When your opponent is so geared to the max almost all your options are taken away - most likely a 'foil' or 'bane' class to yours. Sometimes eq difference overrides even the most tactically able players.
Rarely in this circumstance does one single piece of eq make the difference, but rather that your suit as a whole needs an upgrade.
I'm unsure if I'd like everything to be non-rare though. I'd prefer we just beef up non-rares to an acceptable level.
L-A
Exactly what I want.
I have an idea that will make a couple of things happen.
Idea: Increase the affects/stats on items that are BOUGHT from shops.
1. Make new items that are close enough to decent rares (aka the tit fullplate) that can be bought from the shops in the towns. (sure they can be the more obscure towns if you like in some instances).
2. Make the new items cost a relatively large amount of gold. (nothing comes easy in life right?)
This will have multiple effects.
Firstly is that gold can be made by anyone, at any time. So its not a rare commodity at all.
Secondly it will increase the values of rares that are already in circulation. Having been in KBS and so forth I can tell you that selling a set of boots of spell absorption for under 150K is a bit **BLAH ** in every sense of the word.
In conclusion it will do a couple of things:
Even the playing field for the small cost of gold.
Give everyone the ability to suit in what should easily be a combat suit.
Give gold a purpose in this mud. (it doesnt really have one now.)
Its late and I cant think, the idea is all there, maybe just a little jumbled.
-A
I really like Aulians idea. Preferably, I would like to see the game head towards a more skill based situation, with having only unique items, and characters only able to have on unique item in their possession (either on their person, or wearing it/wielding it, you get the point). With the way the system is currently setup, it is not balanced to do so, but I think through a lot of hard work, effort, and enthusiasm (if it were to take off), it could be done.
I'm with Aulian on this one.. make it easy to get a decent suit of saves or hit/dam with the cost of gold, which will cause people to have to farm for a suit at least. But it will even the playing field for people who don't have a shot at getting a full suit of rares.
Well I thought it was a good idea too.
Oh yeah? Why don't we just go ahead and called it AulianMUD while we're at it? And also, lets just give everyone the goto command and we'll have 100000hp base... same with mana and move and just work from there. Yeah, good idea Aulian, loser.
Well, would could call it GRIMmud and auto-rage-delete characters after a bad pk death.
<3 you man. 
I like Aulian's idea.
This still wouldnt stop the more eq savvy individuals from opening your store bought armor like a tin can.
I really believe the issue would be solved if people wouldnt horde armor, logging off when enemies come around, or having multiple 50's all decked with unique and rares.
or having multiple 50's all decked with unique and rares.
I have long been of the opinion that this is the biggest problem, followed very closely by non-rare eq simply not being competitive and the gaps in power between good and great EQ.
I always play one main character, and if I make a second one it is of a type that is opposite in stat requirements than my main.
Mainly this is to keep from taking my own rares, heh, but in truth if people would stick with one, maybe two characters we would see a lot more rares in circulation.
The funny thing with that is you can make the stores no attack.
Gold is easy to make. VERY easy to make.
The problem is that not many people bother with learning HOW to make it because its USELESS at the moment.
Someone with half a brain can make up to 1 000,000 gold per worldshift EASILY. All it takes is a little time to learn the secrets, just like everything else in this game.
Aulian, I have no idea what your sig's "纸包不住火" means in Chinese, but in Japanese it is just something like paper can't live in fire...hahaha...
WELL DONE!
I do believe only one other person has that figured out. tips hat in certain direction
Its an old chinese proverb which means; Paper cannot wrap fire.
Which means:
A secret(or lie) will never remain a secret(or lie) forever.
Good job Cel,
Virtual high five
Virtual high five
Only thing lamer than a virtual high five is a virtual fist bump. 
Its christmas. I can do wtf I like. Biatch.
Sure thing. Merry Christmas!
Nerd. 