SE - Default 3rd Retainer before Fees

[Sunarie]

And yet people are falling all over themselves for a 1 time use potion to be added to the mogstation for real money.

Right, it's cosmetic and has nothing to do with changing the gameplay, or giving people an advantage. Precedent has also been set for race/name/faction/server changes to be in a real money shop. Those things have historically not been offered for free, save for server transfers for extremely high pop servers that are having issues, or for servers that are being closed.

I'm not saying it makes sense, or even that it's right.. I'm saying I'm not surprised by the uproar because SE isn't doing what's considered normal for a sub based game. I, personally, dislike the extra retainers because of the venture system. That's really the only bit that gives those paying a viable leg up (and frankly, I don't care how small or large people think it is.. it's a leg up, doesn't have to be game breaking for me to dislike it). Others aren't going to like it for just being something additional to pay for when that same something has never been behind a pay wall in their previous sub based games.