My predictions

The beginning is easy. It gets worse later. Even at lower levels, some CPQ parties will kick you if you can't deliver the damage. 'course if you're a cleric nobody expects you to do any, but for other classes, being useless is less excusable.

Sure, if you don't get KS'ed. Especially in a crowded server.

I have.

Yes, but if you're a Hero or an NL, for example, and you don't have "decent" damage, they won't take you. Especially with the game as glitchy as it is, adding people to your expedition no longer "can't hurt" - the more people, the more likely others are to lag and d/c.

In case you hadn't noticed, the NX way to godly gear no longer passes through MTS. It goes through cash shop for cubes, vegas, cubes, pam's, cubes, hammers, and some more cubes.

We'll have to wait and see what BB and the m.att revolution will do to mage training and partying.
Good luck and have fun!

Dude... that sure is a horrible guild... and also, that's a really pesimistic coment, it sounds as if you're saying "forget it, quit maple, you'll never be able to do anything"