I always hated how the game design nearly forces multi boxing. It's an older design that thankfully is removed from most of the newer games.
It's just a no win situation...
The issue: Playing a single account is a much more refreshing and hassle free experience. It's a head ache to load multiple accounts, it absorbs time, and it leads to a lot of cheating (nostromo or botted buffs/heals).
However, The consequences of not doing multiple accounts is even worse. The buffs in this game change a character from weak and fragile into god mode instantly, it's simply terrible design.
Mentee: It may have had good intentions, but this is the reality: You could hope to find and keep mentee's online or you could gaurentee yourself a permanent 5% boost by just logging in your own.
91+ Town Buffs ending. There is only one answer for this. These should be extended indefinitely. (They shouldn't even exist in the first place they should be the players natural stats)
When players try to make the argument players should be looking for a party, they instantly fail. It's a critical error you can never win.
Simply put, each player is entitled to play his/her own way without infringing upon others in a manner against the rules or exploiting.
If you should wish to party then feel free to do so as much as possible, and expect reasonable benefits exceeding what a solo player could achieve, but don't ever think "You should need to party". This isn't an L2 issue, it's all MMO's.
Exp Loss: You could deal with exp loss as part of the game or use resurrection scrolls etc or you could Maintain Indefinite Salvation and have near immunity. (Another account for this since, it can't be a mentee...85+)
Even if you do an ISS buffer, the Sonata only last a few minutes. I get that Dances/Songs where used out of the party in the past and they made attempts to try to keep these players in party.
In conclusion: It's all garbage. You could have parties gaining more benefits than soloing while still allowing a much better game experience by not having to deal with these issues. A player should be self sufficient at any level without the need for cash items or multiple accounts regardless of if they play casual or hardcore.
The game would be a lot more fun without all the hassle.
I see a valid argument for removing buffs altogether. But in addition to the removing buffs...keep the ISS as a class, but make them a premier de buffer, since they won't have buffs, so there's a point to even having them.
The mentee argument....I say just get rid of it, and make the xp% and rewards for the mentee part of the game, with no need for a 2nd person to be involved (mentor).
Get rid of shots too....why do we need them? Just another adena sink.
I will say. In some cases it's the game design, in others is how the players exploit it and create new needs. For example, doing 2 parties instances (Istina, Octavis, etc) in 1 party, forces players to lvl or pay for a box... but this is a need created by the players themselves
While having some boxes makes this game easier, there is always a way around if you make the right connections. Most clans have active Iss players or an Iss for the Clan Hall. Even the Clan Halls can give the Lvl.1 npc buffs without lvl restriction
If you want to be totally alone, well, in a MMO things are gone get harder for sure. Everything you can have with a box, you can have also with friends and teamplay. If nobody likes you that's another problem XD
I say this as a 1-char player (only 1 char over 85). I don't have the time, money nor desire to make all those boxes, so I preferred to make some friends and join a good clan. I feel this is the way the game is meant to be played at the end ^^
Agree with OP. I seem to remember that back in 2003-2004 Korea gamers were only allowed to sign up for a single L2 account--tied to their social security number or something--so multiboxing wasn't even supposed to be an option. MMOers were much more hardcore back then though. Things have changed. The tank and spank model, of which dedicated buffers are a part, is an antiquated system that doesn't meet modern MMO player expectations. Hence the complaining. But I agree. Being forced to run 2 L2 clients and level 2 characters just to get my casual game on is a barrier to entry for me as an old veteran and certainly for newbs. Just another example of the L2 devs keeping that newbie faucet firmly in the OFF position.
This is a classic game, don't try to modernize this game now, please.
To modernize this game now they need to rewrite lot of things. It's better create Lineage 3...
If they change the game now, they can loose all this classic players, that play it for years and they are accustomed to live with bots, scammers, drama, hard core lvl, pay to win system, etc. etc.
People please, leave this game alone. It will not change.
A huge part of the updates where to change and revamp the system. The quests now auto teleport and TONS of changes where made for the better to help starting players. Even equipment, Patrons, etc.
They missed essential aspects that are very important though such as auto loot pets. It doesn't help either the business model is "give them a broken game" and let them pay to fix it.
I NEVER log into any newer games and have the multi account issue. I wonder which method is better and what direction games will take.