Yes, you can master every skill without using cats or op mats.
You can also master every skill without visiting any level-250 zones. Sure, you won't level as fast as everyone else, but that doesn't matter, right? Slightly extreme example and only somewhat related, but maybe it reinforces the point?
For everyone else, the availability of outpost produce means some emphasis on obtaining those products, to stay on equal footing. This means PvP is required for a benefit to PvE. To stay comparable with everyone else.
If I'm in a team with a friend who is using cats, but I am not, that friend will surpass me. Ordinarily not so bad, but if we have to move to targets that I'm no longer able to damage, I have become a hindrance to my friend. Either I have to work twice as hard to keep up with my friend, or my friend has to group with someone else.
Make outpost produce, obtained through the efforts of PvP, only affect PvP (or primarily focused on PvP activities), or remove it. You and Meagon had already discussed outpost battles "for fun" in a past thread somewhere. Surely you wouldn't complain if all outposts became "just for fun" instead of ways for those interested in PvP to have advantages that those uninterested in PvP do not?
And you would remove most of the behind-the-scenes enmity between players at the same time.
You can also master every skill without visiting any level-250 zones. Sure, you won't level as fast as everyone else, but that doesn't matter, right? Slightly extreme example and only somewhat related, but maybe it reinforces the point?
For everyone else, the availability of outpost produce means some emphasis on obtaining those products, to stay on equal footing. This means PvP is required for a benefit to PvE. To stay comparable with everyone else.
If I'm in a team with a friend who is using cats, but I am not, that friend will surpass me. Ordinarily not so bad, but if we have to move to targets that I'm no longer able to damage, I have become a hindrance to my friend. Either I have to work twice as hard to keep up with my friend, or my friend has to group with someone else.
Make outpost produce, obtained through the efforts of PvP, only affect PvP (or primarily focused on PvP activities), or remove it. You and Meagon had already discussed outpost battles "for fun" in a past thread somewhere. Surely you wouldn't complain if all outposts became "just for fun" instead of ways for those interested in PvP to have advantages that those uninterested in PvP do not?
And you would remove most of the behind-the-scenes enmity between players at the same time.