I understand cRPG is a hard game that rewards personal skill, that is the main reason I enjoy it. I am getting better and feel like I typically have a positive impact on my team when I play. Its a hard game even without having to enter it at a severe stat and gear disadvantage - I dont see the need to compound the inherent difficultly.
Telling me, and people like me, just to quit is a losing proposition for everyone. This game is extremely unfriendly to new players and as time goes on and the overall gear disadvantage for new players grows it is going to become even more unfriendly. It is in everyones best interest to encourage new players to play and to keep playing, otherwise the community will stagnate and the game will with it.
Id be curious to see what the statistics are on what percent of new accounts achieve a level 30+ character. I think that number could be raised by giving new players less of a disadvantage from the get go.
First off, everyone wants new players to join CRPG, you'll have your elitists and your smug assholes just like every other game, but I think most people love to see new players join in on the fun. (and it IS fun)
But you have to understand that compared to MMOs and many other RPG type games the grind and disadvantage a new player has to endure in CRPG is almost non-existent. A lot of people who start out might say "if only I had some loomed weapons" or "if only I was level 30 instead of level 20" thinking that the deck is stacked against them so much. And yes you ARE at a disadvantage in level and in gear, but by not as much as you probably think. Once you hit level 28 or 29 or 30, or are able to acquire a few loom points you'll see that they aren't making or breaking your character.
Here's some more food for thought:
-new STF (skip the fun) option allows you have one character jump to level 30 and get 10k gold. This is newbie friendly.
-new upkeep system allows for new gen 1 characters to get some time amassing gold before having to worry about upkeep.
-most players retire at level 31, so a lot of those experienced players spend half their time at lvl 30 and the other half leveling up just like you
-having no looms against a player with FULL looms (quite rare) means you might have to hit them 1-3 more times than normal.
-for many builds you can be effective at level 15+ (some less, some more)
Last gen I had a 2.4:1 KDR using a +3 sword and generally no other heirlooms (sometimes busted out a +1 sword and +2 armor). The shielder gen before that I used 0 looms yet was able to maintain a 1.8:1 KDR. You could point at looms for the improvement but I earnestly think it was a change in build and general improvement in my personal skills that did most of it... either way I was able to do quite well without any looms so my point is skill is the most important factor.
So TLDR looms, levels, and gold matter, but I think the devs have made an earnest effort to make an already 'grind lite' game fairly newbie friendly with recent updates. If you are a skilled player at level 28 with 0 looms you will consistently beat an unskilled player who's crutching on looms.