I`ll share my two cents on this matter, since i don`t want to start another thread, as a player that`s been away from the game for half a decade, but playing since c2/c3 on Dex, then the worlds best server, on and off on privates after that, and finishing with a few years on retail, Teon, leaving after Gracia, and the pay to win system they implemented.
1. L2 was never designed to be a balanced game. They couldn`t balance it perfectly because of the overwhelming amount of skills, stats, numbers, and equations that go into building the code. It was fun to play however. On every chronicle there was always a better class which dominated. Some chronicles were worse then others. People complained, but played the class they liked, or they reroled to the better one to feel better about themselves.
2. Worst highlight in my opinion was the introduction of the Kamael race, which they did because the game was loosing player base support so they wanted something to draw them back in. In so doing they designed a race which was so incredibly strong compared to the others (even if the lore backs them up), that it completely debalanced an already imperfect game. DB cleaned the floor with arcane chars, while holding their own with the rest, and SLH had no competition in an experienced players hand. In all mmos in order to compete you have to have incapacitating skills, be it stun/hold/paralyze/etc, silence is situational. SLHs had them all.
3. Another aspect that private server don`t account, is the increase that comes from enchanted gear weapon/armor/misc. Add to that, the +30 skills all around. On this server the +16 on items give incrementally more m.def stat increase then the weapon can compensate, because we have 5 items (jewels) +16 and buffs that stack upon that. Making any attempt to debuff, which is influenced in the equation by m.atk and is resisted by m.def, fail. Any other class apart from SH who can have 50+int make debuffing difficult, so classes like OL, will need to spam a lot of failed attempts to land a few seals. I`m not saying other classes can`t land debuffs, i`m saying why it`s harder to land, with exceptions on altered skills made by the gm on the server. Considering wards that give +1/+1, to an +3stat increase if any one clan has them all, will make for even greater imbalances (summoners being one of them, they being one of the classes that fully benefit from all wards).
4. People tend to complain about SK, DB, SLH in general. Let`s take SK with SOS. What does a skill like that, with it`s capabilities, and a duration of 1min do in a game like this. And we`re wondering why ppl like to play SK, or other very good classes in pvp, then when they`re no good, they don`t play because they can`t feel good being op.
5. This game was designed to have a class counter another class. It isn`t happening here. Daggers are good, op no. They hit how they should. Mages are a bit over the top. Archers are decent. Gladis are good, even op. Tanks are awful. They`re dmg should be increased. DB are nerfed and although they do good normal dmg on crits, they`re skills should be increased a bit, by 30% or so. Tyrants are medium-good. Titans do hit hard if they`re played well. This was all dmg wise. (any actively playing class pls confirm or deny, this was a limited experience only)
6. The problem with this game is the skills. The chance to land and the duration. I like a game where skills land, the duration is short, 3-5secs, and we use the whole arsenal at our disposal. You`re stunned/silenced/para, np you take 4 hits and can continue the pvp. Not one chance skill dictates the outcome between two players of equal experience. SOS like skills are limited in duration. Items are safe +1 max +5-7 with enchant rate at 10%, skill enchant is 1/3 of what we have now. But this is just me. However the imbalances come from all these factors combined, and unless someone tackles them, we will have to make do with what we have now, and enjoy one`s company.
I for one appreciate the server for what it is, a stable non wipe environment, with a gm who`s too relaxed and hard to motivate in working on improving this experience, maybe with to many real life issues, but with a heart in the right place, and that`s what counts for me.
Disclaimer: What`s stated above could be wrong, and if it is please correct me, my memory could be failing me in some aspects of the game. Thanks for your understanding and consideration.
