I tried to explain it on another post, it was the same when we had the last exp event that people were mostoly aiming to 107/108 while normies would aim for 105/106, increase in base exp is always strange when its gone but check this out. i can do 1/3 of the exp i was doing with no vp in the event when i had the same runes, but playing alone now no one in party.
We had 100% bonus to direct server EXP, wich means twice xp from mobs with no vp no nothing (means a mob that would give u 4b exp now gives 8b, considering no bonus at all) , then 100% bonus on vp,( exalted 5 toons with vp reached more than 400% in vp state) all that + Runes 1 month with 2 50% runes, 1 100% rune and 1 200% rune, plus the %50 xp bonus in party wich means if u were to get 10b xp in party u would now in the event get 15b, i was doing 150tri exp in 2 man party in Field Of Silence ( feoh and Dread) if i put each one alone now i can do around 60 tri an that is including castilla, cause castilla was also boosted by the event so i was getting 20tri just from 110 castilla, and now i get those 20 tri from imperial, i was exping 5% in lvl 108 now i can do 1% sorta with 3 in party, it does look like crap exp and party seems useless but its just default settings just do the math you will see, its frustrating cause if those were normal rate i would hit 110 in a month...