The thing is, as you power up, you will start run into the truly ptw crowd. You will qualify for space time finals, you will be in bracket 1 of sage, you will actually win in masuri and get matched upwards etc.

So while I'm a 80/85k ftp, I frequently run into 100k or so players or player who are close to me in power but have pure ptw stuff like six tail naruto.

On a side note, the theoretical max power of ftp rn would be around 90k power. Because my max would be around 85k and I don't plunder on principal. The 20k coupon or so plunder would have given would go a long way. There aren't all that many ptw who have reached that, thou chances are if you are there, you would run into them far more than the average 60/70k players.

Part of the problem with this game is that 1. this version is not the pilot and 2. some changes affect what is considered to be optimal play style.

Take sage for example. Before Xserver sage, there is no VALID reason to level freeze unless you are in S1/S2 etc, a handful of server that had brackets. However, because this version is not pilot, some player knows long before Xserver is talked about (in the poll) that it would be coming, and thus froze level in preparation for it. When Xserver came, those player profited. At the same time, the choice is already taken away for many player as they have level capped and some who already have enough build up exp for the next level cap.

I have nothing against the act of *ing itself. What I have a problem is sudden changes to the game that affects what the optimal action is. Instead of playing in a structured environment where you can make long term planning based on what is publicly known, it have became a crazy gamble on futures that only those who seek "insider information" of future patches/changes can benefit. That's just not a healthy game model.

Consider this more extreme example, how do you think the player base would react if class change is removed and water is nerfed so bad that it become completely useless? Those who know it coming (by the way of it enacting on CN first) will jump ship, perhaps tell a few others to jump with them. But many would end up trapped. On the one hand, many might rejoice as it is punishment for bandwagoning. On the other, it's certainly not a reasonable game change.

While not as drastic, the sage change, ninja tool change and possibly others affect the game in the same way. The game changes in a way that invalidates your past choices and efforts through no fault of your own.

Whereas I would push for power based sage 100% on the onset of Xserver, that resolve weakens everyday. Because it is my belief that player who choose to level freeze AFTER the release deserve whatever benefit the can reap from it, because they are playing under the rule given. Changing sage to power based would shaft them over. On the other hand, player who level froze before the release of Xserver shouldn't get the reward they do (again, unless they are in a server that already have bracket). However, it's not exactly their fault when the game leaks information about the future.

Except feature unlocking levels, such as level where new talents are unlocked, level does not provide any benefit other than some easy power. Lower powered player beat higher powered player due to team lineup etc every day, doesn't prove anything about levels.

All of which adds power. So if all else are the same (refine, armor etc), a player with higher level will have higher power due to extra awaken, strengthen, cultivate etc.

On the other hand, two player with exact same power but different level could have same stat.

Pay attention, he said higher level but lower power is stronger, in and of itself.