Hello Bahamut

As an Asuran refugee I've noticed a big increase in legitimate new/returning players on Bahamut, and also unfortunately a bunch of fairly recent RMT farmers running the exact same routines they run probably on every server, but especially Asura. I've come to enjoy this server and would hate to see it go that same route. Go visit Southern San d'Oria HP 1 and watch the bots run laps 24/7 doing salvage, ambuscade, and HTMB. You may enjoy increased supply of things like beitetsu or whatever, but it is only a matter of time before shout becomes polluted with non-stop merc advertisements. There are already new ML shouts popping up. I don't know if posting this will help or hurt, but I'm only bringing it up because I like you Bahamut people.

If anyone has an idea how to halt this behavior without turning into a witch hunt or griefing players, I'm all ears.

This is propaganda intended to reduce the population of Bahamut, a server which is a utopia free of mercs and RMT. Don't be fooled; only Asura suffers from the problems of long queues, yell spam, high Auction House prices, overcamped zones, etc.

Avoid Asura like the plague. Go to Bahamut if you want a pleasant and enjoyable FFXI experience.

Honestly who cares? If grown adults want to spend their money that way and not play the game, let them. You can easily block the shouts with all the filters available and they rarely impede gameplay at all. It does suck, but if SE is willing to do absolutely nothing, you shouldn't be thinking of ways to change it, its not your job.

Just venting really, because it is sad to see. As for impeding gameplay, I used to think the same way, but when zones are monopolized 24/7 like KRT for ML or Zitah for bst bot merit refills, it does effect everyone. Even worse for Salvage where there are limited instances and you can't even enter without fighting to get in.

You're right though, it isn't my job and probably nothing to do about it, which sucks.

You should team up with me Kaffy! We'll be hell on wheels~!

That is still true even on fenrir and we are half the size of bahamut.

Though I dont think we have any issues getting into salvage.

KRT is all leech all the time. Since it's underground the GMs can't see you in their search helicopters...

In terms of the MLs, there have always been shouts for that. People occasionally try to merc other stuff through shouts, but it doesn't seem to be as successful. I enjoyed the way our shell did mercs by advertising with a schedule for folks to look up here so the shouts didn't get polluted. We were also ALL real players. Shout out to the Inq. folks.

I think trying to promote any anti botting behavior starts with just spreading the word and not participating. (aka don't buy cheep stuff, don't party with people you know bot ML's).

That being said... it is a tough balance for me personally. I was a part of a shell that also did "merc" activities, and it was a blast, and people that came were allowed to participate at various levels and seemed genuinely appreciative. As someone who had returned to the game to a social shell that had only one or two other members back in 2019, I can get how people get impatient. I personally don't recommend mercing anything, as there is something fun about waiting and just meeting friends through random ambus or "lesser" content and gaining contacts that way, as I did. But I also get some folks don't have the time, they have returned to work, and I support almost anything that gets a monthly sub that keeps the game going.

There are so many ways people play this game, if you went against anyone who did any automation outside of vanilla that takes out some, gearswap, that is more, multi-boxers, people who merced or received services...

I agree with you OP that it has been an adjustment to see the % increase of people recently. I personally welcome all the new people, and anyone new or returning reading this, please have patience in your adventure/return. It is just so much fun to fail at the final bosses of some fights and then either get friends who are also struggling or figure it out and get it done. I do also hope our shouts don't go the way of Asura. I've never been off Bahamut, but sometimes my phone resets the cache and ffxiah shows me the asura shouts... Still having fun 20+ years later... amazing...