So...

I don't even know if: I am doing something wrong, I am weak, or the content is dumb. I've always thought mabi was a "fight smarter, not harder" game. This rolls along and, even in basic, I am being plowed by multiaggro nonsense that one-or-two-shots me.

So... is this just bad content or am I being unfair?

"fight smarter, not harder"

Maybe before a lot of updates that came after Fighter.

There was a time where you actually had to think before attacking, now you can pretty much facedesk in front of the monsters and they'll drop dead. :/

Instant Aggro + Advanced Heavy Stander + absurdly high stats was pretty much DevCAT's solution to producing "challenge". Pretty lazy and bland method to save them from making a competent AI.

Especially during around chapter 1 stage of the game was mostly where "fight smarter, not harder" was, but post-Genesis swapped it around. You can't exactly "fight smart" when the above takes a huge control of Mabinogi's combat.

I remember when Ghasts first came out, people ran away like headless chickens after being torn apart by them xD; But yea, the Instant Aggro + Auto Defenses + High Prot/HP stats are so common now, but they can all be easily taken care of. Somewhere I think this is why there's an absurd amount of Grandmaster Bards nowadays, that +50 Music Buff Duration is basically equal to +1minute when talking about Lullaby... in one minute if you can't clear out most a room these days you're either a new player, or have been slacking/standing around dunbarton far too long for your own good.