I have said it many times, and still believe it to be so. FFXI is, was, and always will be a great MMO, one i enjoyed very much. The mistake they made was Abyssea. It made everything and anything else so trivial, they ruined the whole game by adding it. Went from complex fights and parties actually grouping together to suddenly "throw dps at it until it dies." Removed the risk of death with proper Atmas, and left other classes completely in the dust because of it. Was a massive mistake to add into a world as expansive and diverse as it is.