I have read a few guides about what is current, and it sounds like most everyone exp's in full alliance in Abyssia and that a PLD tank isn't really needed.  What subjob to PLD use there, /nin /war or maybe /dnc?  I guess I will probably have to get my subjobs all up close to 50 if I plan to take something to 99.  Does BST get many invites to those alliances?  And I read, and noticed as I kind of wandered through some areas, that nobody uses the low level areas anymore like the dunes.  So how far do people typically solo nowadays?

Areya is the best at ffxi guidance!

We're not nearly as active as we used to be, mostly thanks to people moving to FF14, and at times the LS list is a little sparse.  That said, I don't see any problems if you wanted to join.  From the sounds of it, you might need a little guidance on how to catch back up.

Hello, my main characters name is Zeroryoko1974.  I am reactivating it after several years hiatus during which time, my former server apparently was closed.  Here is the information about my character:  F Elvaan Sandoria Rank 10 75Pld/62bst/37War/37nin/32Whm/30dnc/20Mnk/16Thf/15Smn/14Rdm/13Drk/12Rng/13blu/6Blm/2Sam/2Drg/1Brd ZM13 ACP11 BST & PLD AF 5/5 PLD Relic 3/5 COP 5-2 Dynamis Vhazl all avatar except Diablo, and Fenrir

I am up for most anything, but I haven't been on in several years, so it may be awhile before I am capable of some of the newer stuff.  I would really like to finish the Rise of Zilart and COP missions.  I really enjoy the story stuff from those. 

Getting experience on jobs is one area where things are radically different than they used to be!

In the old days:

Good luck getting a random invite on most melees!  Most of them ended up having to make their own parties.

And forget about solo on most jobs, the exp rate was just awful, and especially before WotG (which let /DNC become an option) it took forever to heal the damage you sustain just taking on a DC.

Building a party?  Well, if there's no Paladins or Ninjas seeking (or Warriors at lower levels), you had no tank!  And most people refused to go without a Bard and/or a Red Mage!  Ballad and Refresh to sustain the fighting.

And your puller needed to know how to pull!  It's a lost art these days to know how to manage a camp and keep cranking out those exp chains.

Glory be unto ye who could consistently get Chain #5 (or #6, even) !  Often it would require the mages managing mp carefully to have enough in the tank to fight that last battle.

And of course, who didn't at one point angrily lash out at the Beastmaster who stupidly decided to move into your camp?

Knowledge of all the good camps in level ranges was a must!  And when someone overleveled the camp, they'd often have to find a replacement in town to come out and take their spot.

Don't forget the glory that is the SATA Skillchain!  One DD would first voke, WS, then the THF or DRK/THF or SAM/THF or whatever would close the SC placing hate squarely on the tank.  Then if there was a BLM or such, a massive MB!  Then with the monster half dead, the rest of the fight would be storing up TP for the next one!

Speaking of famous exp camps, who doesn't remember some of these?:
The worm lake in Qufim?  Watch out for Banshees at night!
The mandy camp behind the wooden fences outside of Kazham?  Goblin train!
The entrance to Garlaige Citadel?  Don't pull a bat on the other side of a hole!  And don't fall!
The egg sack room in CN?  Oops, did your mage accidentally Dia a lizard?
The secret room in CN?  That evil glowly green tunnel!  (Doesn't exist now)
Crab camps at Kuftal?  Oops, Guivre popped!
Robber Crabs at Boyahda Tree?  Don't hit the bunnies!
Leypoint Lesser Colibri camp?  Don't open up with Sidewinder!
The Torama camp at Labyrinth of Onzozo?  And of course the fun that is fighting Ose when it popped.
The waterfall room down in Boyahda Tree?  Steelshells, Processionaires, and Darters!  (Also doesn't exist now)
Decorative Weapons in sky?  Home of the original arrowburns!

There's plenty more of those, but thought I'd stop there!

Nowadays, between Abyssea parties, Trust NPCs, Fields of Valor, and Records of Eminence, experience is definitely a lot easier to gain than the old days.

Oh look.  It's one of those threads where we old players ramble about our FFXI experiences.  All sorts of things the newbies of today will never get to experience!  I'll get us started off.

I'm sure many of you remember the old monster trains.  Goblin Smithies trained to the Yhoator Jungle zone, killing all the parties on the way back!  What about the evil Wingrats trains in Garlaige Citadel?  Or those evil crawler or beetle trains in Crawlers' Nest.  Or the crab trains in Kuftal Tunnel (and occasionally, Guivre!).

Or, remember when endgame gear included items like Optical Hat, Haubergeon, or Scorpion Harness?

What about 18 person alliances doing 30-cap Promyvion climbs?

Then there was the infamous "Rol-Mart", the huge crowd of people bazaaring in Rolanberry Fields outside of Jeuno to avoid the Jeuno tax.  (Bazaar taxes are totally gone now, and Port Jeuno is the usual spot.)

How about the times wasted sitting at Fafnir pop, 28 minutes of boredom, 2 minutes of stress when the window was ready?  Only to lose the claim half the time to a stunbot someone else was using?

And once upon a time, the foods of choice were items like Meat Mithkabobs, Melon Pies, and Roast Mushrooms...

Speaking of Optical Hats, Hakutaku runs were always one of those things you had to suffer through.

Let's not even get started about the craziness that was old Dynamis...

Looking back now, so many things have changed, and these types of experiences are long gone.  Almost kind of miss them.   ..Almost.

w00t! 12 years!

cool