Why do people avoid getting better at the game?

[Eraden]

The problem goes beyond what mechanics are used in a dungeon, though.

For players to get better, they need to:
1) want to get better (instead of just wanting rewards).
2) have the physical ability to get better.
3) have resources that assist them with getting better.

The big problem is #1. How do you get players to want to improve? They're here to have fun playing a game. Put a series of obstacles with ever increasing difficulty in their way and it stops being fun to them. They quit instead (or they find ways to cheat). That's not good for a MMO that has ongoing operating costs.

Considering so much discussion revolves around better skilled players basically stuck in the same content as less skilled players for leveling alt jobs, perhaps we're tackling the problem the wrong way.

Maybe what is really needed is a second leveling path with much harder difficulty for those who want the challenge for their alt jobs. Increased XP would be the compensation for the increased difficulty.

Players who use the normal leveling paths but later decide they're ready to improve could then use the harder path to improve their skill. The increased XP may or may not be useful to them but in the situations where it isn't some other form of compensation could be found.

Mao falls under category 2. So much so that Mao scheduled to has appointsments with brain surgeon two months from now.