serious disadvantage when it comes to looms, money and melee skills.
Melee skills yes. Skill in general, ok.
Money, no. Looms, partly.
Always the same argument. You easily do 500k gold in the first generation. You easily get 30-50k during the first 20 levels, especially newer players that may respec once or twice. Money is no real problem then, unless they fail hard and directly go Gothic Plate.
Looms got lower advantages with the last patch. Bows and arrows I mean here. Melee weapons difference is about 1 speed and 3 dmg only.
The good players stay, those who are interested in becoming better. The rest, meh, who cares. This is not CoD or WoW.