Alright, perhaps you should have been raising your Rangers. Rapid Fire is useful here because it doesn't trigger the Drain couterattack. Neitheir does Aim.

For more, check the wiki.

So I have to get my characters up one more level and then raise the rangers, all without knowing which areas are best for this...

I attempted to get to Calofisteri again coz I think where I screwed up last time was one turn forgetting who I was supposed to cast Curaga and Thundaga on, but turns out one of the enemies I THOUGHT I could beat knows Level 5 Death. In addition to enemies that cast insta-kill spells whatever your level, and Maelstrom reducing your health to single digits and forcing you to go through a whole bunch of magic or potions to heal it all.

This game is beyond unfair. Even if I can beat Exdeath I certainly won't have any fun getting to him. But I really do appreciate your attempts to help.

Well, if you think it's better for you to give up, I can't do anything about it. I guess PR made things more difficult.

FFV is the sort of game you play for fun. Not necessarily because of the story, but more for the gameplay. Kinda what FFXII and FFX are for me. If you're not having fun, eitheir you are playing the game more wrong than me or it really isn't the game for you.

I don't know why they think a game so frustratingly difficult would be fun, especially if you've played the first four. (Well, there is the third but the PR toned it down, you'd think they'd do the same here, I guess people didn't appreciate what they did with III and that's why it took so long to release it, they were turning the difficulty in the opposite direction)

Is there anything like this in IX? Are there any parts that would come across to a non-professional as frustrating rather than fun or moderately challenging?

I don't think so

I thought it over and maybe I will attempt the Freelancer thing, and max the Thief, Ninja, Black Mage, and Ranger. It will likely take weeks, and set IX off by that much longer, but I want to at least be able to say I've beaten it, and not let Exdeath win. This whole ending segment kills any and all replay value of it so this first playthrough will be my last.

I could get Syldra first, I guess. And if, in the process, I get to Level 51, go after Wendigo. But not Fork Tower, I'll avoid that place like the plague because Freelancer or no, and even if I become powerful enough to beat Calofisteri and Exdeath, there is no way I stand a chance against it.

Oh, and one more thing - I realized that one door in the phantom town leads to the Rift, or rather from it, and I also found the hidden path leading to the Black Chocobo.

I beat Exdeath the final time.

Well, I go to sleep and wake up with you beating the game. Not bad for a start of a new day

Might take a bit of a break before FFIX, but probably not long.