Why no dueling?

[Nalien]

Also, ilevel sync would be absolutely retarded.

Honestly, given you seem to want duels for practice (Ultimatecalibur pretty much covered why that doesn't work, so I wont bother) I'd love to know why, given PvP is ilevel capped. What sense is there practicing on a i130 Black Mage against a i80 Dragoon? All that does is give miss information, like how many nukes it takes to kill them, or how many hits you can take. If you're both capped at the same level, like you would be in the regular PvP you're practicing for, it gives a much better base to practice from.

I would actually say Wolves' Den is there for practicing. 4v4 lets you learn how classes work with and against each other and is far more useful than learning how quickly a good Marauder can wreck any mage 1v1. Duels have never been about practice, they've always been about settling arguments or showing off, both historically and digitally.

[Layth]

What sense is there practicing on a i130 Black Mage against a i80 Dragoon?

If a player doesn't have enough awareness to not voluntarily put themselves in that situation, or at least be able to recognize it when it happens, then practicing PvP isn't going to work for them. They'd have bigger problems holding them back.

Though, the reason why PvP ilvl sync is garbage (in all situations) is because MMOs are 90% gear progression. Being synced to an ilvl that's lower than myth gear (which we gathered well over a year ago) takes that away.

It can stay in FL where it belongs, so that everyone can keep their equal level playing field mini game for capping tombs. But it needs to go when actual PvP grows or the community will continue to die out, since PvP focused players aren't going to flock to casual content.

[Nalien]

But it needs to go when actual PvP grows or the community will continue to die out, since PvP focused players aren't going to flock to casual content.

iLevel caps don't make content casual. They mean when you win, the loser can't go "We'll your gear was better". What makes PvP casual is the complete lack of any form of long term scoring/leaderboards/tournaments outside that worthless thing on the Lodestone and what players can try to hobble together themselves with the mess that is Wolves' Den. Reason #1 why "We have new Frontlines planned and a Frontlines Roulette for you in 2.5!" doesn't instill much faith in me... They really should be working on Wolves' Den right now, but I guess Frontlines is more popular...

Still, being on equal grounds gear-wise doesn't make something casual. It makes matches fair.

[Layth]

iLevel caps don't make content casual. They mean when you win, the loser can't go "We'll your gear was better".

This is entirely false since you can join FL being lower than i80.

[Nalien]

This is entirely false since you can join FL being lower than i80.

That isn't an argument for "iLevel caps make it casual", that's an argument for "Frontlines should have an iLevel requirement", and it really should.

A fair match still =/= a casual one, though.

[Layth]

That isn't an argument for "iLevel caps make it casual", that's an argument for "Frontlines should have an iLevel requirement", and it really should.

A fair match still =/= a casual one, though.

The moral change made things fair.

Ilevel sync doesn't make the game fair. In reality it only makes it unfair to people who are over i80 by making that effort null. On top of that it just creates stagnation.

I'm shocked that people don't want gear having an impact in a genre of games that are designed around gear progression.

[Nalien]

The moral change made things fair.

They really didn't. Moral changes just make PvP progression completely redundant. Why get i55, i70, i90, i100 when only i100 PvP matches i110 PvE? Easier to avoid redundant stats in PvP with PvP gear, but that's it.

Ilevel sync doesn't make the game fair. In reality it only makes it unfair to people who are over i80 by making that effort null.

I'm really starting to doubt you know what fairness is... It simply is not a fair contest to match up an i80 against an i130. Is it unfair that your i130 doesn't do anything? Sure, but that doesn't really effect the fairness of the match now, does it?

Duels have historically always been about fairness. You both pick a pistol, walk equal steps away, turn and shoot. The idea that a duel should be held between two people of vastly different skill sets (Jobs) and with different equipment (iLevel) is utterly absurd. That would be like one contestant wearing full body armor armed with an assault rifle "dueling" someone in the nude armed with a water pistol... It's an utterly absurd suggestion, and hiding behind the excuse that it would be fair because "I earned my assault rifle and body armor" is pathetic at best.

We've already had SEs attempt at gear progression based PvP. It's called Wolves' Den, and it is a complete and utter failure. One of the main reasons people were initially turned off PvP in this game (never to return) was because of the fairness of Wolves' Den matches. If you were outgeared it was very unlikely you'd win, and losing because your opponent grinding gear more simply isn't fun. Individual skill is the only thing that should matter in PvP, not "Who has the better gear/Job". You can cry about your gear being made "worthless" all you like, it doesn't change that fact.

On top of that it just creates stagnation.

Frontlines is doing perfectly fine, queues can take a bit but I manage to play regularly. Meanwhile Wolves' Den, where gear progression can play a part, is utterly dead. Which causes stagnation again?

I'm shocked that people don't want gear having an impact in a genre of games that are designed around gear progression.

I PvP for fun, not to obtain gear. Leave that PvE mentality in PvE please. If I wanted a gear treadmill I'd be in Coil instead.