Mastery Rank has helped me to explore Vanadiel

[Voidstorm]

How exactly you earn Beligerency? I'm having fun just leveling monsters! I've got 2 at level 70 right now.

there's not Beligerency to earn?
It's just a sign-up for PvP, which limits your level and the zones you can access. It's my preferred method of leveling since I can set enough additional Instincts to easily kill VD and weaker IT mobs. You can get additional Instinct Points to use based on total Infamy, up to 20,001 i think.
The NPC to sign up is the one in the Ferretory on the far left.

*WARNING*
you lose all buffs aside from EXP+ when you pick your zone.
so don't bother giving them to yourself.

I typically take a monipulator to 25 in Giddeus.
Sign up for Beligerency.
Set traits and go to Xarcabard until 50~53. starting with Gigas' Tigers.
Set traits and go to Uleguerand Range.

[Alhanelem]

This is obviously no longer true.

Yes, and this is my biggest issue with this honestly. If it was some vanity item (like the glory crown for instance) I'd probably be fine with it, but... yeah. that item giving a stat boost based on mastery rank.... not a fan.

[Voidstorm]

Yes, and this is my biggest issue with this honestly. If it was some vanity item (like the glory crown for instance) I'd probably be fine with it, but... yeah. that item giving a stat boost based on mastery rank.... not a fan.

It wouldn't be as bad if they had an actual system to mastery rank to work towards.
As you said, it's just a number no one ever sees. No one knows exactly what affects it, yet now there's an item with end game stats that requires it...
I'd have no issue at all with it being a modifier to gear if we could check progress or if the number were at least x1000 what it is now that way minimal impacts would be visible on that single line in our status window.
If it were 1000x times the number, make the cap instead 9999 in true FF fashion.

[Alhanelem]

No one knows exactly what affects it, yet now there's an item with end game stats that requires it...

Well we know it in vague terms. It's based on the titles you've earned. There are not many things, including leveling jobs, that don't have a title associated with them. The thing is apparently not all titles hold the same value, for example the title final campaign medal carries significantly more weight than the others (apparently) so all we know is not every title has the same value attached to it.

So at the least it indirectly measures:
Jobs leveled (limit break and job master titles track this)
Content cleared (each Dynamis area, the storylines, etc. etc.)
NM/HNMs killed (Pretty much every NM not associated with a quest or content)
Quests completed (most quests have some title associated with them though I think there do exist some that don't)
Missions completed
PvP participation (Job specific and medal ballista titles- These can't be kept permanently though, so I'm not sure if they actually count)

[Gwydion]

Yes, and this is my biggest issue with this honestly. If it was some vanity item (like the glory crown for instance) I'd probably be fine with it, but... yeah. that item giving a stat boost based on mastery rank.... not a fan.

I understand you want players to go do content for the virtue of the content itself without SE dangling rewards in front of us. But you're also not factoring in longevity or replay value. SE doesn't just want us to play the game (as you also would like) ...they want us to KEEP playing it. How do you expect this to be accomplished, without any incentives?

[Alhanelem]

I understand you want players to go do content for the virtue of the content itself without SE dangling rewards in front of us. But you're also not factoring in longevity or replay value. SE doesn't just want us to play the game (as you also would like) ...they want us to KEEP playing it. How do you expect this to be accomplished, without any incentives?

If you've ever played or seen anyone play FFXIV, you'd know that you don't need stats to give an incentive. People will go after stuff just because it's rare, or cool looking, or because they simply don't have it yet.

For instance, it puzzles me- Both games have an orchestrion furnishing, in both cases it adds music changing functionality to your personal space, and in both cases, you can get more songs for it. But in FFXIV, music scrolls are rewards (often the rare reward) from all kinds of content but in FFXI they haven't added a lot of the music and it tends to come from events rather than content.

[Rosalie]

How exactly you earn Beligerency? I'm having fun just leveling monsters! I've got 2 at level 70 right now.

Belligerency is the PvP side of Monstrosity. You can either be a monipulator at level 30/60/90, or you can be a gladiator adventurer and take on the monipulators. The monsters are EXTREMELY overpowered compared to adventurers though. Most people just trying to get prestige points just find a friend to let them take infamy from by standing there and getting whooped. (Prestige earned is half of the monipulator's current infamy.)

[Alhanelem]

Belligerency is the PvP side of Monstrosity. You can either be a monipulator at level 30/60/90, or you can be a gladiator adventurer and take on the monipulators. The monsters are EXTREMELY overpowered compared to adventurers though. Most people just trying to get prestige points just find a friend to let them take infamy from by standing there and getting whooped. (Prestige earned is half of the monipulator's current infamy.)

Players can of course form a party to take on the monipulators. While it was planned, monipulators can't form parties. Most monsters monipulators control are not remarkably stronger than similar monsters at that level, but where you gain strength is through the mods you apply- and certain monster types are stronger than others- like the sandworms or behemoths.

[Rosalie]

Players can of course form a party to take on the monipulators. While it was planned, monipulators can't form parties. Most monsters monipulators control are not remarkably stronger than similar monsters at that level, but where you gain strength is through the mods you apply- and certain monster types are stronger than others- like the sandworms or behemoths.

It really depends on what type of instincts the monipulator has unlocked and applied to their character. A level 90 Mandragora with only very basic instincts on it is not going to be nearly so much trouble as one with instincts really gearing towards double/triple attack/haste etc.

[Alhanelem]

It's really fun to build the strongest monster you think you can and then challenge your friends to try to beat you.