Greetings to all. I make my first post today, a sad day it is.

A brief bio My partner and I have been playing XIV since beta! Yup, from the beginning we have grown as the game has, casting, slashing, crafting, enjoying ourselves by and large. Slow and steady we have played together whenever we can, pushing thru the UI lag, waiting on patches, loving the look of the game immensely.

We capped our primary class last night, very excited I capped my Thamaturge and my partner his Archer, ready for the Primal... right? The biggest meanest boss in the game. Ahem! The only true boss (mega-boss?) in the game (atm).

Not good enough we are told... repeatedly. Why? Could it be the "elite" types saying no? Perhaps some of the rejections were from e-types.

Could it be the difficulty of the battle? I'm a FF newbie (only VII, XIII, and here), but plenty of other games and gaming experience under my belt. And there are folks out there who don't mind players that sometimes make mistakes, don't know every weakness and battle mechanic, I have heard from them whilst we tried to get to Ifrit.

Could it be the game itself? Fanboys are shuddering, I know. But if NO-ONE will allow an ARCHER in an Ifrit battle, who is to blame? If no one wants your participation unless you have Gladiator 36 as well as your capped class, how do you get to kill Ifrit?

Reminds me of older FFXI, says my partner. Dragoon or Dark Knight anyone want them? Red or White.. which mage will get picked?

If the battle is so hard (not that we are gonna find out anytime soon) as to require a FULL party, then a diversity would seem the best option. ONLY 7 battle classes, 8 members in the battle party, but never an Archer!

So what will we do? Both get Gladiator to 36 to get "Sentinel" to just survive the battle? Then level a third class **NOT** archer, then try get 6 others to join us....

I feel defeated, we have worked so hard to level cap. I've looked forward to the end-game content and the big battle! Moogle boss is coming I hear ya say, but what if similar conditions apply... Another month or 3 getting the requisite class to appease the community that we are good enough? The community we are required to combine forces with just to get there?

Should I pay for this experience as well now? I am really upset today, this has tarnished the experience I have enjoyed all year.. I've worked HARD for all year.

If you're an archer you can't play, Archer, archer go away.

*sigh*, Faz.