I agree deleveling would not fit well... I found in 11, that it didn't produce fear of death, rather frustration and anger from many players when someone messed up... all in all it brought down the experience of party play, which was inevitable throughout that game.

This is a good opportunity for me to ask; but wasn't the gear damage penalty reduced a little ways back?

I can remember losing a huge chunk of my condition % (25% I think?) every death, just after I started last year, and now I lose 10%???
Or perhaps I just died a lot when I started out haha ^^;

OP: I have to disagree, the deleveling is not a function I see as practical for this game. Let them bring in new ideas and push some of the old aside.