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

[Tsuga]

If having certain classes equipping gear meant for other classes is breaking the balance, then don't balance for it. Remove all the stats for all I care - it's not the issue. No one should be complaining that their GLA gear doesn't do anything for them stat-wise while they're on THM.



For example, let's toss out "favors", and just go with "suits". You get the benefits of gear when it "suits" your class; you don't when it doesn't. For every level the gear is above you, the stats are lowered by some percentage - let's say 20, that way 5 levels above you, it's completely useless, regardless of what class you are.

I think there's probably an even more elegant and balanced solution, but I think this works as a simple example.

The bottom line is that restricting gear to class and level was the simplest solution to implement, the most widely understood solution among people who play games in this genre (new or old), the optimal solution for future content and class balance, and a solution that fosters class goals and milestones (example, "I'm rank 30 gld, so now I can wear that super awesome rank 30 gld armor from that instance that I ran!").

Unfortunately that sacrificed flexibility, and "immersion" (as some people like to fall on the argument that it's "unrealistic"), in regards to a lot of gear (there will still be gear that is equip-able by everyone). But just like with the action bar, and the hate meter, this is something that most everyone will forget about in two months.