Master Quartz question

I got this game a couple weeks ago at GameStop, realized that it was #2, and went back and got #1 from the PSN Store, which I then played through and beat a couple days ago. Started playing this game, and noticed that not only do MQ have much higher requirements to level them up (6k+ for lvl 1 -> 2 vs 1300, 15k+ for 2 -> 3 vs 6500, etc) but the level 50+ mobs that I am fighting give almost no xp to level up. For instance, I am on 12/4 and Toval's MQ still has 15220 to lvl 3, and has been level 2 pretty much the entire Celdic trip, which bugged the hell out of me cause I'm fighting mobs in the high 40s and low 50s which would have gotten me around 100-150 MQ XP per fight in CS1 but they are taking lvl 50 difficulty mobs and treating them like level 5 trash mobs. I may have all my crafts from that time and s-crafts, but I also had a lot of quartz helping me in CS1 through those levels that I now do not have.

So what I would like to know is, approximately when I can start to see a marked increase in MQ xp? In-game date approximations are fine, that will minimize spoilers. Or if it is lvl based mobs, the lvl would do as well. I know it will happen eventually, it has to or this game won't work.. haha.. but I was hoping to get some idea of how far I will have to slog before I start getting even 30-50 xp / battle toward MQs. Thanks for the help in advance.

You will master your first master quartz around the start of Final Chapter and anything you swap to after that will master a lot faster. You finish the game in CS2 around 140 where you beat CS1 at 60 so there's a level difference at play here.

let's say you use force on rean for the whole game
it will likely level during these parts

level 2 act 1 part 1 which btw is why toval's MQ isn't leveling they are also subject to exp scaling
level 3 act 1 part 2
level 4 act 2 part 2
level 5 act 2 part 4

those are basic approximations of when you should expect a MQ to reach be certain level so no real point in grinding them put them on and forget them

haha I actually put Megalith on Rean cause I absolutely loved it in CS1 - the lvl 3 HP / EP / CP regen on the field is sooooo good. Just used S-break each normal battle to win and had it back before the next one. So I've been trying to get it up to lvl 3 to get that. But thank you for the information, both of ya.

sorry fam but they nerfed the everloving sh*t outta megalith it only gives regen effect at level 5 and it's weaker than the first game

since I'm bored I'll make a quick list of MQ changes between games

Iron:def up>%damage dealt reduced at high hp
megalith: the old level 3 ability is the new level 5 ability and the effect has been reduced
Aegis:no change
Taurus:works with crafts now (lol)
cannon:who cares it's bad
scepter:unchanged
aries:unchanged
orochi:unchanged
force:cp gained on kill reduced gives gladiator belt at lvl 3 making it more useful against bosses
brave:the same I think crit effect might be new
criminal:arts can inflict nightmare
vermilion:unchanged
wing:eva up and magic eva up
falco:unchanged I think although it might have given something lame like insight when hp low instead of just eva up
Mistral:HUGE IMPROVEMENT gives crit chance earlier and reduces cast time on wind arts(used to be on wing for some reason)
thor:unchanged
Raven:lvl 3 gives delay instead of spd up when hp low
murakumo: unchanged might want to give this to Rean since megalith is now meh af
Katz: probably unchanged??
cypher:unchanged
space quarts are all unchanged but chevalier deliberately gives a crap auto revive with 10 cp
mirage:ep gladiator belt basically and magic dodge
juggler:proc chances lowered by half
pandora:unchanged
magus:unchanged