FFXIV Beastmaster Leveling Guide: How to Reach Level 50 Fast

Beastmaster is Final Fantasy XIV's second limited job and the first new limited job to arrive in nearly a decade. Unlike regular jobs, Beastmaster has its own progression system, a large collection of beasts to tame, and a unique solo endgame mode called the Crucible of the Unbroken. With the current level cap set at 50, reaching max level does not have to take long. With the right experience bonuses and an efficient leveling strategy, Beastmaster can reach Level 50 in roughly 3–4 hours, especially when focusing on dungeons. This guide, shared by Rinon on his YouTube channel, covers the fastest Beastmaster leveling methods, recommended EXP gear, job quests, FATE locations, and dungeon strategies.

 

How to Unlock Beastmaster

Beastmaster can be unlocked in New Gridania. After unlocking the job, follow the Beastmaster quests as far as possible before returning to complete additional job quests when they become available. The job quests are important because they provide updated weapons and gear while also teaching the fundamentals of Beastmaster. The Beastmaster job quest progression is:

• Level 1: First job quest
• Level 8: Second job quest
• Level 18: Third job quest
• Level 30: Job quest that leads into the Crucible
• After Level 30: Complete the first Crucible run
• Level 40: Next job quest
• After Level 40: Complete the second Crucible run
• Level 50: Receive the Level 50 Item Level 90 gear set
• After Level 50: Complete the final job quest and third Crucible run

There are currently five known Crucible maps available.

Use EXP-Boosting Gear

Before starting the leveling grind, equip any experience-boosting gear available to you. Beastmaster leveling becomes considerably faster when these bonuses are combined with food. Food provides an additional 3% EXP, while several pieces of special gear can provide significantly larger bonuses.

Recommended EXP Gear

Headgear

Several headpieces provide a 20% EXP bonus, including:

• Friendship Circlet — effective through Level 25
• Helm of Light — effective through Level 10
• Certain A Realm Reborn pre-order headgear — effective through Level 10

The Friendship Circlet is associated with the Recruit a Friend campaign, while the Helm of Light was available as an A Realm Reborn Collector's Edition reward.

Earrings

Various expansion pre-order earrings can provide EXP bonuses at different level ranges. If you have old pre-order rewards from previous expansion launches, check whether any of the earrings can be used during your Beastmaster leveling journey.

Rings

Rings are particularly useful because some provide a 30% EXP bonus. The recommended free options include rings obtained through the Hall of the Novice, including rewards associated with the Level 30-and-below and Level 60-and-below sections. There are also Mog Station items that provide EXP bonuses, but purchasing them specifically for Beastmaster leveling is not necessary if free alternatives are already available. The key is to combine whatever EXP-boosting equipment you already own rather than spending extra money solely to level Beastmaster.

Prepare Your Gil for a Smoother Leveling Experience

Besides EXP-boosting gear, having enough FFXIV Gil can make the Beastmaster leveling process much more convenient. Gil can be used to purchase food, gear, potions, and other useful items, allowing you to spend less time preparing and more time leveling. If you are short on Gil, you can check out MmoGah's FFXIV Gil service for a convenient way to get the currency you need for your leveling journey.

Beastmaster Leveling Methods

Beastmaster receives more EXP from FATEs than standard jobs. This makes FATEs one of the most reliable ways to level the job. However, Beastmaster does not receive the same open-world enemy EXP bonuses associated with Blue Mage. Because of this, simply having a friend kill high-level enemies while Beastmaster tags them is not an especially efficient strategy for the entire leveling process. That method can still be useful at very low levels, particularly from Level 1 to 10, but its efficiency drops sharply afterward.

For the fastest overall progression, there are three main options Dungeons, FATEs, Crucible runs and Beastmaster progression. Completing job quests, capturing relevant beasts, and filling gaps between major leveling activities can also contribute to steady progression.

Fastest Beastmaster Leveling Method: Dungeons

For players who can form a premade party, dungeons are arguably the fastest way to level Beastmaster. A group of four Beastmasters is ideal because every player can benefit from the experience. A group consisting of three Beastmasters and another job can also work.

The original leveling experience suggests that a dungeon can often provide around one to two levels per run, depending on the dungeon, character level, and whether the group spends time capturing beasts. The biggest advantage comes from using the dungeon checkpoint system efficiently.

How the Dungeon Checkpoint Strategy Works

Dungeon EXP is primarily awarded from bosses, while trash mobs provide little value for Beastmaster leveling. This means the goal is to reach and defeat bosses as quickly as possible. The basic strategy is:

• Enter the highest-level dungeon available.
• Designate one Beastmaster as the runner.
• Have the runner pull as many mobs as possible while moving directly toward the boss.
• Reach the boss room and trigger the boss checkpoint.
• Allow the runner to die to the mobs.
• The rest of the party either waits safely or follows the runner and starts the boss encounter.
• Once the runner respawns, use the checkpoint to teleport directly to the boss.
• Defeat the boss and repeat the process whenever the dungeon allows it.

This works because the checkpoint allows the party to bypass much of the dungeon after the boss has been activated. A well-organized group can complete suitable dungeon runs in roughly five to six minutes, making this an extremely efficient source of EXP.

Keep Aggro on the Runner

The other party members should generally avoid attacking the mobs during the initial run. The runner's job is to maintain the enemies' attention and keep them away from the rest of the party. Once the boss is pulled, the runner can allow the mobs to defeat them while the remaining players focus on the boss. If everyone understands the route and timing, the party can minimize downtime and quickly move from one boss kill to the next. Players without a premade group can also use Party Finder to look for other Beastmasters interested in fast dungeon leveling.

Best FATE Locations for Beastmaster Leveling

FATEs are another excellent option because Beastmaster benefits from increased EXP from them. The recommended FATE leveling route is:

FATEs from Levels 1–10 are not particularly efficient, so it is generally better to focus on the job quests and capture a few beasts during the early levels. Once Beastmaster reaches Level 10, however, FATEs become a much more attractive leveling option.

Complete the Beast Encyclopedia Along the Way

Capturing beasts is not only part of Beastmaster's core gameplay—it can also provide useful EXP. Discovering and recording a new beast in the Beast Encyclopedia grants a decent amount of experience. Therefore, whenever an easy-to-capture beast is nearby during the leveling process, it is worth adding it to the collection.

This approach is slower than focusing exclusively on dungeon bosses, but it has an important advantage: progress is being made toward the Beastmaster's secondary progression system at the same time.

Can the Crucible Be Used for Leveling?

Yes. Beastmasters can gain experience from running the Crucible, and their beasts also gain EXP after each run. However, Crucible runs are not the fastest way to level Beastmaster itself. Dungeons are generally more efficient, while FATEs can also provide strong EXP thanks to Beastmaster's FATE bonus. The Crucible is still worthwhile because it provides additional progression for the beasts. As beasts gain experience, they become stronger for future Crucible runs and advance along Beastmaster's secondary progression track. Therefore, players who care about both character level and beast progression may find Crucible runs worthwhile even if they are not the absolute fastest route to Level 50.