Skill Ups: A Guide by Kyrial

CAUTION!
Junction.png This article is a personal guide. Information expressed in this guide is one player's opinion and may be more opinion than fact. Strategies and information contained herein may not work for everyone.

No non-minor changes should be made without consulting the author. Changes or questions should be discussed on the talk page.

Junction.png

Skill Ranks by Job[edit]

Skill A+ A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D E F
Archery   RNG       SAM   THF RDM, WAR NIN  
Axe BST WAR     DRK, RNG, RUN            
Blue Magic BLU                    
Club   PLD WHM, GEO   BLU, WAR BLM, MNK, SCH SMN DRK, RUN BRD, BST, PUP, RDM DRG, NIN, RNG, SAM, THF  
Dagger THF   COR, DNC RDM BRD, RNG, WAR BST, NIN DRK PLD, PUP, GEO BLM, SCH DRG, SAM, SMN  
Dark Magic   BLM, DRK             SCH RDM  
Divine Magic   WHM PLD RUN         SCH RDM  
Elemental Magic BLM   DRK   GEO RDM     SCH    
Enfeebling Magic RDM         BLM, GEO DRK, WHM   SCH    
Enhancing Magic     RDM   RUN WHM     PLD, SCH BLM  
Evasion THF NIN MNK, SAM, DNC, RUN PUP     WAR, PLD, DRK, BST DRG, BLU RDM, BRD, COR, GEO WHM, BLM, RNG, SMN, SCH  
Geomancy             GEO        
Great Axe WAR     RUN DRK            
Great Katana SAM             NIN      
Great Sword RUN DRK WAR PLD              
Guard   MNK   PUP              
Handbell             GEO        
Hand-to-Hand MNK   PUP           WAR, DNC NIN, THF  
Healing Magic WHM           PLD RDM SCH    
Katana NIN                    
Marksmanship   RNG   COR   THF NIN   WAR DRK  
Ninjutsu   NIN                  
Parrying RUN COR, NIN, SAM, THF DNC       BST, DRG, PLD WAR BLU, PUP MNK, RDM, DRK, BRD, SCH, GEO  
Polearm DRG       WAR, SAM         PLD  
Scythe DRK   WAR   BST         BLM  
Shield PLD         WAR     WHM BST RDM, THF
Singing             BRD        
Staff   PLD   MNK, SMN, WAR BLM, DRG BRD, WHM, SCH          
String             BRD        
Summoning Magic   SMN                  
Sword PLD, BLU RUN   RDM, WAR COR, DRK SAM NIN BRD, DRG RNG, THF, DNC BST  
Throwing NIN         SAM, PUP, DNC   COR, RNG BLM, THF, WAR, SCH BRD, MNK, WHM RDM
Wind             BRD        


Automaton Skill Ranks[edit]

Skill A+ A- B- C+
Melee   Valoredge Frame Harlequin Frame Sharpshot Frame
Stormwaker Frame
Ranged   Sharpshot Frame Harlequin Frame  
Magic Stormwaker Frame
(with WHM or BLM Head)
Stormwaker Frame Harlequin Frame  



Skill Levels by Rank[edit]

  A+ A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D E F
Lv. 1 6 5 4
Lv. 2 9 7 6
Lv. 3 12 10 9 8
Lv. 4 15 13 12 11 10
Lv. 5 18 16 14 13
Lv. 6 21 19 17 16 15
Lv. 7 24 22 21 20 19 17
Lv. 8 27 25 24 22 21 20
Lv. 9 30 28 27 25 24 22
Lv. 10 33 31 30 28 26 24
Lv. 11 36 34 33 31 29 27
Lv. 12 39 36 35 33 31 29
Lv. 13 42 39 38 36 34 31
Lv. 14 45 42 41 39 36 33
Lv. 15 48 45 44 41 39 36
Lv. 16 51 48 47 44 41 38
Lv. 17 54 51 49 47 44 40
Lv. 18 57 54 52 49 46 43
Lv. 19 60 57 55 52 49 45
Lv. 20 63 60 58 55 51 47
Lv. 21 66 63 61 58 54 50
Lv. 22 69 65 63 60 56 52
Lv. 23 72 68 66 63 58 54
Lv. 24 75 71 69 66 61 56
Lv. 25 78 74 72 68 64 59
Lv. 26 81 77 75 71 66 61
Lv. 27 84 80 77 74 69 63
Lv. 28 87 83 80 76 71 66
Lv. 29 90 86 83 79 74 68
Lv. 30 93 89 86 82 76 70
Lv. 31 96 92 89 85 79 73
Lv. 32 99 94 91 87 81 75
Lv. 33 102 97 94 90 84 77
Lv. 34 105 100 97 93 86 79
Lv. 35 108 103 100 95 89 82
Lv. 36 111 106 103 98 91 84
Lv. 37 114 109 105 101 94 86
Lv. 38 117 112 108 103 96 89
Lv. 39 120 115 111 106 99 91
Lv. 40 123 118 114 109 101 93
Lv. 41 126 121 117 112 104 96
Lv. 42 129 123 119 114 106 98
Lv. 43 132 126 122 117 109 100
Lv. 44 135 129 125 120 111 102
Lv. 45 138 132 128 122 114 105
Lv. 46 141 135 131 125 116 107
Lv. 47 144 138 133 128 119 109
Lv. 48 147 141 136 130 121 112
Lv. 49 150 144 139 133 124 114
Lv. 50 153 147 142 136 126 116
Lv. 51 158 151 146 140 130 120
Lv. 52 163 156 151 145 135 124
Lv. 53 168 161 156 150 139 128
Lv. 54 173 166 161 154 144 133
Lv. 55 178 171 166 159 148 137
Lv. 56 183 176 170 164 153 141
Lv. 57 188 181 175 168 157 146
Lv. 58 193 186 180 173 162 150
Lv. 59 198 191 185 178 166 154
Lv. 60 203 196 190 183 171 159
Lv. 61 207 199 198 192 184 172 161
Lv. 62 212 211 203 202 201 195 194 186 174 163
Lv. 63 217 215 207 205 204 197 196 188 176 165
Lv. 64 222 219 210 208 206 200 199 198 190 178 167
Lv. 65 227 223 214 212 209 202 201 200 192 180 169
Lv. 66 232 227 218 215 212 205 203 202 194 182 171
Lv. 67 236 231 221 218 214 207 205 204 195 184 173
Lv. 68 241 235 225 221 217 210 208 206 197 186 175
Lv. 69 246 239 229 225 220 212 210 208 199 188 177
Lv. 70 251 244 233 228 223 215 212 210 201 190 179
Lv. 71 256 249 237 232 226 218 214 212 203 192 181
Lv. 72 261 254 241 236 229 221 217 214 205 194 183
Lv. 73 266 259 246 240 232 224 219 216 207 196 185
Lv. 74 271 264 251 245 236 227 222 218 208 198 187
Lv. 75 276 269 256 250 240 230 225 220 210 200 189
Lv. 76 281 274 261 255 245 235 230 225 214 203 191
Lv. 77 286 279 266 260 250 240 235 230 218 206 193
Lv. 78 291 284 271 265 255 245 240 235 222 209 195
Lv. 79 296 289 276 270 260 250 245 240 226 212 197
Lv. 80 301 294 281 275 265 255 250 245 230 215 199
Lv. 81 307 300 287 281 271 261 256 251 235 219 202
Lv. 82 313 306 293 287 277 267 262 257 240 223 205
Lv. 83 319 312 299 293 283 273 268 263 245 227 208
Lv. 84 325 318 305 299 289 279 274 269 250 231 211
Lv. 85 331 324 311 305 295 285 280 275 255 235 214
Lv. 86 337 330 317 311 301 291 286 281 260 239 217
Lv. 87 343 336 323 317 307 297 292 287 265 243 220
Lv. 88 349 342 329 323 313 303 298 293 270 247 223
Lv. 89 355 348 335 329 319 309 304 299 275 251 226
Lv. 90 361 354 341 335 325 315 310 305 280 255 229
Lv. 91 368 361 348 342 332 322 317 312 286 260 233
Lv. 92 375 368 355 349 339 329 324 319 292 265 237
Lv. 93 382 375 362 356 346 336 331 326 298 270 241
Lv. 94 389 382 369 363 353 343 338 333 304 275 245
Lv. 95 396 389 376 370 360 350 345 340 310 280 249
Lv. 96 403 396 383 377 367 357 352 347 316 285 253
Lv. 97 410 403 390 384 374 364 359 354 322 290 257
Lv. 98 417 410 397 391 381 371 366 361 328 295 261
Lv. 99 424 417 404 398 388 378 373 368 334 300 265



Tips For Skilling Up[edit]

  • To find good mobs to skill up on, use the first chart to determine what rank your job has with the skill you wish to raise. With that in mind, use the second chart to see what level your skill is currently at. The best mobs to skill up on are mobs that are around the level you'd have that skill. For example, a THF with 142 sword skill would see that they had a D ranking in Sword, and that this is in the range of level 52. So ideally, he or she would want to skill up on mobs that are around level 52. Once skillups slow down on those mobs, repeat the process.

  • You will receive skill ups on any mob that is Decent Challenge or above for your skill. Since the 2/14/11 update which changed this (previously you only recieved skillups from mobs Even Match or higher), this has become a bit more complicated. See below for more information.

  • Any Decent Challenge mob can cap your skills, but different level ranges have different levels that are considered Decent Challenge to them. This probably sounds more complicated than it is; just look at the table below to see what levels are Decent Challenge at each given level:


Your Level Level of Decent Challenge Mobs
1-30 1-2 levels lower than you
31-40 1-3 levels lower than you
41-50 1-4 levels lower than you
51-60 1-5 levels lower than you
61-70 1-6 levels lower than you
71-99Verification Needed 1-7 levels lower than you

  • With weapon skills, if you do 0 damage, you will not receive a skillup. This was not always the case, but was changed in a certain patch. (Note: There are conflicting reports over whether you can skill get skillups on 0 damage hits. Some say it's just more rare now, while others say it is completely impossible. From my own experience, I've gone for an hour straight spamming my ranged attack macro on Steelshells, and despite good accuracy, I didn't get a single skillup. All my hits were for 0, including critical hits.)

  • A Puppetmaster's Automaton skills up exactly in the same way players do; they just have different skills (Melee, Ranged, and Magic). Their skill ranks depend on their frame/head, and can be seen in the secondary chart above.

  • Evasion skill is raised by getting hit (whether the attack connects or not) with physical attacks by mobs Decent Challenge or higher to your skill level, similar to how weapon skills work. (Note: There are multiple reports of people having capped evasion on Decent Challenge mobs one way or another; it is unknown how this happens, but the theory is that it is some kind of bug or glitch in the system.)

  • Guarding skill and Parrying skill are raised by taking hits to the front of your character when your weapon is out (i.e. engaged to the mob). Hits to your back do not count, sadly, so you cannot engage and then turn around. Again, the mobs must be of an appropriate level for your skill for you to receive skillups.
  • A common method for skilling up Parrying and Guarding is to engage a mob, hit it once, then switch target to another mob that is out of melee range (without moving). In this way, you still have your weapon out, and are facing the first mob, but you aren't attacking it, so you can keep it alive as long as you want, for skillups.
  • Shield skill is raised by taking hits to the front of your character. Your weapon does not have be out to receive shield skillups, but you still can't be hit from behind and get skillups. As always, the mobs must be of an appropriate level for your skill for you to receive skillups.

  • Any magic that deals damage is leveled just like weapon skills, with the exception that you still receive skillups when the spell does 0 damage.

  • Healing, Enhancing, and Summoning magic skills are raised by casting the magic. Note that Healing magic can also be used to deal damage to Undead mobs, and doing so makes skillups work the same way as weapon skills and damage dealing magic. Skillups are faster this way, but the downside is that you have to fight things using this method.

  • Enfeebling magic works the same way as weapon skills. If the spell is fully resisted, you will not receive a skillup.

  • Singing and instrument skills are raised in mostly the same way as their corresponding magic types. Enfeebling songs that are fully resisted will give skillups, but songs cast on mobs below Decent Challenge to your current skill level will not. Buffs can give skillups at any level.

  • You cannot receive skillups on a skill that comes exclusively from your subjob. For example, a THF who subs WHM will not receive skillups in Healing magic, even if their skill is not capped. The same goes for weapons; using the example from before, a THF subbing WHM will not receive Staff skillups by using a staff, even if their skill is not capped.

  • You can receive skillups from mobs in Dynamis and Besieged, though up to what level is uncertain. It should be noted, however, that mobs in Besieged have extremely high evasion. As such, it is less practical to level weapon skills on them (until high levels) than it is to level magic skills on them.

  • When it comes to Evasion, Guard, Parrying, and Shield, there is a certain priority the game uses. It checks your evasion first, then Parrying, then shadows from Blink/Utsusemi, then Guard/Shield (you can't guard with a shield equipped, so these share a slot). What this means is that evading attacks is bad when leveling Shield, Guard, or Parrying. Typically when leveling these skills, you want to wear as much gear with Evasion penalties as you can. Shadows from Blink/Utsusemi are okay for Parrying, but Shield/Guard are checked after shadows (since you have to be hit to guard or block with a shield).

  • Gear or merits that give +skill levels to the skill you are skilling up do not force you to fight higher level mobs to get skillups. Skillups are earned as if you did not have that additional skill. The additional skill simply helps your accuracy, (which is always good ^^). For example, if a BLM with 158 Elemental magic skill equips an Ice Staff (+10 Elemental magic skill), they will still receive skillups on mobs level 47-48 (and of course, higher level mobs as well). The additional skill simply helps them land their spells better.

  • Magic that does not do damage (Paralyze/Slow/Flash/Aspir, etc; not DoT spells like Dia and Bio) can be leveled on Hpemdes in Al'Taieu, as they will not actually attack you until they have been dealt damage. This cannot be done with Enhancing or Elemental magic, unfortunately, as there are no non-damaging spells that target the enemy in these categories. Healing Magic spells *may* work (I've not personally tested this). Below is a list of spells for each magic type that will not cause a Hpemde to attack, while giving skillups:

Skill Non-damaging spells
Blue Magic Sheep Song, Soporific, Sound Blast, Chaotic Eye, Blank Gaze, MP Drainkiss, Stinking Gas, Geist Wall, Awful Eye, Jettatura, Frightful Roar, Filamented Hold, Light of Penance, Feather Tickle, Yawn, Voracious Trunk, Infrasonics, Sandspray, Enervation, Lowing, Temporal Shift, Actinic Burst, Cimicine Discharge, Demoralizing Roar, Auroral Drape
Dark Magic Absorb-ACC, Absorb-AGI, Absorb-CHR, Absorb-DEX, Absorb-INT, Absorb-MND, Absorb-STR, Absorb-TP, Absorb-VIT, Aspir, Aspir II, Stun
Divine Magic Flash, Repose
Enfeebling Magic Addle, Bind, Blind, Blind II, Dispel, Gravity, Paralyze, Paralyze II, Silence, Sleep, Sleep II, Sleepga, Sleepga II, Slow, Slow II
Ninjutsu Aisha: Ichi, Hojo: Ichi, Hojo: Ni, Jubaku: Ichi, Kurayami: Ichi, Kurayami: Ni, Yurin: Ichi
Singing, String, and Wind) Light Threnody, Dark Threnody, Earth Threnody, Foe Lullaby, Water Threnody, Wind Threnody, Fire Threnody, Ice Threnody, Lightning Threnody, Horde Lullaby, Magic Finale, Battlefield Elegy, Carnage Elegy, Foe Lullaby II



Finding Suitable Skill Up Mobs[edit]

  • The best way I've found to do this is to decide on a type of mob you want to fight (usually something easy, like crabs, but there's no reason you can't farm while skilling up!), then go to the category page for that mob family (example: Category:Crabs) and look for mobs in the level range you want. Remember that ideally you want mobs around the same level as your current skill. You can always go higher (or lower, as long as they are Decent Challenge or higher), but skillups will tend to be slower until they are in the normal EM range for your skill.
  • With the new level caps, people have been having a harder time finding places to skill up. While there were still many options at 80, at 85, just about all mobs are Decent Challenge or lower, and thus will not let level 85 players cap their skills. (This is not true as of 2/14/11, but whatever. :P) While mobs in Abyssea will work, there are a few new mobs that were added along with the rise in cap to 85 in Aht Urhgan areas. Below are the ones I have found so far, though I may be missing a couple. All of them are level 88-89 (possibly as high as 90 for some), making them Tough to Very Tough at 85. This means that, aside from skilled soloers, you will likely need to bring a couple people to be safe when fighting these.

Monster Family Zone Approximate Location Notes
Orichalcumshell Crabs Mount Zhayolm (C-9) As always, crabs make for great skillup mobs. The camp, however, is quite out of the way.
Sulphuric Jagil Pugils Mount Zhayolm (I-10) Camp is at the Engraved Tablet. Some Wootzshells (level 70-71) may be mixed in with them.
Scoriaceous Eruca Crawlers Mount Zhayolm (E-6) - (D-6) Far from ideal, as they are mixed in with Dahaks (level 82-83), and the occasional Phasma (73-76) at night. Additionally, Incinerate can be dangerous at high HP. They do sleep at night, however, causing them not to aggro or link.
Deforester Crawlers Aydeewa Subterrane (D-7), (D-8), (E-7), (E-8) Map 2 Far better than the Erucas above; these are normal crawlers, and at a less out of the way camp, without other mobs mixed in. You can chocobo to entrance 5 from Wajaom Woodlands (G-7), and from there it is a short walk to camp. Unknown yet if they link; if they do, it could be a problem without a sleeper. However, they are on a 16 minute repop timer, being in a dungeon.
Mycoskulker Funguars Aydeewa Subterrane (I-9) - (I-10) Map 5 Quickest way to get to them is to enter from (G-10) or (E-9) of Wajaom Woodlands (entrance 3 or 4). This will put you on Map 4. Then go to the drop marked A, and you'll be in the room with these. Less than ideal, as funguar TP moves can be somewhat annoying, but not too horrible. Note that when I checked out this camp, there were NO mobs that checked Tough; only Very Tough. Again, these are on a 16 minute repop timer, being in a dungeon.
Nostokulshedra Sea Monks Arrapago Reef (E-6), (F-6), (G-6), (G-7) Map 1 In all honesty, this is a horrible location. The quickest way involves going from the Ilrusi Atoll staging point, then heading to the spot marked A on Map 2. This will put you close to the camp, however you'll have to pass imps and a Soulflayer or two on your way, which are true sight and true sound, respectively. Additionally, they have 2 AoE moves that will wipe shadows, and are on a 16 minute repop timer, being in a dungeon.
Naraka Bat Giant Bats Arrapago Reef Unknown I haven't actually found these yet. If they aren't in too bad a place to get to, these might be nice, as bats tend to be decently easy.
Slough Skua Birds Caedarva Mire (F-9) Map 1 These are pretty convenient too. Take the west exit from Nashmau, and it's a short walk to camp. It's worth noting that these are the only mobs I've found that Thief's Hide ability will work on, so THFs working on skilling evasion (or even other things) solo will want to consider this camp. They also don't aggro, though they do link. It's pretty easy to pull them without links, however. They're also on a 5 minute repop timer like the Zhayolm mobs, being in a field area.
Vauxia Fly Flies Caedarva Mire Unknown I just found out about these (I suspected there had to be another new mob in Caedarva Mire, since the others zones all got at least 2!). Dunno where they are yet, but I suppose it doesn't matter too much; flies suck to fight, what with Cursed Sphere and their tendency to link. The only thing they have going for them is that they are on a 5 minute repop, being in an outside area.



  • With the rise in cap to 90, SE added some new T-VT @ 90 mobs to WotG areas. This time, thankfully, they are all in outdoor areas, so they all have 5 minute repops. :)

Monster Family Zone Approximate Location Notes
Hispid Rarab Rabbits West Sarutabaruta (S) (G-11) - (H-11) Rabbits aren't exactly the easiest mobs (Whirl Claws hurts), and if they link it could be a problem. Short walk from town, though.
Condor Birds Meriphataud Mountains (S) (E-9), (E-10), (F-9), (F-10) Annoyingly far from the place you teleport into the zone from town, but birds aren't too hard usually. They tend to be pretty spread out too, making it easy to avoid links if they do link.
Gouger Beetle Beetles Sauromugue Champaign (S) (K-6) - (K-7) Beetles are quite nice, between not-too-dangerous TP moves, somewhat high defense (longer lasting mobs means more skillups per mob!), and MP to Aspir.
Drachenlizard Lizards North Gustaberg (S) (D-7), (D-8), (E-7), (E-8) (both sides of the river) Lizards wouldn't be my first choice of skillup mobs, between Fireball and Baleful Gaze. They probably link, too.
Feyweald Sapling Saplings Grauberg (S) (G-11) Yuck. Saplings are annoying, with AoE sleep from Slumber Powder and their tendency to link. If you're doing a trial that requires Treant kills and you want some decent exp and skillups to go with it though, this might be nice.
Champion Crawler Crawlers Rolanberry Fields (S) (F-8), (F-9), (G-8), (G-9) Crawlers are pretty nice and easy; this looks like a great spot. They seemed to be spread out enough to easily avoid links, as well. And the camp isn't that far from where you teleport in from town.
Gnoletrap Flytraps Jugner Forest (S) (J-10), (J-11), (K-10) Not too far from the Campaign fort, but flytraps are not very nice mobs. AoE sleep from Soporific, cone paralyze from Palsy Pollen, and slow from Gloeosuccus. Bleh.
Duriumshell Crabs Vunkerl Inlet (S) (H-7) As usual, crabs are awesome. These don't aggro or link, and a pixie wanders through camp occasionally. (An Air Elemental does as well during wind weather, but it is Too Weak at 75, let alone 90.)
Tsetse Fly Flies Batallia Downs (S) (E-5), (E-6), (F-5), (F-6) Flies are unfortunately pretty annoying mobs to fight, between links and Cursed Sphere. They're about as far as you can get from the spot you teleport in from town, too.



  • Please try to use common etiquette when choosing a skillup location and avoid using mobs that people are XPing on as your skillup mobs.
This article uses material from the "Skill_Ups:_A_Guide_by_Kyrial" article on FFXIclopedia and is licensed under the CC-BY-SA License.