Possible level/story jumps....really?

[Nominous]

Yeah, but on the flip side of that, who the hell is buying RPGs and not expecting to have to start at level 1?

Nobody. It's not about the level they expect to start at, but the content they want access to. It just so happens that those two things are tied together, meaning you need a level jump in order to access the new content.

It's really simple- Nobody wants to buy a new game to play old content. No matter how you want to explain the concept and break it down, that remains the core. Similarly, no matter how you break it down, the only group that benefits from the lack of Jump Potions, is going to be the current subscribers. We should be considered, sure. But I'd rather everyone's friends (new and returning players) be included in the expansion fun than protect my own interests, pride, and such.

There should certainly be some requirements for using the jump potion, in the form of tutorials. But I think that's enough.