>Because many people who think they do have a grasp...don't.

Granted. Is the idea that "grasp of mechanics" (which would include game balance) isn't something you (the staff) can assess from a heroimm's time as a mortal?

>Because that's not all you are required to do.

Agreed. My question was contingent on the addition of a new "narrowly focused" staff position. If area writing is a task any staff member should be able to perform, then it makes perfect sense to require it of everyone.

>If you have a subset who get to focus entirely on the roleplay
>and zero on the administration side...why wouldn't everyone
>join that subset? I know I don't do the administrator part
>because I enjoy it.

Some people are willing to accommodate a higher level of non-enjoyable stuff than others. Lots of people are willing to write an area, beta test new features, etc. Or they might just really enjoy area writing. Others may only be interested in the role-play & interaction side of things. If you require the area, then you necessarily preclude the second group from contributing (in a staff capacity).