Why Valkurm?!?!?

[The Mauva Syndicate]

OK, almost every guide I read says "10-20 Valkurm" and I'm starting to wonder why.

Is it because most folks start out with Melee jobs and it's just closer to San D or Bastok? Or is it that they are just lazy when they start to level a new job and its closer to Jeuno?

Honestly, we went, and came right the hell back to Buburimu Penninsula. The chucklehead factor was WAY to high (after the third /shout {reraise} {Can I have it?}) I realized that we were not in a good area for us. But , I thought, Lets give it a try, so we did a bit of LFG and found a 4th (WHM), then a 5th (THF) We get good exp/hr in Buburimu, even as a trio (static) and honestly, the "thrill" of working with PL'd folks who have managed to get to 15 and the first mob gets pulled and the WHM RUNS IN SWINGING HIS CLUB - I wanted to d/c - I let him die with three reraise scrolls in the groups inventories. Then I watched him HP and we disbanded and RAN back to the ferry to Mhaura (Tho we will still do the Subjob quest out of Selbina, cuz bogy's SUCK!) Now, maybe this was a fluke - and admittedly it was funny to watch [bif* bop*dirge], but, meh...... The THF came with us and is now a semi-static member! (we can't wait to try SATA, Taru THF and Elvaan WAR - You can't even see the tiny little Taru behind the Elv!!!)

We're doing just fine building levels on Mindartia, and dont really feel the need to dash over to Quon, just because it's the formula that "Everybody does the dunes".

I hate doing things "everybody does". To me that's a sure bet for "sameness" - which I despise. There are 95,847 ways to do everything in this game, there has to be more than "The Dunes".

[Murphie]

It's because Valkurm is equally distant between two nations (Bastok and Sandoria).
It's because there is a subjob quest there.
It's because people are familiar with the zone.
It's because people are lazy.
It's because that's where everyone else goes, and if you want a party, you have to go.

If you have enough people to go somewhere else, do. But if you are alone, chances are, you'll be in the dunes at some point.

[sykoticjestr]

Good point. i guess its cause most people remember goin to the dunes during those levels, so in theory your supossed to be able to find a party pretty quick then.

btw... what srver you on cuz im lookin to join a static party.

[Murphie]

Who me? I'm on Kujata, but only for a while longer.

[Feba]

Dunes is used because Dunes was used. People don't go elsewhere at that level, even though there are at least three alternatives I can think of off the top of my head (and I haven't played in a year and a half)

Dunes just happened to be used for people to party at way back when, and now that's what continues to be used because at that level transportation is trickier, people don't want to move around, and generally they just gather up there, wait, and take a short hike across the zone to wherever they will be fighting.

If you want to go elsewhere, Shakrami, Korroloka, and Carpenter's landing are good options, depending on your specific level. There are other ones, too, do a little research if you care. Generally, though, if you aren't partying with friends, it's not worth the trouble.

[sykoticjestr]

nah i was wondering what server syndicate was on.

[The Mauva Syndicate]

Hey thanks - I thought so.

Feba is right, I did my research and there are other places to level in the mid ranges that aren't so painfull.

Sykotic - Remora Server - send Maumauva or Mingmauva a /tell if you see us.

[Feba]

Feba is right

Also, water is wet, fire is hot, and sky is blue.

[The Mauva Syndicate]

OK I actually LOL'd
How often do we hear "Feba is right"???

[Murphie]

From people who aren't Feba? Not too often.

[Ellipses]

I let him die with three reraise scrolls in the groups inventories.
Not sure if this is what you meant, but just so you're clear, those scrolls wouldn't have done him any good anyway.

You're talking about the instant reraise you get from your nation's guards for conquest points, right? Those are Ex, so you can't trade them to someone else. They're a form of Reraise, not Raise, which means they're self-cast only. You cast Reraise (or use the scroll) before you die, and you'll be able to come back to life (once) without Raise. It's a preemptive measure for situations that are likely to go badly. The duration's limited, though (wiki doesn't list a duration for the scrolls, but I've always had the impression it's much shorter than the spell, which lasts for one hour).

[Quetzalcoatl]

i think that what he meant was that with him and his friend with RR availible they let the whm die.(the whole pt died but they RR and the whm had to home point)

[Yellow Mage]

Wait until you get to the Jungle. It will bring you to your sha-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-knees. Also: you're gonna die.

[Aksannyi]

I actually exp'ed in Ordelle's Caves last night. It was interesting, but the XP was pretty good. Until the PL left, two people logged off, and the other three of us (that were left at that point since someone d/c'ed) to attempt to run past the Poison Funguars outside, which kind of sucked. I was the only one to survive that run-by attempt.

[Sabaron]

I usually skip Valkurm and solo to 19/20 and hit Qufim. There are now plenty of worms to take you all the way up if you all have Campaign access. Just start out killing Tunnel Worms and Stone Eaters in South Gustaberg until you can't stand it any more, bridge the gap with some Crabs, Bees and Goblins near the Wadi, and then start working the Tunnel Worms in North Gustaberg [S] just outside the entrance to Bastok, move on to the Stone Eaters over by the outpost in North Gustaberg [S] and then to Rock Eaters also in North Gustaberg [S] though I don't know where they are, I just know they're there (I haven't yet had to kill them). Just take a PT whenever you feel like it's going to benefit you and go where they go.

Valkurm isn't bad, it's just where everyone goes. If you make your own party and try to go somewhere exotic chances are you'll get one or two who say "I don't have that expansion/waypoint/etc."

If you like soloing though, remember that the Worm (http://monsters.ffxi-atlas.com/list.php?act=listfamily&id=1&sortby=lvl) is your friend because he has no HP, and though sometimes annoying and occasionally dangerous, you can always {Run Away!}

[Feba]

Wait until you get to the Jungle. It will bring you to your sha-na-naaa-na-na-na-na-na-naaanaaaana KATAMARI DAMACY.

What the heck.

[Yellow Mage]

Okay. I'll admit: I actually :rofl:'d from that.

[Ziero]

Honestly

If you have smart people in a good spot the dunes freaking rocks. Going after T-low ITs with no competition and you can pretty much chain your life away. Plus being right in the middle of so much, it's a very convienent spot to go to.

The problem is that *everyone* goes there and most suck at this game. The zone itself is great exp for a good 10 lvls, it's the people that ruin it.

[tebian]

I think SE had intended it to be either side, Dunes or Penn for this level range. Since the subjob guests and their related items are in mhaura or selbina. I have always said the same thing "why?" go to the dunes. With advent of the last two expansions and long time players leveling their new jobs all over the place, the dunes is more frustrating than useful now. I have seen a few guys from beginners ls I run actually just give up on the game in their first month, cause of no parties in the dunes. Keep in mind that my opinion is just from the Sylph server perspective.

Right now /sea all 13-19 gets 74 peeps and 10 are in dunes 7 are in the past leveling, the rest scattered among the area's mentioned above.

[Sabaron]

...Right now /sea all 13-19 gets 74 peeps and 10 are in dunes 7 are in the past leveling, the rest scattered among the area's mentioned above.


Yep, I've noticed that a lot of older characters just don't do dunes anymore. I usually make a trip out at least once on the way to 20 because someone asks me, but in general, I've found that partying in the dunes nets me about the same xp/hr as soloing, so the only point of going there if you already have a subjob is to help new characters. However, since SE has adjusted the way XP works in small parties, the nooblets don't really need a full sextet to get going. Of course there might be something to be said for "doing your civic duty" and helping the noobs out...

[Vyuru]

If you have smart people in a good spot the dunes freaking rocks. Going after T-low ITs with no competition and you can pretty much chain your life away. Plus being right in the middle of so much, it's a very convienent spot to go to.


I dunno, I still think that Korroloka Tunnel beats Valkurm any day of the week for exp.

The worms aren't too bad, and if your whm is smart with the Silence, then the worms become jokes.

I'd also rather fight the mobs in Buburimu any day of the week rather than the ones in Valkurm.

I will say that Buburimu can be more dangerous than Valkurm, but the exp is so much better and the danger is negligable if you have half a brain for avoiding aggro and where to camp that it's almost not worth mentioning.

Oh, and let's not forgot the Shakrami Maze, that's another awesome place to exp.

One pet peeve of mine actually...

Alot of these places people won't go to because it used to take too long to get there, which is why Valkurm was so popular since it was inbetween two of the towns.

Nowadays with the OP warps though, it is completely trivial to get to places. You can warp to Buburimu or Valkurm at lvl 10. The Shakrami Maze is a 4 minute walk from the Buburimu OP, by all rights these places should be getting alot more parties in them now than they are.

Valkurm just sucks, period, especially with the GBH patrolling the shores and hogging about 50% of the crabs and 100% of the pugils to be considered a good leveling location anymore since it supports fewer parties now. I think this is especially true when you compare it to Buburimu where most of the mobs you exp off of are inland.

[secunia]

it's bad enough getting a pt in valkurm some days but at least we're all in the same location. I like valkurm. it'd be dead annoying to get a party invite to say mhaura, get there, and then it breaks up.
going back to dunes for me is like reconnecting with an old friend, plus u can use unorthodox subjobs and get away with it, ive no real interest in levelling war but Im gonna do war/whm just cos i can :D

[Zoltar]

I used to be all about Valkurm in the 10-20 range, but I personally found better xp in going solo in Konstchat Highlands and then partying @ 18 in Qufim.

Valkurm is only there for sj quest and follow-up sj quest for Tenshodo pass

[DakAttack]

You can solo in the dunes at 18.

[Ellipses]

I've been going for the worms outside Bastok [S] for soloing from 16ish to 20, after burning through whatever Campaign Ops credits I have at the time. Just sub WHM, pick up Sigil Regen and Refresh, and never stop to rest.

[Kitalrez]

It was weird. When I first started the game, if you were from Windurst, you leveled to at least 15 in Maze of Shakhrami, then you went straight to Penn. Didn't even bother with Dunes. It wasn't until a year or so later that Dunes really became the one place you *had* to level. I've done almost every job through the Dunes level range now, and I consider myself lucky, just wish they'd stop releasing new jobs, I have to keep doing this over again. Maze and Penn are way easier than Dunes for most of those ranges, I've never understood why people didn't just reset a HP in Windy or Mhaura and use them. So much less of a headache killing worms than lizards and sheep. Those lovely dhalmels are also full of gil heavy items.

[MrMageo]

I think the rock eaters is N gustaberg are closer to level 30, I was there with my SCH @ lvl 21 and was only able to kill them through nuke/dia/rest/dis/rest/dia/rest/nuke etc took about 5-10 minutes per for 200 XP a pop.

[Kitalrez]

I think the rock eaters is N gustaberg are closer to level 30, I was there with my SCH @ lvl 21 and was only able to kill them through nuke/dia/rest/dis/rest/dia/rest/nuke etc took about 5-10 minutes per for 200 XP a pop.
Rock eaters there are higher, yes. The Stone Eaters a tier down from that are only 21 tops though, (wiki says 22, but I never saw any that level when I was there last night killing them). Wiki bestiary for the area says 32-35ish. Now, considering Tunnel Worms are 10-12 in North Gustaberg [s], WoTG just mad it possible to level RNG or BLM solo up to mid thirties on worms without ever going more than 1 zone from Bastok. North Gustaberg to 10ish as normal, dip into the past for North Gustaberg [s] nearest bastok, around 15 go down the ramp to Stone Eaters, then into the present and Korroloka tunnel, then back into the past, down the ramp, across the bridge and onto Rock Eaters to finish out. Or you could sneak over to Grauberg [s], which might give you a little more exp at the end of that on Rock Eaters.

Really, WoTG completely trivialized Dunes for any player that has access to the past. Stone Eaters in the past are basically an aggro free version of Maze of Shakrami. There's no reason to do the dunes anymore so long as you find people with the crags unlocked. Pretty much also just cut Qufim out of the picture.

[Prons]

I like dunes its where I learn to play.