Why does rank matter in a pt?

[ArcticZero]

I have to ask this cause im just getting started and it is confussing the hell out of me. I just hit lvl 11 lastnight.. and I have been joining more and more parties.. but I have been getting harrassed cause my rank is still 1.

I have not done the quests.. and frankly don't plan to do to many of them.. I hate the running around talking to people crap.. If i need to kill something fine.. but run to this person then run to that person takes to much time and I only have limited gaming time.

I have all spells up to my level.. the best gear around.. I use food.. I know how to manage my hate already.. I know how to bind and get away.. but someone wants to tell me im noobish cause I don't have a higher rank..


Does rank make you better then someone else.. i mean I have no clue here..

[Norelco]

No...

Not unless you plan on getting into PTs that form specifically for missions or other quests. But considering your current level I'd say those people are just full of shit.

[Cali]

I have never heard of people complaining people at lv11 even without subjob, for ranks...

But at higher lvl, like 30-ish, and your rank is still 1, you will really get looked down at...

[Nixles]

Rank should not matter to a party.
Tell them to sod off.

You will have to improve your rank, eventually, to kill the dragon to get rank 3, go up the tower to get rank 4, and then rank 5 and the air ship pass.
But since you're only level 11 now, there's no point in worrying.
Just continue to play the game well, and have fun.

[Narru]

A PT with people all Rank 3 is more attractive than a PT with people all Rank 1 - plain and simple. I kinda look at it like this: every Rank level means that you've gotten a character to your Rank # x 10 levels. So a Rank 1 would have gotten some character to level 10, Rank 2 would have gotten some character to level 20, Rank 5 - level 50, etc...

Not very scientific, but a good general rule for me. But obviously, I won't make a judgement until I see you in action. If you have all your spells, all your gear, and eating food, I'd consider you a good player But looking in the /search menu, my first impressions come from the stats there: level of main/ level of sub (if you even have one)/ rank/ race. Then when you show up, I check gear for another set of impressions, etc.

[Dux]

At the moment I wouldn't worry too much about Rank.

However later on people will definately be looking at your Rank. Try to remember you are playing an on-line game with real people and these people will expect a certain level of commitment / involvment from the people they play with (you). Rank is one easily visible sign that you are "interested" in the game and take the time to stop the EXP grind and explore the game / plot/ other areas.

Many people resent having to acquire rank but I personally find the Rank mission to be of a far superior gaming experience than the standard EXP gaining. There is an excellent plot to FFXI and its nice to acquire more Rank as you feel like you have acheived something when you complete them.

If you do choose not to raise your Rank then expect a negative reaction that will increase and increase as you gain levels. In the extreme you may reach a point where nobody wants to party with you.

On a personal note, by level 40+ I was not inviting anybody below Rank 3 and now I look for Rank 4 as a minimum but 5 is preffered.

[CoalChamber]

At my level I prefer to invite people of Rank 5, so that they can airship and makes travel faster, doesn't really affect my decision at all since I never form PTs. >.> I have a set PT as of now. It's just my personal preference. Also, Being Rank 5 is so fun, I mean, you get to ride the airship so your mobility is drasticaly increased.

[Tokri]

As stated earlier, Rank becomes important at later levels, but not at lvl 11. When I form PTs, I am extremeley hesitant to choose people with low rank, especially melees. It just shows your experience in the game. For later ranks, you need parties to complete them, and it shows you are a skilled party member if you can do some of these ranks. It shows that you are a capable member for a party, basically.

[ArcticZero]

Ok I can agree that in the upper levels you need rank to show your party skills and ded to the game..

by 20 I will have rank 2 just not for a few more levels.. my time is better spent getting to a level im of better use to a party..

guess I need to get away from bastok it seems...

[Roldarin]

People need something to guide them as to the approximate skill a person has.

There aren't many visible factors. Basically subjob level, subjob choice, weapon choice, rank, what general armor you have.

People draw generalizations from those various things. Its a statistics thing. They are trying to reduce the risk of a crappy player. Does that mean they are always right? No. As a general rule I do anything I can to remove hints that I'm not a dedicated player. You don't have to do anything you don't want. But parties don't have to invite you either.

[Macht]

Not only does it show your experience, but people with higher Ranks are able to contribute more conquest wise. The lower your Rank is the shorter you are able to hold a signia, this isn't good because if you loose a signia fast and don't refresh it then each incurred death from you is actually a penalty against the nation.

This is part of the reason why on the Fairy server the Kolshushu (ms) Region can't be held for more then a week from a nation. Weather you have a signia or not your death means more points to the beastmen, so if you are able to sustain a signia longer then even if you die the kills you make afterwards will makeup for it to keep the Region under a nation's control.

That is why a player at rank 1 and lv. 11 who should be able to get rank 2 is looked down on.

[ArcticZero]

You think everyone to touch the game walks around and talks to every npc.. or reads from front to cover thru the instruction booklet.. I mean what you say is elitest bullshit.. its a game you need to give people some cushion to learn the game and whats going on.. if they get rank two by 20 seems fine to me.. I mean starting level people lvl right outside the city. how would your nation not control that area...

[Mikasa]

arcticzero,

to be quite honest, i agree with you 100%. I fucking hate all the running back and forth, talking bullshit.

But let me be frank, you have to do them. By the time you hit lvl 55~ and start going to altepa, you are REQUIRED to be able to use airship and have all the teleport crystals.

At that time, if you are not AT LEAST rank 5, you will be looked down on, and to be honest, you wont get many invites.

people don't want to deal with, "oh, im sorry, i cant use the airship" etc....

I'm just offering friendly advice, take it how you want.

but i recommend, bite the bullet and do them.

[Frarinalga]

Originally posted by ArcticZero
You think everyone to touch the game walks around and talks to every npc.. or reads from front to cover thru the instruction booklet.. I mean what you say is elitest bullshit.. its a game you need to give people some cushion to learn the game and whats going on.. if they get rank two by 20 seems fine to me.. I mean starting level people lvl right outside the city. how would your nation not control that area...

Are you bastokan?
Any race should be able to get rank 2 by level 10. In fact, any Bastokan should be able to get to mission 2-3 by level 10.
You can't afford to have a selfish attitude in this game. He isn't saying elitest bullshit, he's telling the truth. I'm only level 32 and people already pick people based on rank. Luckily I'm rank 4. It's rewarding to know that my rank is higher than most people at my level.

[Caspian]

I didnt get to rank 2 until just the other day. Im a lvl 12 thf and lvl 11 war. I've never had anyone in any of my pt's say a word to me about being lower in rank. They're right though, the higher your rank, the longer you can hold signet. I don't say this from the point of helping your country to take more land, but to point out that the longer you hold it the more crystals you can get w/o having to refresh it, as well as being able to gain conquest points faster (which can get you some pretty cool shit at no cost to you as far as gil goes). As far as the post about being able to do 2/2 before 10 or whatever was said, that is true, but im not worrying about working on 2/2 until im closer to being able to take on the dragon in 2/3 (which i was told would be about 20-25). I dont see a point in rushing 2/2 at my lvl. I'd have to find a party to go that far north in Wadi and its much better to pt in Valkurm at my lvl than Wadi, and doing it now doesnt really do anything for me at this point. I still wont be able to move up rank in atleast 10 lvl's and at this point it will cost me more time or money (if i buy it at the AH). Long story short I'm basically restating what most others have. It's nice if you can move it up quickly but dont worry about it at this lvl. I dont blame the higher lvl's for wanting someone at 5 just for the airship pass. The only other real benefit is having signet for longer when pt'ing in lands not controlled by your homeland.
Also, ask questions and ask for help from your friends on your server. I'm sure I've bugged the shit out of a few of my friends on Fairy, asking them how to do stuff or help me with things, but they are always more than happy to help.
BTW, Fetichism sucks. Actually one of my friends was a lvl 30 thf and he just ran around w/ me in Konshchtat killing quads to get what I needed.
Good luck though man.