Lag has always been an issue - at least for me. Doesn't matter what server group I'm on, but it has been since day 1. It's especially troublesome when I'm melee'ing, and a red box or circle appears at my feet. Doesn't matter how quick I am -- it's already too late. I will be out of it for like 3+ whole seconds, the circle disappears and I get hit (sometimes one-shotted). I heard there's a workaround, but it's only viable for ranged. So, I have since been slowly leveling ranged.

As far as harder lag goes... I've seen that too, usually short-lived tho, but I suspect it's those lizard guys that like DDOS'ing things. That, or a really bored and disgruntled basement-dwelling hambeast with a botnet.