforging gear, and its a slow grind for your first set, i'd recomend saving what sparks you can for 119 pages, 109s are easy with a group. If you can gear a job well enough to join the high tier battlefields you can start getting 119 pages the easy way. 109 pages are from bcnms, standards are fairly low on normal difficulty, lots of pages from a 6 man run, just need a relevant job.

Job wise, with whm rdm and blm to pick from, whm will get you into almost any event and isn't terribly gear heavy. rdm is nice in many events but is a little more gear heavy, and rdm isn't all that popular for the battlefields that drop 119 pages. blm isn't generally used apart from a few niche situations/events. Not saying don't do blm if you love the job, but blm won't get you into any endgame really and won't make gearing your next job any easier unless you want skirmish gear.

drink heavily enough to shelve the guilt associated with neglecting your friends and family until you quit again.

Check the events that are happening next month as well. With the abyssea event you'll get atmas you may be missing that would help out a lot in there. The abyssea crour armor at 78 is decent for the low 80s. I don't recall is they're giving the exchange items to get all the empy paper or not, but any time they give out those for free pick them up.

If you're server doesn't have any raptor parties in abyssea, it's going to be a bit of a grind. Could solo in abyssea or check

http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Grounds_Tome

and find a camp that is comfortable for you. With RoE you can get exp from crystals, zone, etc. to boost your exp/hr. I don't know how it will be with trust. I did most of my jobs before trust, and the one or two after either in raptor parties or duo-boxing burn in abyssea.

there's no swimming in the bottle only some place we all drown
gin blossoms


bottoms up time to hit the jack

Lie.

Always hate how ppl seem to use 'AF' to describe all gears anymore.

AF=AF
Relic=Relic
Emp=Aby gear

I will reactivate my account next month during the Return to Vana’diel event. I am wondering if SMN, which I loved, is still useful?
Other than WHM, which other jobs are important and other than RDM which other jobs are obsolete?
Thanks.

While this technically isn't correct, the mass has coined up the gear versions for simplicity.

AF1 (Artifact)
AF version 2 (Relic)
AF version 3 (Empyrean)

Like it or lump it it's the normal reference.


SMN is great for doing stuff like legion and some melee unfriendly fights. For specifics though I'm not the one to ask.

RDM isn't obsolete at all anymore, its more or less a staple in endgame content thanks to some new spell - haste II especially.

SAM is the powerhouse it was at 75. A lot of jobs have a stigma but imo none are obsolete if you enjoy playing them and gear well.

wait until they add the new content and read up on the expansions and gear events and currencies. good luck....i personally am leaving ff soon as i give currency items or account away....too much warcraft similarities in both 11 and 14 for me.

/tell Gasman he plays evenings and pretty much everyday. he has a good LS with a wide variety of helpful players. Many are just returning to FFXI.

Carbuncle is ok but if you want endgame you will be disappointed like I was.

carbuncle has one of the better endgame scenes. one of the first early delve wins, firsts on VD fights such as DM, ect. but yeah gasmans ls is a good ls to play catch up/do general events in.