Final Fantasy XVI Guide | Best Ways To Farm AP

Here's everything you need to know on the best ways to farm AP in Final Fantasy XVI.

Game Guide by Ornstein on Jan 09, 2025

Ability Points, or AP, are required to obtain and level up Eikonic abilities in Final Fantasy XVI. Generating AP as efficiently as possible is very important in having a strong character and knowing how to provide for yourself in combat. This guide will go over the best methods of farming AP: specific areas to do this, equipment setups, and ideas on how to maximize your efforts.

Equip the Scholar's Spectacles and the Onion Bracelet

One of the simplest ways to maximize AP gains is to equip items that increase AP payouts. The Scholar's Spectacles grant a flat AP bonus for every enemy killed, but the Onion Bracelet increases the amount of AP that can be received from battles themselves. You can obtain these items relatively early in the game, and once equipped, you'll find every battle will net more AP, allowing you to progress faster with less effort.

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Focus on Hunting Elite Marks

Elite Marks are powerful enemies that are listed on the Hunt Board; defeating one gives a lot of AP. These enemies are dotted throughout Valisthea, and defeating them gives not just great AP but a number of other useful commodities and gold, too. Defeat higher-level Elite Marks, but only when you have reached a high level with good equipment; these battles will be pretty tough. Garuda's Deadly Embrace can stun opponents and allow you to deal massive amounts of damage to them.

Use the Arete Stone Training Mode

The Arete Stone in the Hideaway provides you with a Training Mode in which you can practice. While training does not directly grant you AP, it's one of the best ways to have your combos spot-on and your strategy in order. Good combat can save you so much time beating enemies, and farming AP will be far easier in return. Experiment with a variety of Eikonic abilities until you have one that provides the best combo for your style.

Farm Imperial Enemies in the Holy Empire of Sanbreque

Imperial soldiers in the region of Sanbreque reward consistent AP, especially around the Velkroy Desert and Caer Norvent. These monsters respawn pretty fast and can easily be killed in hordes. Take advantage of AoE capabilities like Shiva's Cold Snap or Ramuh's Lightning Rod to kill many enemies at once to maximize AP per battle. In addition, farming these soldiers will give you a chance to create some resources for crafting and a stock of potions you might want later on.

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Do side quests and Notorious Marks

Side quests and Notorious Marks also give AP as well as other valuable items and story information. While not as powerful as dedicated farming spots, the completion of these quests will provide you with a steady source of AP and other goodies. Notorious Marks, for example, have good rewards and can be a fun way to test your combat mettle against more unusual foes. Check your map for available side quests and hunts, and get the most out of it that you can.

Chain Combos & Abuse Enemy Weaknesses

To allow maximum efficiency in AP farming, the art of combat needs to be mastered. The ability to chain combos together, along with abusing enemy weaknesses, will significantly lower down the time used to defeat opponents, thus enabling quicker AP pickups. Using Ifrit's skills against ice-based enemies and Shiva's against fire-based enemies, for instance, will surely keep your damage dealing at its max. Practice your timing with Precision Dodges in order to punish your enemies and improve your overall damage output in battle.

Rest at Obelisks for Faster Respawns

Obelisks serve as checkpoints in Final Fantasy XVI, and all enemies respawn very fast outside that Obelisk. After cleaning up a farming spot, just head back to the nearest Obelisk to reset all enemy spawns and start farming again. It works exceptionally well on highly populated spots such as The Dragon's Aery and the Grand Duchy of Rosaria. You're going to be able to farm AP a lot more reliably and much quicker since there is less downtime between battles.

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Optimize Your Ability Loadout

When it comes to AP farming, the talents you pick are very important. First of all, it is necessary to focus on Eikonic abilities with low cooldowns and high damage. These include things like Garuda's Gouge and Ifrit's Ignition, which are great for long barrages, and Phoenix Shift for getting them close to you fast. Take each ability to the next level using AP, which increases its effectiveness and unlocks swifter subsequent battles because you make those simpler and more rewarding.

Participate in Arcade Mode for Bonus Rewards

Arcade Mode also provides a chance to gain even more with replayed story missions, which are completed for high scores. Not only will this mode make you strong in combat, but it will also give you more AP upon reaching certain milestones. Farm this supplement, especially if you enjoy replaying tough battles as a way to hone your craft.

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Finally…

Efficient AP farming in Final Fantasy XVI depends on proper preparation, the best equipment you can get, and knowledge of the combat system. By focusing on high-return targets like Elite Marks, leveraging respawning, and maximizing AP per encounter with the right equipment, you will be able to unlock and upgrade abilities in no time. Try these tips with your play and smoothly sail across Valisthea, making Clive literally unstoppable on the battlefield.

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