I've played other games where you only have 1 character slot and then pay to open a 2nd slot, but it is a 1 time fee. I don't need or want more than one character, but I can see how people who do want to feel they will be punished with an annual $36 fee to do it.

Wait, $36 a year for a 2nd char? I changed my mind, that is a really very reasonable price to me...