Overall a very good idea, but there's one point I disagree with:
Quote Originally Posted by Correl View Post
I don’t think there really needs to be a reward for this (being able to clear an end-game fight is rewarding on it’s own).
I think some sort of extrinsic motivational factor (e.g. a shiny looking armor set) would at least help getting new players started with taking their time to learn those basics.