EXP Potions or any other form of objective advantage sold through an RMT shop completely devalue the core concepts that a game like EverQuest once adhered to.
Vanity and cosmetic show-off objects are one thing, as they do not really empower one character over another. Personally I'd rather not see any of these types of things in EverQuest either, as part of what made the classic game so great was being able to show off items with unique or seldom-seen textures and models, but if a Cash Shop must exist, these are certainly the types of things I'd prefer to see for sale.
Selling personal advantage for real currency is a slippery slope, and as far as I'm concerned EXP potions are just as bad as "epics for $100". Sure Daybreak and any other game company has the right to sell these types of things, and they almost certainly mean additional revenue that would not have been gained otherwise. But more importantly, from a serious player's point-of-view, it works to undermine and ruin the very integrity of the game. Every MMO is different, and the trend in recent years seems to be favoring easier, simpler, and quicker leveling / gearing formats, so I really only speak for Classic EverQuest and similar "old school" MMORPGs here. But that's what P99 is all about, and what Ragefire sorta intends to be.
Leveling takes time and dedication, as does achieving your epic or any other piece of high-end gear. Risk vs. Reward is a concept that classic EverQuest encapsulated so incredibly well, but even more so an idea of Committment / Dedication vs. Reward. In the early days, nothing was handed to you on a silver platter, whether or not you had an extra $20, $100, or $500 to plop down. Sure eBay and PlayerAuctions were an option, but these were never officially sanctioned, and early Verant / SoE took an extremely hard stance on anyone caught using these methods, as they should have.
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