Gaming Hacks

Grind Without Going Crazy

The standard form of advancement in massively multiplayer games is through experience gain and level acquisition. Grinding , or repeating an action over and over to gain experience and levels, is often the quickest way to move through online games.

In this hack, we’ll discuss moderately grind-heavy games more familiar to Westerners, such as EverQuest and Final Fantasy XI. However, it’s worth noting that many titles popular in MMO-crazy Korea, particularly the Lineage series, are even more grind-heavy than Western titles. If repetitive actions really appeal to you, by all means seek them out.

Tip

This guide assumes that for the most part you are grinding alone. Grinding with others is easier and more fun, but if your only goal is to gain experience, partying up will only slow you down. See [Hack #33] for tips on party adventuring.

If you’re serious about gaining levels quickly, be prepared for tedium and frustration. Fighting monsters as you stumble upon them is not grinding. Spending several hours at a time in an area that you know will give you good XP for doing nothing but fighting monsters, though you wish you were doing something else, is grinding. The key is to grind without boring yourself to tears.

Preparing for the Grind

When you begin a grinding session, prepare as much as possible beforehand. Your goal is to extend your time in the field, so make healing a priority. EQ (see [Hack #29] ) players should stock up on bandages and healing potions. FFXI ...