Quote Originally Posted by TomCarroll View Post
You guys know that you're giving extreme examples...

Bear with my 2009 example:

If you tried to tank anything pld/nin with less than 15% gear haste, you were performing an exercise in futility. If you were a DPS without a TP and at least 1 WS set, you were gimp.

The point I was trying to make, was that in XI, you were always just as good as your gear, because there was no other way to build your character. (Outside of merits, I guess. But I think we can all agree that the merit point system was an afterthought at best, and was no real way to build a character.)
Wait Wait Wait.

This is true only for particular event...with normal Gear (for your level) you can enjoy close to the entire game without problem.

TPS/WS set can be done and switched not only with HI-end equip piece, you can use piece buyed at the AH.

We have to say that this is possible prior to last level cap increase (that have broken all game dinamics).

I have played FFXI from the USA release and TOAU probably is the beginning of the "end".

More exp and more contents (and I like it) but TOAU start to destroy party dinamics that people can use before