Quote Originally Posted by Binahel View Post
Fun to explore?
Did you explore the area? it's just a small isle with so surprises - just a few houses. I explored it all and there is nothing special but a NPC that gives a buff.
I also saw various NM and so far they're just blue fates with nothing special.
We did and our FC group had a lot of fun doing so. Searching and finding the spots Krile mentioned, looking for and optimizing secluded farm spots, just trying to see anything and everything. And idk what kind of NMs you've been doing but saying that they're "just blue fates with nothing special" makes me wonder if you truly did more than the 1-2 starting ones. Especially NumberJ and Callisto come to mind thus far.



Quote Originally Posted by Binahel View Post
Freedom in what sense?
You MUST go with people of the same level, forced to get better exp on an endless chain. this is not freedom - you can't do it in any other way if you want to get the crystals. Sure, you can solo at a low speed but that's not what I would call freedom. I really fail to see the freedom in a content that locks you being in party and chaining 1 mob after the other.
Freedom in the sense of having multiple ways to progress. First and foremost, it's nonsense that everyone in the group has to be on the exact same level and getting people to catch up into a somewhat reliable range is super easy.
You can absolutely solo or at least duo farm and keep the chain going easily. You can also choose between AoE'ing mobs of your own level and taking on way higher level mobs one after the other - AoEing gets you considerably more crystals while highlevel mobs get you levels faster - THAT is freedom, no matter how you slice it.