Phantasy Star: Fringes of Algo

Anybody else thought that the rather crappy stat gains above level 25 combined with the extreme next-level exp requirements were simply PS1's way of saying "stop grinding and finish the game already"?

Yeah, when you get to large EXP gaps like that, I interpret that as time to move on to something else.

I don't think I have ever hit the level caps, its easy enough to win at level 25 or so

I hit the level cap on all characters on my very first play through for the simple reason I couldn't finish it and wandered around for ages and ages searching every corner of Algo and in the process becoming level 30 on all four.

I've never reached it any more after that on new playing sessions, mainly because I lack the patience. Sadly that game resides on my cartridge and after nearly 25 years that battery probably runs out of juice once. I downloaded a new version of Fusion and suddenly my emulator savegames work again, my whole party there is level 25. On my Wii Alis, Myau and Odin are level 22 or 23. Noah is lagging behind since I was grinding early on in the game to get money and XP to defeat the Saccubus (just because I can).

I only ever grind for meseta. If you grind for gold to buy the best equipment, levels should never be a problem. My favorite enemies to grind are:

Fishmen: If you run back and forth on coast outside camineet they are the only enemy that spawns, and they tend to appear in large groups making it easy to get lots of gold.

Evilheads: They tend to spawn alot in the outside area between Dezolis cave 3 and 4. They give lots of gold, and if you get them in a group you can get as much as 300-400 gold per battle. I usually farm them for the ice digger. But they don't spawn all time that is the only problem.

White Dragons: If you go to the area where you get the Laemera nut from the tree I believe they are the only enemy that spawns in that area. They are always alone, so every single battle gives you 234 gold and 70 exp.

It's true that the evilheads are interesting for a gold rush (^^) but I think the most valuable foes are located on Motavia !

Go to the south from Uzo or to the west from uzo and nortwest from casba : then go to the south part of the lake (between the mountain range to the west and a field of ant lions to the east...and the lake to the north (and sand to the south )
and try to hunt some
SANDWORMS/(I don't know how to translate lol) : 82 in HP, not really hard to beat...and 129 mesetas each : don't know how many you can have at the maximum but I don't think more than 4 : it's even a great ratio !!

And if you are lucky...you will even "fall" on BARBARIANS/Motavian Mania (don't know if it's a good translation !;) ) ! 54 HP, not too hard to beat too and 89 mesetas ..and you can have up to 8 of them at the same time !!!
If it's the case...712 mesetas ! It's not happening everytime but even 4 of them is really interesting...
And they appear often near the sandworms so..
All aboard and go to Motavia's lake !;)

A little photo to show you these famous 712 mesetas !! :

Hope this will be ok and you can see the photo (I'm not sure of it...).
EDIT : YES ! it's ok !

Wanderer From Ys wrote:White Dragons: If you go to the area where you get the Laemera nut from the tree I believe they are the only enemy that spawns in that area. They are always alone, so every single battle gives you 234 gold and 70 exp.

Take note, they are the only enemy that spawns in the forest area of the Plateau, in the snowy plains only Marauders spawn!

Truely : white dragons in the forests (same in one of the cave/passageway on Dezoris : only white dragons : if I remember, it's the one leading from where is the breakable ice before freaching Altiplano plateau and so the laerma tree, to the great "ice plain" where is Guaron morgue and the breakable ice leading to the Aeroprism's cave) and (Dark) Marauders (Argh ! about thunder helmet...) elsewhere.