Quote Originally Posted by zaviermhigo View Post
Party grinding isn't about killing the same mob over and over again in the same place, its about learning the class you're playing, and learning strategies to do with others. If fostering better relationships with other players becomes boring to people then why even play an mmo?
Bringing up FFXI again, but sorry, nothing in FFXI's party grind taught me how to be a good player.

As a BLM, the only spells I ever cast were Blizzard and Thunder, and it was on magic bursts. I had no reason to cast enfeebling spells, the only food I used was INT food (marron glace was it?), and I only ever sat in one spot at the back of the party waiting for people to bring mobs to me. Enfeebling and everything else was brought by the red mages, white mages, bards, whatever. Didn't have to deal with MP or hate management because things died fast and couldn't kill me anyways. It wasn't until I was already at end game that I was forced to learn the intricacies of BLM, like kiting, proper enfeebling, using different spell elements, cookies vs MP food, full out gear swaps, hate management, etc.

There was never any real challenge thrown at people while leveling in FFXI. Grinds of any kind are always, always reduced to the easiest and fastest ways to do something. It's the complete opposite of challenge, sprinkled with a lot of tedium.