Required Class/Rank failed - Can we have Optimal Rank and Favoured Class back?

[AdvancedWind]

Because unfortunately the community of any given game, much like real life, is composed 60/40 (being generous) of morons/not-morons. Required Rank/Class gear would be like if product warning labels actually physically restrained someone from doing stupid things. It keeps most people from making stupid decisions they otherwise would have. Even with this system, people will still choose the wrong gear but at the very least they'll have class/level appropriate equipment.

Then we might as well make Final Fantasy Mystic Quest Online if we are going to remove features just because there's room for error.

Name an upside to "favored gear" aside from "I don't want to switch gear/buy new gear every 5 levels" and "I want to look purdy".

I like how (almost) everyone against the optimal level system only consider the extreme situations; Like I said, with the stats now working properly, no level 50 conjurer will be wearing gladiator gear for any reason besides town aesthesics, simply because it will suck.

Let's use some different examples, shall we?

- A level 35 GLA could upgrade his level 30 weapon for a level 37. heck, he could even max the spiritbond for that weapon and, as he reaches level 37, materialize it and meld it with another L37 weapon as he reach the proper level.

Then, he reaches level 38 and thinks "hum..I'm a bit bored, gonna rank up my PUG now" and switches to his L32 PUG. But *gasp* the only gear he has with him right now are L35sh....no problem, it's just a bit weaker for the time being.

A bit ahead, he finds a mining node. Being a R40 MIN, he switches classes and goes for a quick mining session. However, he failed to notice an aggressive monster, who attacks him...but he didn't have all his gear stripped due to changing classes, it just became less effective, but still effective enough to soak up some damage and allow him to run away.

And he did all that without stressing over his inventory with 3 entirely different gear sets just to do such trivial activites! This, was / is the beauty of the optimal level system. I know I will miss those times.