....that you can go ballistic about

I do support the OE-change with 14.2 but I think Funcom can go further.

The one big problem that I have with the current OE isn't that people get ganked in PvP or such. What I'm worried most about it that it takes aways so much from the game. How much of all the stuff out there is actually used? And then only used for stepping. I would say 90%. Why is that? It's because the buffs do the jobb much better.

You don't have to evaluate and select those items you think would help your charcter best. You just slapp them on, get big buffs and equip that weapon. And then take them off and forget about them. The exception to this are those items that raises nanoskills because you have to meet the req for nanoscasting.

If Nelebs coat modyfied weaponskills instead of nanoskills would sold,enf etc. use one? Don't think so.

So here is my suggestions:

* Make everything, I mean everyting, that you wear above your current buffed skill (Skill, buff, +mods) stopp working. The gun won't shoot. Those NCU:s are gone and the buffs with them. The armour turn to crap. and so on.

* Separate debuffs from buffs. This is my main point. A debuff don't have to be the antithesis of a buff. Make the effects from debuffs different from the effects from buffs.

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Example 1. Soldierdude have a basic skill in, say, pistol of 500. He buffs himself with the general pistol buff to 520 and equips a gun with that requirement. Then Traderjohn hits him with a deprave that lowers his skill by 100 . He still can use the pistol with less effect. Maybe it hit and crit less (depends on evades vs skill and such).

Example 2 After a while the general buff wears off and Soliderdudes skill+buffs+mods drops back to 500. Thats 20 below req and the pistol suddenly cease to function until you buff up again.
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*Disable implants while using clinics. No more implant stepping (Boy, Am I gonna take flak for that one). If you want fat implants raise treatment. And yes, everybody dont have green treatment but that how it should be. It's the same with almost every skill in the game. We can't have it all.

*Treat Nanos in exactly the same way. If you dont meet the requirements (Skill, buff, +mods) you cant cast it. But if you're debuffed you cast them with less effect. Less heal, bigger chance of getting resisted, less damage, slower DoT:s etc.

*100% damage in PvP.

*No cap on specials.

*More longlasting versions of buffs. Why not 2hour generals at higher qls?

*Lower MOB effectivness.

*Make some class balancing.

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The effect of all this changes are definitve positive, I think. Items in the game will be worth much more. You have to aquire and wear special items to equip better armor and weapons, not just get a big wrangle. It will also level the ql curve. Your equipment will be much closer to your level so you won't flatten out after lvl130.

It will also be much simpler to introduce new cool items AND nanos in the game without having to worry to much about the overall effect.

You still can OE if you have friends keeping buffs running. But it's would be more of a gamble. You'll have to switch weapon/armor if the buffs run out. But you won't have to switch due to a debuff.

Well, flame on. I can heal.

Dr. Varsel.