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Much of Clive’s journey inFinal Fantasy 16tasks him with defeating powerful foes, and to do this, he needs to ensure he is strong enough to take them on. Clive will regularlylevel upthe 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 inFinal Fantasy 16, but players who wish toreach Clive’s max levelas 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 July 07, 2025, 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 July 11, 2025, 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-orderedFinal Fantasy 16will have access to theScholar’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.
DuringtheLost in a Fog main quest, Clive will gain access tothe 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 Sanbrequeis 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 surroundingMartha’s Restin Rosariaare tougher, but they offer much more EXP.
Final Fantasy 16: EXP Farm (Mid Game)
AfterFinal Fantasy 16’s second timeskip, players will gain access to theOn Fortune and the Heavensaccessory. When equipped, this accessoryincreases 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 duringthe Home, Sweet Home main questand can be purchased from Charon in The Hideaway for5,500 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 uponfinding and defeating Notorious Marks, tough enemies that offerhigh levels of EXPand 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 DesertinDhalmekiais 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 toThe Kingdom of Waloed, there are plenty of ways to help them get there.CompletingFinal Fantasy 16’s remaining side questsand 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.
Defeating enemies in The Kingdom of Waloed itself is by far thebest way to farm EXP in the late game. The Flames of Rebirth ability can be extremely useful for dealing with large enemy groups, buta fully powered Zantetsukenis 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 GateandVidargraesare 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 aNew Game+ playthroughand selectingFinal Fantasy Mode, as the amount of EXP rewarded in this mode is far greater than that of the base game. Clive can also acquire theOn Fortune and the Heavens 2accessory in Final Fantasy mode, which willincrease the amount of EXP he earns by 30%.
Final Fantasy 16: EXP Farm (Echoes Of The Fallen DLC)
TheEchoes of the FallenDLC 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 theStage Replayoption, which is available throughThe Arete Stonein The Hideaway.
Those who do not have access toThe Rising Tidecan make use of a pretty good leveling loop in theEchoes of the FallenDLC instead. All the player needs to do isselect “The Sagespire"option in the Stage Replay menu. Skipping the cutscenes and following the relatively linear path forward, players will encounterPatrol Unit MEG,Spire Mousse,Surveillance Unit MMC,Domovikha,Prototype Unit EVL, andPacification Unit MEGenemies, all of which offer nice amounts of EXP.
Eventually, Clive and his companions will come face-to-face withSigma, thefirst mini-boss of theEchoes of the FallenDLC. 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)
WithThe Rising TideDLC,Final Fantasy 16players 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 likeRiversmeetandTailwind 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 anyGrey Widows,Robber Crabs, andNorthern Wolvesthey come across. AoE abilities like Flames of Rebirth, Ultimate Demise, Tsunami can be especially helpful when facing larger groups.
TheQuindimis 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 beforeThe Hand of Tethys, they shouldfast-travel back to the Riversmeet Obeliskand 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 areWidowmaker,Wolf Trap,Northern Wolf, andOld Ibexenemies 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 theLesser Archelon; avoiding it will make leveling in this area much faster.
