Being online is way better then being offline, the game is an online game, hence "Phantasy Star Online". Online is without the most wholesome gameplay you'll experience, and to be honest I wouldn't mind losing all my items/characters to play online again (played PSO for free in the DC days and knows how good it feels, then again that was absolutely free). I mean, FSOD and BSOD are big problems but that is why there are decent servers that are more legit. Example, you wouldn't go to Vega, you would go to Alphard for safe Ragol players. And just to go a little off topic, I used to play Columbia server 7, IGN players, who are probably not safe. Mag Cells are cool because they can instantly raise either POW, ATA, MIND by 195.
EDIT: Todd, you need a new serial/Access for online (as well as 40 dollars for a BBA Adapter, and a credit card with 9 dollars down per month), yours has probably been used before. This means deleeting all your characters tied to that key, e.g., TODD would be deleted, you would have to ask SEGA for new keys and start from scratch. It has absolutely nothing to do with a new card, also that woyuld be a waste of money if you buy two 1019s for one game which takes less then 1/10 of that. And no, chances are I won't get online, don't have enough time, seriously, and my money is going to Sega Classic Collection.
EDIT: Todd, you need a new serial/Access for online (as well as 40 dollars for a BBA Adapter, and a credit card with 9 dollars down per month), yours has probably been used before. This means deleeting all your characters tied to that key, e.g., TODD would be deleted, you would have to ask SEGA for new keys and start from scratch. It has absolutely nothing to do with a new card, also that woyuld be a waste of money if you buy two 1019s for one game which takes less then 1/10 of that. And no, chances are I won't get online, don't have enough time, seriously, and my money is going to Sega Classic Collection.