Alternatives to the EXP grind

Since FFXIV has no EXP/Level system what are they alternatives?

I've started getting flashbacks of FF2 take damage to increase hp, cast spells to level the spells individually/raise mp.

Or they could make the game 100% gear-based.... but make other requirements to equip them, such as quest completion or reputation standing, number of pvp kills, number of npc kills etc. This could also create a sort of "achievements" system ingame, except when you achieve one you can equip another armor/weapon/magic.

Anyone have any other ideas?

Yeah I was thinking more along the lines of progressing thru quest completion. Even crafts could come into play. When you're a certain level in that, or have gotten this item etc. Sounds like it will be more gear based though. So using your weaponry will level you up then? I wonder if it's all gear though. Like you said about FF2, armor would only increase when you took a hit. I could see how that would benefit solo play. That's really all you have when your solo, your gear and any questing/crafting that you can do.

The weapons themselves could increase in stats, rather than keep getting a slightly better one every few kills.

Ability Points possibly. I've thought about what could be done when taking levels out of the equation. And it all really comes back to FFIX. You equip something, you learn an ability or trait from it as you use the weapon.
Given that they said that weapons will have a big impact, and the so called weapon wheel people have been talking about, it may end up being a rock, paper, scissors game of switching weapons to battle specific enemies.

oo ff9, i hadn't thought about that. But it might be counterproductive to have your char permanently learn what the weapon offers, maybe have say 6 slots for bonuses etc on your weapon that you can switch out when not in combat.

But weren't there still levels in IX even though you learned skills through your gear? There's gotta be more to it they if they're gonna get that far away from exp. Dontcha think?

oh ye of course, but the FFIX system could be expanded quite a way, it was a very basic way of learning abilities but theres potential there for a full system.

Well remember that even after you learned the ability. You had to use magic stones to equip them. And you only had a limited number of said stones to use.

Also as they said jobs are returning, that would restrict you from learn "everything" at once. As the the abilities in your active list would only be what that job could use.

ah ye forgot about the stones

I would prefer a system similiar to IX as well I think, or even X with it's sphere grid, either way to be an alternate method to straight xp leveling.

FFVI: Esper ability learning was ok, but it would need some serious work if it were used again.

FFVII: Materia was a nice concept, but not enough effort went into it. Needs far more depth.

FFVIII: Junction the way they did it didn't catch me. Nice try though...

FFIX: I loved the equipped ability learning system. End of story.

FFX: Sphere Grid started out nice. But I didn't like how you could enter others areas. I never like systems that allow every character to be the exact same.

FFXII: By far the worst system in my opinion. All my problems with the Sphere Grid plus many more. Every character had the exact same upgrades. Along with the lack of any character development, this made more then one character pointless in every aspect other then being meat shields.

For FFXIV the way it sounds. I'm thinking either an enhanced Materia or Equipment Ability would be used. But you know SE. They'll probably make something completly new that either sucks, or rocks.

a different sphere grid for each job would be cool.

Yeah it would, especially if they stuck to each jobs unique skill set. I agree when the jobs overlap it takes all the uniqueness out of the differences. The mages should get magier etc. that's right magier

I don't think SE has to make such a stretch to a new weapon-based upgrade/leveling system. Look at what we have currently in FFXI. The more you kill with your 2H Sword for example, the faster you learn 2H Sword based weapon skills.

It sounds like they're just going to expand this out, and eliminate the simultaenous numbered levels that would go along in the background.

Instead of gaining HP for a levelup, why not gain more health while training a shield? Surely taking blow after blow into a shield, while not killing you, would build constitution. You want more dex/agi score? Keep aiming that bow, its great practice.

As SE themselves are saying, becoming what you want, is going to be as simple as changing your weapon of choice.

Although, if this truly is the case, I hope they implement some form of stat decay. If a hardened warrior spent months learning spells and sitting the background, I would expect his physicals to decline over time, however, I wouldn't necessarily say the ability to use such weapons should decay as well.. you can still ride a bicycle after 10 years off of it, but if you've gotten fat and lazy, you sure aren't going to go as fast.

ah yes, the FF2 approach to leveling dual wield shield, 2 hours later nothing can touch you

That'd be ok by me. Of course, then you have a new problem. Once the mob realizes it's not hurting you, and you aren't even attempting to hit it, it walks right past you and carves your mage friend's face in with its axe.