Why no dueling?

[Nalien]

A healer vs healer fight would literally last forever.

That hasn't been my experience with Scholars 1v1ing an OP... If both players do exactly the same thing, sure, that'd suck and go on until one runs out of MP. That doesn't happen though, just because they're on the same Job doesn't mean they're going to do the exact same thing. One can be aggressive, or conservative, one can react faster while the other makes mistakes that cost them the match. Having the same tools =/= you'll do the exact same things.

I'll admit, mixed Jobs 1v1 can be fun in Frontlines, but I simply cannot see that being the case in a duel. You know a duel is happening, you know the other player is coming for you and only you, you know nobody is going to back them, or you, up. You cannot bait them, catch them by surprise, and so on. You lose almost all the edges which allow the less favorable Job to actually turn the tables. It just becomes a version of rock paper scissors.

[Layth]

All a 1v1 duel prepares you for are 1v1 duels. They don't prepare healers to be focused by more than one person. They don't teach Paladins how to properly cover and protect other characters.

It could teach paladins to stun when a marauder uses berserk and raging strikes. Or a teach these BLMs that fire > fire > fire > alt tab to forums isn't a good PvP strategy. It's really up to the player to be able to take away useful information.

[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.

[kpxmanifesto]

Level of player toxicity would be on a very different scale. Taunting, harassment, duel invite spamming...

Not to discredit you, but this sounds incredibly subjective. SE comes down hard on harassment as it is. A single temp ban for the offending player will more than likely stop it.

[Eye_Gore]

So how about this. Want to duel. Your gear is stripped, specific duel gear issued for your class. Your main stats stay the same. Cut down some of the maps and make those the arena's. Items, gear, spells, etc, will spawn randomly when you are near. The item has a timer, uses, or wear until it breaks, as only the old worn out weapons are used for dueling. Make it hunt or be hunted. Kind of Mad Max Thunder Dome style, but a larger area. Sure it could take a while, but it could be a nice change of pace once in a while. Have a little strategy involved instead of straight up mindless face bashing.

[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.

[Atreus]

People here seem to place so little weight on how much ability really affects outcomes.