Level sync

[Mychael]

Actually, not to debunk your example lightly, but in XI, I can think of many scenarios where higher-level gear was better even under the ridiculous penalties from level sync. If I remember correctly, that Errant Houpp..whatever! I never could spell it!--That errant body piece that I sold after AF+1 was pretty awesome for level sync 30. Contributing to my point about how, without any penalty for sync, high level players might be preferable even to the ones that need a lower-level party.

The effect this will have on players who "stockpile" their gear (I did this in XI) will be almost completely dependent on the effect Level Sync will have on higher-leveled gear. In XI, it was all case-specific; it was still worthwhile to have low-level gear, but it was admittedly never necessary. Having a set for each possible level restriction was a thing of the past (I had a WHM set for every 10 levels until they added level sync), but that's less of a problem with "Level Sync" as it is with the system of gear scaling under level restriction that they added simultaneously. Before that update, the system was simple. You could only wear the gear that you could naturally wear at the level you were restricted to. But, only certain zones and fights were restricted.

In the case of penalties for level sync, the similarity to powerleveling point made is completely valid, but so would be the question of "Why don't you just PL?" Admittedly, (unless we're talking rank 50) your friend would catch up faster if you weren't gaining exp.

Level Sync was also often used as a way to maximize XP. I remember I was lucky enough to meet up with a snobby elitist who invited a member of the perfect level for that E. Ronfaure [S] ladybug camp, and kicked them as soon as they found a rep of the perfect level again. I felt awful, but that was the best xp I'd ever seen (pre-abyssea...) outside of TPburn, manaburn, or a kick@$$ merit party.

As for the assertion that people would rather play in their level range... This is probably true, for their first job to 50. After that, it's going to get more and more like a system of finding the fastest way to 50. That's not wrong, really. But inevitably, not all areas will be created equal, and some will take precedence. As someone else said, this will not pose a problem for those that don't mind staying in the same areas, but will certainly be a problem for those that want to party AND move to a variety of places.

Other than that, I like most of your ideas, but it's just a delicate issue. No matter how SE implements Level Sync (or if they scrap it alltogether) there will be a large number of people upset.


EDIT: I was just laying in my bed thinking--didn't SE put out some caps in XI with their Gold World passes that offered level sync of just one player to their buddies? Guide Beret and... Mandragora Beret?Sprout Beret. Perhaps these items could be obtainable, not signing up with a code from a friend, but just as items with a limited number of uses that could be replenished over time? Maybe a NPC could "recharge" your enchanted item once a day, and it would give 3-10 enchantments, each of which would last the duration of a party?

An item with an enchantment that lowers the levels of their party members to match theirs, or something of the sort?