You don't need to fix the client. The server just needs to be sending the correct skill value (20 not 125) to the client and then it should be handled. Even if it's broken at 20, that's "authentic" isn't it?
As far as no variance. I dont know how to respond to that since it definitely is being used here. There's quite a few posts about it if you search on it. (edit: here's a big post on it
http://www.project1999.org/forums/sh...light=variance )
Live had downtime as well, but patch days served as a mechanic in terms of respawns, resetting camps, etc.