I am just curious to know why people dislike large leveling parties. This is an MMORPG (Massively multiplayer online role-playing game) and it's always nice to meet new people and gain some levels while playing. But why do people want the bare minimum for parties. Yes they are efficient but so are big parties. Plus there are bonuses for each added member. I just want to get your input. Why do you not like big parties besides that it's "slow" considering it's still faster than sitting around.
Because useless leechers who don't pull their weight simply don't deserve being partied.
Big parties are efficient for like... top tier MVP killing. Generally speaking, everyone already knows what they're supposed to be doing.
Your overall efficiency starts dropping at an insane rate as your party gets bigger for stuff like Nameless/Thors/Poring Island. If you start expanding from the base necessities, you just end up with leechers and morons getting in the way (what Ayantis really wanted to say).
I prefer solo/ultra-small parties 'cause I know I get what I want, and everyone's pulling their weight, because if they don't, the whole party is screwed.
Aslong as I get good exp and I feel like I'm doing something, I'll take any party.
HOWEVER On my priest I prolly wont party with 10 people if I'm the only priest.
Also, although you get bonus per person hitting the mob, the more people there are the less exp each one takes regardless.
I only like bigger parties if everyone is listening/focused and only if the members aren't trying to get Nameless parties while in a party with me.
My last big party was in Dark Pingus and I lost over 20m EXP trying to help/fix others mistakes.
Also, helps if you know everyone in the party.
Besides what the top two already said, if I'm priesting I prefer small parties. Big ones of people running all over, ordering buffs when I'm trying my best, and not waiting for me to buff is just too much to handle. I like small parties of friends who know what they're doing. I tend to priest for my friends when they go in Nameless. Tends to be 3-5 people, including me.
I hate being the only priest for a big party. At least half the time when I'm in a big party there are two other priests to help out, but the other half I'm the only one that can heal aside from that one person with heal clip, and no one brought pots (or chooses not to use them). @_@
Generally big parties are hard to manage. If one person doesn't listen to instructions others are bound to follow after them, and then people start dying and it gets very, very frustrating.
Smaller parties are ideal. Easy to manage, everyone is guaranteed to pull their weight, I don't have to scroll in the party menu, better exp, less buff spam in battle log, etc. Smaller parties are usually more fun to me.
I think Irx did a calculation before for new world that new world tolerates some pretty big parties before the exp divide outweighs the 10% bonus or something. However, as mentioned the bigger the party, the more likely there will be misplays. I prefer party that's only as big as necessary.
Say if it's nameless, then you probably shouldn't need more than 4 people (priest, bragi, wiz, lure. 3 works but if the lure is good, then efficiency will increase quite dramatically), unless of course the intension is to leech friends/guildmates then you just add random people after those 4 core members.
More or less what everyone else already said, plus, the bigger the party, the less the chance to get better drops. Especially if you're the one who's doing nearly all of the work, or pulling your weight and the weight of others.
Here is my opinions. I think everyone has their personal preferences. Not every party can satisfied your requirements. (And ugh, I don't like mixing the party of serious and just for fun members)
I only know two simple rules.
If I don't mind about items, exp, slow but lively, I'd go for big party. (Safer)
If I'm serious about everything, then I'd go for small party. (You might get scolded a lot /swt
Most of time, I go anything and I'll do my job properly. Who know? The party might be fun after all. :>