Wait a minute. Let me see if I have this right. Folks are saying that Arena rating indicates skill level, but they don't want anyone with less skill (lower rating) to get the same gear stats (as opposed to gear look) as them. So what you folks who don't like the change are saying is that you have an advantage in gear and you don't want to lose that advantage? Understandable, but if all you want is recognition that you're better than the rest of us mouthbreathers, they're giving you that with unique graphical effects for your iPwn gear. So what's the problem again? Don't you want more teams around your level to fight (at least while you're climbing the ladder)? Don't you want more new folks to play against to challenge you with new and unique comps and playstyles?

This sounds suspiciously like the twink debate around the time the xp/no-xp change was going live.

I remember doing raids in DAoC into Tuscaren Glacier, Prince raids, Dragon raids and other stuff where the gear you got was for show 99% of the time as crafted 99/100% weapons were significantly better. Didn't stop us from enjoying the TG/Prince raids. Interesting to see the shift from "that was cool" to "meh, it might be cool but unless it has +1 str on it, just d/e it and gimme the shard."

I R amused.