I don't think you quite understood what I said. I'm rather confident the if you were to take the heirloom price of an item and go look at the item in that category at the cloest price, the plain item would end up having better stats than the heirloomed item. In the case of the MW Longsword, the closest in price would be the Nodachi which has a stronger attack and more length. However, since I'm a speed player, the speed of the Longsword (why I bought it in the first place) would encourage me to keep using the Longsword. Basically, the stats of heirloomed items don't actually match their price
yeah this is the proof.
U would use a Noodachi instead of your MW weapon. That means you would stick to a weapon that is a little bit cheaper.
But when you are winning you would use the better weapon because you like that weapon.
Same with the armor, imagine if u got an Lordly Transitional. You would perhaps use a Kuyak or something like this.
But when you are winning you would use the Lordly Transitional Armor.
With the 5% of the itemprice new/medium players wouldnt be hamred to much. they could afford their gear much better. and the old hardcore players need to stick to some cheaper gear and then they could use their heirlooms when they are on a winning cycle.
At the moment we have 3 conditions:
New players
Medium Players
Old/Hardcore Players
The New players are punished of the upkeep system. They grind from lvl to lvl and use rags and rly cheap gear.
When they got some gold... the buy things what they like... but after playing abit most realise that the repair is just punishing them.
Some stay at the game because they like it and perhaps hope for a better time/future. Some quit.
Medium Players are players that perhaps play for a medium time and sometimes a few hours in the week.
They have some gold and bought some gear, but mostly use it when they have Multi x3 or higher.
They can rarely afford and upkeep their gear. But sometimes lose amounts of gold and switch back to cheaper stuff when they lose.
Hardcore players used to play hours a day and mostly playing for months.
Sometimes they are Gen 9 or higher, or perhaps didnt retire that often.
But they have hundred thousand of golds, it doesnt rly matter for them with the upkeep.
They can use their gear even with x1, the puffer is rly big.
They use sometimes many heirlooms and that makes them best, not to mention that they mostly rule the top of the score (place 1-5 in the score table)
Sure the most important partis their large skill, but the heirlooms help them a little bit.
Now imagine today a hardcore players is facing a medium player.
Hardcore has around 10 Armor more on everything. More Dmg, more skill and more Gold.
Even if those guys would wear the same shit, but the hardcore player has everything heirloomed to 2 or 3 times. He would have a little advantage and pays the same gold for it.
He would beat the ass of the medium player.
But often the New and Medium players cant use their stuff, 7% upkeep, they use cheap gear. The got beaten up and have no chance against the player with the heirlooms.
To make a better balance upkeep should be decreased to 5% of the itemprice and calculate heirlooms into the upkeep.