SeeD Rank

[Skyblade]

what I want to know is what determines how long it is between being paid and how to manipulate it.

You're paid every 24575 steps, as measured by the Battle Report screen from the last time you were paid (not counting events where the computer controls you, Laguna sequences, or events before you become a SeeD).

The only real way to manipulate SeeD rank is by fighting. Each SeeD Rank needs 100 SeeD experience to get. Each time you're paid, you lose 10 SeeD experience. Each time you kill an enemy, you gain 1 SeeD experience (GF kills don't count). So you need to kill at least 10 enemies per payment to break even.