
Originally Posted by
Jonnycbad
FFXI had a level cap of 75 for about 7 or 8 years, but they introcuced the "Merit System" to allow Lv75 players to accrue points to spec into new abilities, traits, spells for their jobs. Problem was, you couldn't max them all out. Instead, every job had 5 merit skills that ranged from level 0 (can't use) to level 5 (max). Spending 1 merit point unlocked the skill to use at it's weakest potency or shortest duration or longest recast. Subsequent merit points increased its efficacy or recast. Now, some players might want to spend all 10 merit points to unlock all 5 skills at level 1, while other players unlocked 2 skills at level 5 and left the other 3 locked. Regardless of what flavor you wanted, there was always a meta for every job, and 9/10 times it involved maxing out 2 skills to level 5. Any White Mage that came to party that didn't have Protectga V and Shellga V unlocked was gimped, a Dragoon without Angon maxed out to level 5 was useless, RDMs had to have at least 1 point in Dia III, Black Mages had to have 5 points in Burst II, and 5 points in Freeze II, etc.