Much of Clive's journey in Final Fantasy 16 tasks him with defeating powerful foes, and to do this, he needs to ensure he is strong enough to take them on. Clive will regularly level up the more he progresses through the main story, but it's possible to speed the process up by equipping certain accessories, fighting specific enemies, and pursuing optional quests.
Final Fantasy 16: Best Ability Point (AP) Farm
This guide details how to farm AP in the early-, mid-, and late-game, and it will help players master all the abilities in Final Fantasy 16.
There are plenty of ways to level up in Final Fantasy 16, but players who wish to reach Clive's max level as quickly as possible will need to approach how they play the game in a particular way. If they don't, reaching the level cap can become a little arduous.
Updated on September 18, 2024, by Justin Flynn: Final Fantasy 16 first debuted back in 2023 for the PlayStation 5. Since then, the game's story has expanded thanks to the release of its two DLCs, Echoes of the Fallen and The Rising Tide. Both DLCs follow Clive as he explores new areas that players did not have access to in the base game, and with each location comes new level grinding opportunities. As of September 17, 2024, even PC players can get in on the action, and those looking to level as quickly as Final Fantasy 16 permits have plenty of great options available to them.
Final Fantasy 16: EXP Farm (Early Game)
Gamers who pre-ordered Final Fantasy 16 will have access to the Scholar's Spectacles, an accessory that, when equipped, increases the amount of EXP Clive earns by 10%. Though this may not sound like much, having it equipped during the early boss fights can earn Clive a staggering amount of additional EXP.
During the Lost in a Fog main quest, Clive will gain access to the Flames of Rebirth ability, an AOE attack that, when used, can devastate large groups of enemies. If players wish to farm EXP quickly, they should use this ability whenever they are faced with large enemy groups, as it is capable of one-shotting most of the early game's weaker foes.
To farm a lot of EXP during the early game, players should focus on defeating groups of small enemies; defeating large, more powerful foes takes a little more effort and usually rewards Clive with less EXP in the long run. The Dragon's Aery in Sanbreque is a good place to get started, as it is full of weak enemies that can be defeated with a single Flames of Rebirth attack; the enemies wandering the marshes surrounding Martha's Rest in Rosaria are tougher, but they offer much more EXP.
Final Fantasy 16: EXP Farm (Mid Game)
After Final Fantasy 16's second timeskip, players will gain access to the On Fortune and the Heavens accessory. When equipped, this accessory increases the amount of EXP Clive earns by 15%, making it significantly better than the Scholar's Spectacles. The On Fortune and the Heavens accessory becomes available during the Home, Sweet Home main quest and can be purchased from Charon in The Hideaway for 5,500 Gil.
Like with the early game, the benefits of this accessory are best seen when defeating groups of common enemies, but it can also be used to increase the amount of EXP Clive earns upon finding and defeating Notorious Marks, tough enemies that offer high levels of EXP and unique rewards.
If players are unsatisfied with the EXP they earn from completing these hunts, they should visit newly unlocked locations and defeat the enemies there. The Velkroy Desert in Dhalmekia is a great place to get started, as the enemies there aren't overly powerful yet still offer high amounts of EXP.
Final Fantasy 16: EXP Farm (Late Game)
If Clive has yet to reach his max level during his visit to The Kingdom of Waloed, there are plenty of ways to help them get there. Completing Final Fantasy 16's remaining side quests and hunts is a good start, but once they are all finished, players will be forced to rely on defeating the game's more common enemies until they eventually reach Level 50.
Final Fantasy 16: How To Get The Masamune
To get the Masamune in Final Fantasy 16, Clive must search The Kingdom of Waloed for a pretty well-hidden treasure chest.
Defeating enemies in The Kingdom of Waloed itself is by far the best way to farm EXP in the late game. The Flames of Rebirth ability can be extremely useful for dealing with large enemy groups, but a fully powered Zantetsuken is the best players can use; when fully powered, Zantetsuken can defeat most of the enemies lurking in The Kingdom of Waloed in one hit. The Great Southern Gate and Vidargraes are great places to farm EXP, as most of the enemies that spawn there can be dealt with quite quickly and easily.
If players are finding the process of farming EXP here a little too tiresome, they should consider beginning a New Game+ playthrough and selecting Final Fantasy Mode, as the amount of EXP rewarded in this mode is far greater than that of the base game. Clive can also acquire the On Fortune and the Heavens 2 accessory in Final Fantasy mode, which will increase the amount of EXP he earns by 30%.
Final Fantasy 16: EXP Farm (Echoes Of The Fallen DLC)
The Echoes of the Fallen DLC is home to a variety of enemies that drop worthwhile amounts of EXP. Unfortunately, the only way to return to it once the story has been completed is via the Stage Replay option, which is available through The Arete Stone in The Hideaway.
Those who do not have access to The Rising Tide can make use of a pretty good leveling loop in the Echoes of the Fallen DLC instead. All the player needs to do is select "The Sagespire" option in the Stage Replay menu. Skipping the cutscenes and following the relatively linear path forward, players will encounter Patrol Unit MEG, Spire Mousse, Surveillance Unit MMC, Domovikha, Prototype Unit EVL, and Pacification Unit MEG enemies, all of which offer nice amounts of EXP.
Eventually, Clive and his companions will come face-to-face with Sigma, the first mini-boss of the Echoes of the Fallen DLC. Upon defeating this foe and acquiring the EXP it has to offer, players should quit out of Stage Replay and repeat this section of The Sagespire. Repeating this loop can be a great source of EXP for those looking to reach the increased level cap that comes with the DLC.
Final Fantasy 16: EXP Farm (The Rising Tide DLC)
With The Rising Tide DLC, Final Fantasy 16 players can travel to the region of Mysidia, a beautiful location full of dangerous creatures that Clive and his companions can take on. Progressing through the DLC's story naturally is certain to earn players a few levels, but those looking for some more efficient ways to make Clive more powerful should turn their attention to areas like Riversmeet and Tailwind Bay.
The path north from the Riversmeet Obelisk toward Tailwind Bay is crawling with enemies that grant high amounts of EXP. While following the path forward, players should defeat any Grey Widows, Robber Crabs, and Northern Wolves they come across. AoE abilities like Flames of Rebirth, Ultimate Demise, Tsunami can be especially helpful when facing larger groups.
The Quindim is the toughest enemy on this path, so taking it down can take a while. Those looking to optimize this route for leveling purposes should ignore it and focus on defeating the smaller, less challenging enemies.
Once players have defeated the three Northern Wolves located just before The Hand of Tethys, they should fast-travel back to the Riversmeet Obelisk and repeat the process.
Though the path through Riversmeet is a great place to grind, Tailwind Bay is arguably better. Upon fast-traveling to the Tailwind Bay Obelisk, players should proceed south-west. Along this path are Widowmaker, Wolf Trap, Northern Wolf, and Old Ibex enemies that can be taken down with ease. Once they have all been defeated, fast-traveling back to the Tailwind Bay Obelisk and repeating the process makes for a great grinding loop.
The hardest enemy to defeat on this path is the Lesser Archelon; avoiding it will make leveling in this area much faster.
Final Fantasy 16
- Released
- June 22, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
