Is boosting becoming a problem?

[Imoye]

People are paying 40M for a run in T13. While I'm not particularly into the making gil, I fail to see how the sheer amount of people buying these boosts are able to obtain such a ridiculous amount of gil legitimately in such short time spans and then willingly spending it on a simple boost run.

It also adds a shady side to the economy, spiking market prices on items that are in high demand.

Boosting makes content trivial and encourages shortcuts and cheating. It's a huge business in this game and in my opinion one that needs to be dealt with.

Boosting is so attractive because it's by far the easiest way to obtain gil that requires no effort beyond knowing the fights. It's illegitimate (imo) and causes problems long term when such mentality gets widespread and widely accepted as a means of clearing content.

My main concern isn't gold sellers or anything, but the kind of toxic community stuff like this creates.

What do you guys think?

[LaylaTsarra]

I doubt anyone who has actually had to earn 40 million would pay that amount for a T13 clear. I have mixed feelings about clear sellers. Personally I don't think there is much you can do about it other than perhaps prevent them from advertising in party finder.

[Able]

I really couldn't care less if people want to buy clears. I'd never do it. But, people have different priorities. I know a few full-time crafters who buy all their clears for story purposes. And they earn their gil legitimately. Obviously, RMT appears to be rampant on this game. So, I'm sure some people are buying gil to buy clears.

[Jamein]

I have no real issue with people who sell clears. The only argument should be is they HAVE to do it with the buyer dead, or alive whatever, and NOT via having one of the static members login to that persons account.

Other than that, If someone wants to sell it, and someone wants to buy it, knock themselves out. The only issue really is where is that gil for the clear coming from, did they earn it, or did they give our little RMT friends a visit.

[Cold_Raven]

Boosting makes content trivial and encourages shortcuts and cheating.

I agree that it encourages shortcuts and cheating. But in a way that makes me say "who cares?"
I don't agree that it makes content trivial.

I think it makes content trivial for the person buying the clear.
But, really, it doesn't make content trivial for anyone else at all. Which again makes me say "who cares?" to the whole thing.

It is extremely easy to completely ignore these people and experience the challenge of the content the way it is yourself with your group and continue on as if it doesn't matter.

The only way I can see how it "matters" is if you get your jollies from having gear that no one else does.
If that's the case, I move right back into my "who cares?" position because this is just not something I concern myself with.
Personally, I get my jollies from completing content and getting better gear. There's no extra "and comparing it to others that don't have the gear" step.

My main concern isn't gold sellers or anything, but the kind of toxic community stuff like this creates.

What kind of toxic community stuff?
Is it something that isn't extremely easy to ignore? Like someone bragging about their gear? I don't consider that toxic, just another 12 year old who plays the game. I don't think we can expect to remove all 12 year olds from playing the game...

[Cirgellon]

I've only played a couple MMOs but this is the first one where I've seen something like this. The other games I played never had anyone sell raid clears. Where did this come from? It seems kind of silly to me.

[Darra]

It's not becoming one, it always has been a problem when you look at it purely from an RMT perspective. This is by and large a design problem. When you lock new content behind older content that's unbeatable for players for whatever reason, you create demand. Rather than discuss what players are or aren't doing, maybe make demands of SE, demand the new raid dungeons aren't going to be gated like Coil is with T5+T9 being the gates. Demand they make it impossible in a raid to lock a player outside so the other 7 can safely carry them. Demand SE stop putting instant death rings of fire around final boss arenas so that players can suicide. These mechanics really serve no legitimate purpose anyway.

[Jamein]

I've only played a couple MMOs but this is the first one where I've seen something like this. The other games I played never had anyone sell raid clears. Where did this come from? It seems kind of silly to me.

Mainly because content is gated behind old content. T5/T9 and ex primals etc. You to have completed them to move on to the others.

The expansion sounds like this will be fixed though, with Alexander normal mode being much easier than coil, and Alexander hard mode being harder, so everyone can experience the raid, just not everyone can get the hard mode loot.