Why do I keep seeing...

[Aaramis]

Since Plate Mail restricts head and feet equipment, Scale Mail can overpower Plate Mail considering it has better stats. For example, the first set of Plate Mail you get at around level 25 is better than Iron Scale. But it can be beaten by a full set of level 32 Steel Scale.

Understood, and I obviously take into account each set of armour when looking to upgrade.

What I'm not understanding is, for example, the discrepancies in-game. Eg. seeing a level 29 Marauder wearing iron scale (when the heavy iron, or company armour, is superior), or worse, a 37 Paladin still wearing level iron (not steel) scale....

Not being elitist or anything, but in my mind if my job is to take damage, one should try to obtain the best armour available for their level :/ In the same way that a dps character with a very outdated weapon is a poor dps. And maybe it's just my server, but I see a *ton* of tanks in scale. Hardly anyone uses the plate or "heavy" plate gear. Just seems odd and I was curious if I was missing something

[Lucavern]

I can see using scale pieces if they are upgrades from what you currently had and are level appropriate. But if we are seeing people in outdated inappropriate gear.... that is a completely different issue. The first makes sense, as the piece might be a best in slot at the level, or offer stats that make it more valuable (not sure if the latter would ever be the case though). People in outdated gear is just people being lazy/not caring. There are enough easy ways to get gear from vendors, quests (both side and main story), dungeons, etc. It is almost impossible to not have easy access to adequate gear. I'm not talking about spamming a dungeon for a full set at that level. I'm talking the level appropriate white gear.

What we have to remember is this is a game, and they have a right to play their way. What they in turn need to remember is that its a game, and we don't have to play with them if they make choices we don't agree with.

[Saccharin]

Understood, and I obviously take into account each set of armour when looking to upgrade.

What I'm not understanding is, for example, the discrepancies in-game. Eg. seeing a level 29 Marauder wearing iron scale (when the heavy iron, or company armour, is superior), or worse, a 37 Paladin still wearing level iron (not steel) scale....

Not being elitist or anything, but in my mind if my job is to take damage, one should try to obtain the best armour available for their level :/ In the same way that a dps character with a very outdated weapon is a poor dps. And maybe it's just my server, but I see a *ton* of tanks in scale. Hardly anyone uses the plate or "heavy" plate gear. Just seems odd and I was curious if I was missing something

Questing for some reason gives very little tank suitable armor it's all mostly damage stuff. Most times when I get a new quest reward the def is much lower than a piece I got 5 or more levels ago. Any instances I've run I think three times tank stuff dropped. Quest itemisation have been poorly done.