Gold should never be used as the main balancing factor for items. Were this the case you could essentially add a machine gun to the game that you have to buy for 1,000,000 gold and a stack of bullets costing 100,000. It wouldn't change the fact that while in use, during the battle the item would be blatantly overpowered.
"Skills should never be used as the main balancing factor for items. Were this the case you could essentially add a machine gun to the game that you have to have a 100 skill points to use and a stack of bullets would require 50 skill points. It wouldn't change the fact that while in use, during the battle the item would be blatantly overpowered."
Gold cost is not the only way to limit the use of more effective items. Generally, harder hitting melee weapons will be heavy (If they are based on reality), so a low lvl char is not only slower swinging them, but also softer hitting; it may be more effective for them to take a 1h+shield, spear, throwing, or crossbow. Incentives to regenerate chars can be used to continually refresh the supply of lower level chars.
Much of the problem is the artificial division of weapons into "classes", which is partially the fault of the skill system and partially the fault of faddish conceptions about "medievaly" multiplayer games. If I'm a built, dexterous knight, why can't I draw a goddamn nomad bow? Really? What the hell is "power draw" anyway? I can wield a halberd, but I'm gonna struggle with bow that a peasant can use? Isn't power draw based on strength? Why is shield agility? What is the difference between a big 2h axe and a smallish poleaxe? A whole different proficiency category?
So much bullshit that boxes chars into class "paths," which forces the weapon styles to be equally effective for the bbbbbbbaaaaaaaallllllllllllllaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnncccccccccccccccceeeeeeeeeeeee.
There are no classes. Free yourself from the oppressive class system!!@!@!@
If you are strong you can wield a bow, hurl a spear, strike with an axe, and lift a shield. If you are a weak peasant, take a crossbow!