Required rank on all gear

[ViolentDjango]

Optimal ranks with an actual, meaningful stat-disadvantage is a brilliant system. Optimal Rank system is better than Required Rank, especially for a game where you are always switching classes.

Please do not encourage SE to remove another GOOD FEATURE the game was released with (another feature that needed ADJUSTING, not deleting).

This.

The problem isn't the system, its that the balancing of the effects isn't easily apparent and and their potency is debatable. Secondary attributes (stat boosts) should be decreased by heavy amounts (-25% at -1 the Optimal rank, significantly more as you move away from it), and defense should be 10% less than the average for gear of a particular rank outside of the gear's optimal rank.

This allows people who have high level characters but want to level lower level classes to wear their regular gear or buy higher level gear they'll eventually grow into, but be at a slight disadvantage compared to people who buy properly assigned gear.

Fun fact: Just because something gives YOU a sense of progression doesn't mean it gives everyone the same feeling. Just like how many people don't like the Optimal Rank system, many people do -- and neither side should be forced to conform to the other's whims. The current optimal rank allows for both sides to do things their way, all you're doing right now is demanding that everyone should have to do things YOUR way.

If you want to buy a new set of gear every 5-10 levels, be my guest, you get to be the "superior" player until Rank 50, but don't harsh on people who prefer buying milestone sets (say, 10-15, 30-35, 45-50) and grow into them progressively.