Here's some thoughts from a level 10 Pugilist in his first week of play. Maybe I just happened to choose the right class, but after I gained my first couple skills this game stopped being a 1,1,1 spamfest. It's strange to me that some people mention that the system works once you reach the twenties, but I haven't tried any other classes yet and right now what I'm playing doesn't feel terrible. Right now my combat revolves around using Light and Heavy strikes as my main attacks and using context sensitive skills and larger TP consuming skills as they become available. I'd really like to see a greater emphasis on a wider variety of basic attacks that consume varying amounts of stamina and/or TP. The combat then becomes more of a 1, 4, 2, 2, 3 type of system where the basic attack you choose to execute is actually important in the grand scheme of things. Use the wrong basic attacks and you'll have to wait longer to deal that high damage WS.

Pretty much any other MMO's I've tried use an auto attack system where the focus is only on your skill management. Basic combat actions should be just as important as the powerful skills you execute. Also I think it's of note that eventual PS3 players will be playing with only a controller and headset. I don't think that implementing auto-attack just so PC players can text chat is a good argument. If the system is designed with PC text chatting in mind then PS3 players will be dropping their controller, typing on a keyboard, picking their controller back up, rinse and repeat. Yes, they'll likely be able to play on the keyboard, but they own a PS3 and not a high end gaming computer probably in part because they like their controllers. The game's combat system should be made intuitive enough that players are able to adjust tactics on the fly. It's 2011, voice chat should be the standard by now.