There are multiple answers to this question I believe. They are definitely important, but that doesn't necessarily mean that every character needs to be a max level harvester and crafter. For example, if you were in a guild that has dedicated harvesters and crafters, it may not be necessary for you to spend time on those skills unless you just want to level them up. It may even be seen as redundant in some guilds. However, if you are a soloist, you may decide that you want a character that can harvest and craft so you can be self sufficient. This way you can save money by making your own equipment and not buying it, or you can make equipment and sell it for dappers. Then there are some guilds that may encourage you to do whatever you enjoy with your characters regardless of the guild makeup. If you enjoy crafting in MMOs, then take up harvesting and crafting, or just one or the other if you are in a guild and have dedicated harvesters to supply you with materials or dedicated crafters that you can feed materials to. So you have to ask yourself a few questions first, then make the decision.
