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Final Fantasy 16 follows Clive Rosfield on his journey to make the world of Valisthea a better place for Bearers, victims of the Crystals' Curse who can wield magic. Much of his journey 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.
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 specific way. If they don't, reaching the level cap can become a little arduous.
Final Fantasy 16: EXP Farm (Early Game)
Players 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 the 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 enemies takes a little more effort and usually rewards Clive with less EXP. 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 Restin 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 completed, players will be forced to rely on defeating the game's more common enemies until they eventually reach Level 50.
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 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 is available exclusively for PlayStation 5.
