Progressing through SoD's raid tiers was one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences I've had, even more so than in EQ live in many instances- because of the smaller raid size, everyone has a more important role than in live, and your actions or lack thereof will significantly affect the chance of defeating more difficult targets.
There is so much raiding content, that you can easily fill up an entire year of raids to experience it all to the fullest.