*bitches*

[Ouch!]

...it's why I plan on soloing most of the game (besides when my close friends, people from my LS, or people from here want to party with me).

I sure hope you plan on playing BST if that's your plan, otherwise you're in for a rude awakening.

First off, Destai, just because you're a Hume WHM you shouldn't expect to have a second WHM in the party or a high level PL either. Humes have more than decent MP and once you really get to know what to do with your party, having lower MP than a taru shouldn't be much of a problem. Actually, you should be able to do just fine with minimal MP+ gear.

I can only assume the problem about you resting so often was that either you were healing more than is really necessary, or the tank was taking way more damage than he probably should have. When you said that you had a whole party to heal, that leads me to believe that your tank was doing a bad job. They should be able to maintain hate so that you only have to heal them and occasionally the back-up tank as well.

Since RDMs don't get refresh until L41 and BRDs get mage's ballad at L25 (I think?) you should carry around some juice for a refresh effect to keep your MP up.

[Necronopticous]

This is why Valkurm is constantly referred to as "That goddamn place"

If you know what you're doing you can avoid Valkurm altogether but it's hard to convince people of it, thus hard to make a party willing to follow you somewhere else. My suggestion is to chain worms in Korroloka. It's much more vacant than the dunes and tends to me much quicker and safer if you know what you're doing.

[Kierethe]

As a WHM in Valkurm, I really hated that place for the first few levels, but eventually got used to it. x.x It's tougher when you have no subjob and a low rank, because you tend to end up in parties where no one knows what they're doing. Always, always ask about party setup before joining! Make sure the party is balanced. Rank can also indicate if people know what they're doing. If you suspect that there will be lots of death, get out as soon as you can. If they don't understand, then that's their problem. As a WHM you /can/ complain. If you leave the party will often fall apart, so remember that you are important and don't have to take whatever they give you. =P

If you can't heal them fast enough, then they're pulling monsters that are too hard and you can tell them so. :x

In the good parties where I was the sole WHM I really didn't have to struggle at all to keep up with everyone. You shouldn't need a backup healer. I use pies as a Hume WHM to help my MP along with basic +MP gear. It's not necessary, but when you're without a subjob, it will make a noticible difference (I know I had something like 90-ish mp with a subjob at Lv.10. I really needed that +25 mp). I haven't yet used juices except in situations where people are experience chaining and I can't sit much. However, I don't see much experience chaining in Valkurm. x.x

In any case, hang in there! ^^ It does get better!

And I second the Korroloka Tunnel suggestion. If all else fails try and get a PT there. I was randomly invited to a JP party there and got from 15-18 in a few hours, just from mad experience chaining. It is also much safter there. =/ (Just don't forget to silence the worms... >.>)

[lordblazer]

Why is it so hard to convince people of the alternatives to valkrum?

[Lionx]

One of the reasons is that, people all already go there. Its easier to form parties when there are a common interest in leveling spot.

Also there might be a lack of knowledge that Buburimu is much easier to level in since Mandragoras are like pansies compared to the power of Lizards. (lvling in valkurm from 10-13 is SUCH a pain). Or maybe leveling of exotic mobs are something they dont know much about since they never fought them before and trusting one person that can waste their time doesnt make it worthwhile to them.

Some people are also unlikely to change spots because they listen to only what people tell them. That and also the fact that some people never know where to level and can waste tremendous time. Like for example if you try to level in places alternate to Altepa and Garbage s-h-i-tadle, you can level on Ironshells(or was it steel? @_@) near Norg entrance. However since its so far away the turnover rate is high.

Say for example if you form a party in Jeuno where like 85% of the parties are formed (which will take up to 5-1hour+ depending on availibilty of jobs), you have to wait for a max of 20-ish minutes to get from Jeuno to Kazham and that does not factor in the problem that should there be some nub that misses the airship(which will waste at least DOUBLE that time). Then you navigate through the jungles to get to Sea Serpents Grotto. While this place is MUCH better than the other leveling areas if some person decides to disband early where are you going to find a replacement? They might never been to Norg or they dont have a map and its just pain to get to, and hence your party disbands. Same with lvl 60 partise in Valley of Sorrows or Cape Terrigan. Its so annoying to get to these areas, that usually a replacement or whatever is not going to be found because of the hardness to get to certain areas. Because by the time they get there, 20-40 minutes would have passed depending on many different factors.

So yes alternate areas are great, but these are some reasons i can think offhand are why some people dont level in different areas. Some are not unjustified, some however are just plain silly.

[UltimateSpamGrover]

Valkurm Dunes and Qufim you'll get a bunch of stuck-ups. By level 30+ people will start to "learn"

[lordblazer]

One of the reasons is that, people all already go there. Its easier to form parties when there are a common interest in leveling spot.

Also there might be a lack of knowledge that Buburimu is much easier to level in since Mandragoras are like pansies compared to the power of Lizards. (lvling in valkurm from 10-13 is SUCH a pain). Or maybe leveling of exotic mobs are something they dont know much about since they never fought them before and trusting one person that can waste their time doesnt make it worthwhile to them.

Some people are also unlikely to change spots because they listen to only what people tell them. That and also the fact that some people never know where to level and can waste tremendous time. Like for example if you try to level in places alternate to Altepa and Garbage s-h-i-tadle, you can level on Ironshells(or was it steel? @_@) near Norg entrance. However since its so far away the turnover rate is high.

Say for example if you form a party in Jeuno where like 85% of the parties are formed (which will take up to 5-1hour+ depending on availibilty of jobs), you have to wait for a max of 20-ish minutes to get from Jeuno to Kazham and that does not factor in the problem that should there be some nub that misses the airship(which will waste at least DOUBLE that time). Then you navigate through the jungles to get to Sea Serpents Grotto. While this place is MUCH better than the other leveling areas if some person decides to disband early where are you going to find a replacement? They might never been to Norg or they dont have a map and its just pain to get to, and hence your party disbands. Same with lvl 60 partise in Valley of Sorrows or Cape Terrigan. Its so annoying to get to these areas, that usually a replacement or whatever is not going to be found because of the hardness to get to certain areas. Because by the time they get there, 20-40 minutes would have passed depending on many different factors.

So yes alternate areas are great, but these are some reasons i can think offhand are why some people dont level in different areas. Some are not unjustified, some however are just plain silly.

I mean you left out the human factor of just doing what everyone else does.This game is nice if your PTing with people who have the same train of thought as and and will actually try an aleternative place.But your right when a noobie comes along they just complain and complain instead of being happy to see a new spot for once nad learn a new PTing stragedy.
I think that really kinda a group of high lvls going back to lvl their low level jobs jsut decided telling noobs were to go.THen the word just passed from one person to another and all the alternatives were just abandoned.And only a few oldbies who use to PT at those alternatives when we were newbs go back there with a PT.Even then we get tired of hearing from a newbie that korrolika tunnels is too far away from valkrum.I mean dang or that they don't wanna chain mobs in konschat or latheine even though the lizzies are murdering us and we are having too much downtime and gaining little EXP and a death in the PT every fight.
I just think people are afriad of change.ITs like how some caucasin teenagers who grew up in the suburbs can't really understand the whole concept of racism and why its there?OR some suburbanite teen thats an atheist just because they want to rebel and have no good reason to really abandon there religion they were raised in.Bad comparisons but simply put its human behavoir i think.When we do stuff in a group its just different.We are a strange species.

[Lionx]

From listening to what others say i thought that meant the sheep thing. But yeah.

Its not always complain, alot of people just doubt where they havent been and rightly so. Because if it doesnt work it will waste their time. So in this aspect i urge party leaders to research where they go and their mobs they face along with local aggro wildlife. And prove to the other members its fine, and it should be fine. Of course location counts..if you pt in Xcarabard you are going to have so much trouble.

I dont think high level people do that, alot of high level people are actually nice, maybe you had different experiences but really high level is where community shows since theres always going to be a jerk newbs but the good people reach the top for the majority of people.

Or maybe some fundamentalist christian :P Dont exclude them. The point however is that if its a bad place and the person doesnt konw what they are doing, ALOT of time can be wasted along with exp. I understand that, so thats why i urge people to know where they are going for alternate places.

[Grand Lethal]

No offense to the origional poster, since I am guessing you are very new to the game (as we all once were). You will learn very quickly that:
A: Powerleveling is for people that don't want to learn how to play the game or are to lazy to do things for themselves. I agree it is nice, but if you already have no idea about your job as a whm you aren't going to learn by having someone do it for you
B: 2 WHM is a waste of space in a PT, if everyone is doing their job and has half decent gear, you should be getting at least chain 3 in the dunes. All a second whm does is take up space and again, stop you from learning your job to the full extent.
C: People will be rude, its human nature... everyone is in a rush and no one likes to wait around. Best advice I can offer is to either let them know you are new and don't know where/what you are doing, or tell them to find someone else if they aren't happy. As a whm, you'll get an invite within 2 minutes of logging on in the dunes.

Now for constructive advice ^^
Always, and I mean ALWAYS have food with you. Early on it will be hard to make money. My suggestion, being in the sandy area, is that you sell all crystals, mushrooms, and rabbit parts in stacks in the AH. It may take a while, but it will be worth it. Buy food like Apple, Pumpkin or Rolanberry pie. These will give you a nice mana boost and will last 30 minutes. As well, buy gear that adds MP to your base MP, gear is nice because it can be resold at the AH for a nice little profit.

Last but not least, check forums for advice on your jobs, and make sure you get as many maps as you can from NPC merchants, they will help you a lot

I hope I am not sounding mean, I just want you to know that when you are in a game with so many other people, they are going to be expecting a certain level of competance from others. The more knowledge you have, the better off you will be, and situations like this will be avoided.

[Lionx]

GrandLethal: I always thought two WHMs at the Dunes wasnt too bad, one would enfeeble and the other would heal and they would trade healing duties. While i understand it might not let WHMs learn as much i still think its not that bad...i mean a plvl supposingly has unlimited MP(especially those RDMs), the WHMs learn how to work with another mage i guess. Higher levels i will have to agree with you.

[Carl the Llama]

No offense to the origional poster, since I am guessing you are very new to the game (as we all once were). You will learn very quickly that:
A: Powerleveling is for people that don't want to learn how to play the game or are to lazy to do things for themselves. I agree it is nice, but if you already have no idea about your job as a whm you aren't going to learn by having someone do it for you

I dont think there's anything wrong with pling a party if they all know what there doing as to them, people who do pling are doing it as a favor and I always say if you know how to do your job (which I do) then I should be fine pling you and as for the person asking for a pler if someone were to ask me to pl them id ask them A. whats your rank and job and B. how long have you played the game. so long as they have an idea of what to do I will be fine with helping them out and people who say that i cant do my job properly I reply: untill you have fought with me do not judge me which sorta reminds me of the saying "let the perfect person throw the first stone"

B: 2 WHM is a waste of space in a PT, if everyone is doing their job and has half decent gear, you should be getting at least chain 3 in the dunes. All a second whm does is take up space and again, stop you from learning your job to the full extent.

as Lionx said it is never a waste of a party space to have 2 WHM's in your party for example what happens if you pull a fly and then bam a gob spawns in your camp and decides to take an interest in your fight... theres loads of examples that I could give where an extra WHM could be very usful in a party

C: People will be rude, its human nature... everyone is in a rush and no one likes to wait around.

I actully play the game to have fun and socialise with fellow FF players and as I and many other people have pointed out not many of us has been in a party which has asshats in it, altho you will find the odd 1 or 2 but in general people play the game arent in a rush to get to level xx but rather they play the game for the reasons I mentioned above

BTW like you said before im not trying to be mean this is just my point of view

[Destai]

Well grandlethal, While I appreaciate the helpful advice (which I will keep in mind) I play the game to have fun and I pay my fee's like everyone else. With all that in mind I think I should be able to actually enjoy the game. If I want a high lvl Whm who can revive me should the need arise it doesnt make me a slacker (which I have every right to be in a video game that charges me money btw). My expierience with other WHM's is I heal with occasional backup shpuld something go wrong and they revive anyone in the party as Im unable to revive until I reach a level where I can. I dont know what you mean by "learning my job to the full extent" I heal when someone needs healing and. Why exactly is someone helping me heal and making my job easier a bad thing? Now Ive only played as Whm but all Ive seen other people in my parties do who werent healing was hit attack and wait for the monster to die. Human nature or not after paying my fee's (and yes theyve paid fees also) I expect a bit of decency and maybe even a personality to y'now actually have fun.

[Miriel]

I dislike having a PL when I'm playing WHM. Plain and simple, it doesn't give me much to do.

Especially if there's a RDM in the party, and I'm stuck tossing out the occassional cure and falling asleep at the keyboard. Having a Powerleveler there means that you probably won't cap out your cures and a lot of white mages who are used to having a PL do a piss poor job of being main healer when they're on their own.

But I do think it's important to have a backup healer. The last party I was in didn't have a backup healer AT ALL. Not even a /whm or /rdm and they told me that they were sure I could handle it. Thanks for the vote of confidence folks, but ya'll are gonna die. That's why I love having RDM or BRD in my parties. They help out with the healing when they need to but still gives the WHM plenty to do.

[Lionx]

At lower levels i am saying that it works with Two WHMs only because at those levels, more healing is better for chains. However at higher levels i will agree that two WHMs are a waste of space.

There are alot of people who want to lvl up to reach xx level to do xx event or whatever. Theres plenty of parties out there that are diversifying, i generally like a funny one while mantaining exp growth.

Destai: The thing is, everyone else that plays ALSO pays the same fee. We are also entitled to have a good WHM and should there be someone that is hindering exp, i have right to kick them as well.

Power leveling makes WHMs and RDMs not do their job well. MP Management is a thing that has to be learned around the Dunes level and frankly with power levels you are NEVER going to learn how to mantain that MP for higher lvls where you have more things to do AND that you need to chain. LEarning full extent of your job is the way to ensure that you get your money's worth as well as ours in a way if you wanan talk about fees. At high levels you are going to be the only WHM in the party unless that party sucks. Therefore its better to screw up and learn now than later when people are weeded out and get to know you.

Not trying to be mean but despite whatever happens, people are in an exp party to get exp, some take it seriously, some want to take it jokingly, i like a little bit of both but if i had to choose either one, i choose exp because thats my time there.

HIgh lvl WHMs have to Haste the melee's in a cycle(every battle yes please), throw up bar spells, then enfeeble all the while curing and throwing Regens. Its much harder than the occasional cure and you arent going to know any of that if you have a power leveler. Not to mention its plain boring to power level...i wont do it for even 50K this one person offered me...they can also jip me of the gil too :P

Also melee's at lower lvls are the plain whack whack...but at higher levels things take a 360 and most (except MNK maybe) have more strategic things given to them that they must know. Its over simplifying alot of jobs if all DDs do is whack stuff...cept MNK maybe cuz they basically can :X

RDM = Enfeebler so how does that hinder your healing? O_o unless its power leveler RDM...they have unlimted mp i am serious...

But yeah i dislike power levelers unless its my own friends...but even then i hate power leveling..its mind numbing..@_@

[Destai]

Yeah Lynx I know theyre paying fees also so I mentioned that in my last post but the main purpose of PL's Ive played with is to revive my party which a whm at my lvl cant do and I was the one who did the healing most of the time. It was far easier for me to see who needs healing than a power leveller so I was the one who healed.