I honestly think something has changed in the way matches are paired nowadays.....this also includes Matsuri, etc. I do tend to notice that I get matched decently these days instead of just getting thrown to the whales.....it still happens, but not nearly as often now.

From what I have seen, bracketing in Sageworld (by watching other's videos) is possibly calculated by more than just level. I can't say I personally experience this since I am max level and on S3.....which is a dead server cluster, so we almost never have a "lower tier bracket" and constantly get paired in the same with others. Its toxic to the point where there are people that talk the same smack over and over because they spend and the rest don't.

It's lame, I know, but really.....what can you do? I just turn to the "system" tab so I don't read any of those comments anymore. Saves me from people begging for a win and smack talking. Some times, it feels like this game brings out the worst in people.....which is ironic because some of the events want you to work together.