I seemed to remember getting my butt handed to me if I left Whitegate, again in sky, sea and Abyssea was no picnic at first. But then you learn to fight them, rearrange your gear and you win. I'm a 99 Nin, 99 thf and a lot of other jobs, I underestimated the mobs in Adoulin at first...my bad...now I beat them, one on one of course. 99's need a challenging area.