[Striiker]

The shared XP penalty in groups should go away. It hurts groups and hurts players who have penalties. I have been in several groups since they quietly applied the patch to adjust the XP system. People noticed quickly that something was wrong / different. Once it was discovered that the XP change was in, people in groups are reluctant to take in hybrids especially when they have significant racial penalties. I tend to be in pick-up groups and have heard repeatedly that players try to avoid those who impact their XP gain unless they have no other option and need a particular class. I don't share this sentiment but I can't deny the facts that the difference is noticeable. This was made very clear one night in unrest. We were all lvl 25 with a 26 monk and a couple 24's. There was a lvl 25 Dwarf Paladin in the group who eventually left and was replaced by another lvl 25 non-hybrid class. XP picked up noticeably and our pull rate did not change. We were in the basement and were waiting for stuff to re-spawn (as was the case when the Paladin was with us).
I remember when this all went down on classic. People were very upset then (as they are now) and SOE had to change the XP system because it was hurting the hybrid / racial players (as now). They admitted that it was a mistake.
I'll continue to play here regardless of the XP system as I truly love the classic experience. I'm not "hardcore" though. I have a modified UI as it enhances my play experience. I like the challenges of leveling and the need to group. The XP penalty system though I think is a detractor from the overall experience and is something I would be happy to see removed.