"It takes eq to make eq, and it's hard to grind your way through
money mobs, and having to buy eq you don't use in your grinding."

What's the problem here, you don't think we all ran around with slicer axes,
artemis rods and xarithos rings at some point?

If you wanna play, you climb the fucking ladder, progress your gear, and
eventually get into a "real" party. Or then again, make your own party and
learn the game.