We’ve all got that one friend who says, “Oh, I’m just finishing up a quick grind.” Usually, that means they’ll be back in five minutes. But in the world of MMORPGs and hardcore simulators, “finishing a grind” can mean six months of your life that you’ll never get back.
I’ve seen some things in my time as a gamer. I’ve seen people lose their minds over a 0.01% drop rate, and I’ve seen people click the same three patches of grass for a week straight.
If you think your current level-up is hard, check out this list of the absolute most brutal, soul-crushing grinds in gaming history.
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10. The “Insane in the Membrane” Achievement (World of Warcraft)
The name says it all. To get this title, you have to earn “Exalted” reputation with some of the most obscure and conflicting factions in the game. You literally have to kill thousands of pirates, only to then spend a fortune to make the pirates like you again.
**Survival Tip:** Don’t do it all at once. If you try to grind Bloodsail Buccaneers in one sitting, you *will* quit the game.
9. 99 Agility (Old School RuneScape)
I love OSRS, but Agility is a nightmare. It’s not hard; it’s just relentlessly repetitive. You run in a circle. You click a roof. You run in a circle. You do this for about 200 hours.
**Survival Tip:** This is why we have dual monitors. You don’t “play” Agility; you watch three seasons of a TV show while your hand moves on autopilot.
8. Level 200 (Original MapleStory)
Before the big “Big Bang” update, reaching level 200 in MapleStory was legendary. It took years. Literal years. You would gain 0.05% XP per hour at high levels.
**Survival Tip:** You can’t beat this one anymore (the game changed), but the lesson remains: Respect your elders who have the “Old School” chairs.
7. The Excalibur II (Final Fantasy IX)
To get the best weapon in the game, you have to reach the final dungeon in under 12 hours. This is a “Speedrunning Grind.” One wrong move or too many random encounters, and you have to restart the entire 40-hour game.
**Survival Tip:** Skip the cutscenes. Every second counts.
6. General Rank (Gears of War)
“Seriously…” is the name of the achievement. You had to get 10,000 kills in ranked matches. In a game as slow and tactical as Gears 1, that was a mountain of a task.
**Survival Tip:** Shotguns only. Don’t bother with the lancer if you want kills fast.
5. The “Abyssal” Grind (EVE Online)
EVE is basically “Spreadsheets in Space,” and the high-tier Abyssal Deadspace runs are the ultimate grind. One mistake, and you lose your ship, which might be worth $500 in real-world money.
**Survival Tip:** Practice on the Test Server first. Don’t risk your rent money on a bad warp.
4. Dark Matter Camo (Call of Duty)
Every year, a new CoD comes out, and every year, people lose their sleep over the mastery camos. Getting every single gun to gold, including the terrible launchers and the riot shield, is a test of patience.
**Survival Tip:** Hardcore Mode is your friend for longshots and weak weapons.
3. The “Pure Bladestone” (Demon’s Souls – Original)
If you know, you know. The drop rate for this stone was bugged (or just cruel). Some players spent 40+ hours killing the exact same skeleton over and over.
**Survival Tip:** Technically, the Remake made this easier, but for the original? Just pray to the RNG gods.
2. 99 Runecrafting (OSRS – Specifically before Guardians of the Rift)
Before the modern updates, Runecrafting was the ultimate “I have no life” badge. It was slow, tedious, and involved a lot of walking into the abyss.
**Survival Tip:** Check your progress often. Use our [OSRS XP Calculator](https://leveltimer.com/osrs-99-calculator/) to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
1. The “Adyr” Grind (Elite Dangerous)
Reaching “Triple Elite” status or buying a Fleet Carrier requires billions of credits and months of hauling cargo across the galaxy. It’s the ultimate simulation of “work as a game.”
**Survival Tip:** Find a good podcast. Space is big, and space is empty.
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🏁 How to Beat Any Grind
Whether you’re going for 99 Agility or just trying to max out a battle pass, the secret is the same: **Data.**
If you know exactly how many hours are left, the grind feels finite. It’s the *uncertainty* that kills your motivation. That’s why I always recommend using a tool like [LevelTimer](https://leveltimer.com/) to track your progress. Once you see that you’re 60% done, your brain kicks into “Finish Mode.”