TLDR: Could the prestige requirement be removed from gear/items that are over 3-4 expansions old? Can prestige be treated like the auto-grant AA system? The prestige restriction makes getting from lvl 75 to lvl 100+ content prohibitively difficult. It can be a fun time to level up on Live servers but once you get past defiant armor around lvl 75, it gets near impossible to keep your free-to-play chars geared. Without appropriate gear, you can't survive 2 hits from even basic trash mobs. This is where a lot of returning players quit because it gets too tough to continue. The Tier 1 armor sets from each expansion are non-prestige. But most are unobtainable if you don't tradeskill. The TBM gear sets are a non-prestige option. You can start it around lvl 75 but the instances are prohibitively difficult if you're not in the lvl 100s. It's too hard at low levels to earn the augments to make TBM armor useable. Then most people do the Gribble's tasks to level up quick & it gives workable gear. BUT, that armor is all prestige. Mind you, Gribble's tasks are content from 2013. Why does it require a gold account to use armor from 10 years ago? I have a gnome illusion mask from Underfoot that's prestige. That's a 14 year old item that still requires gold to use. Why? I understand gear from the last 3-4 expansions requiring a gold account to use. When you get to the level 100's, it makes sense that you'll need to pay to play then. But how the heck are are free-to-play or lapsed accounts, supposed to get from 75 to 100+ with the prestige block? I think it makes sense to treat prestige armor like auto-grant AA's. You only get free AA's up til the last 3-4 expansions. Why not make prestige armor that way so new/returning players can get in striking range of the newest content? EverQuest 2 already does this. Heck they even give you a box of starter gear for the newer expansions. EQ2's latest expansions are a lot more accessible than EQ1 because of it.
