>>I don't use aliases/triggers. I do alright. Basically just learn how to abbreviate pretty much everything.

I use aliases to accomplish this. I'm old and my 'twitch' skills are fading fast.

>>I know some use triggers, but its not really that big of an advantage imo. The closest thing I do to aliasing is copying a combat starter and hit ctrl+v to use it as I chase.

Many of the triggers I've seen used do exactly this except without the copy/paste. They're automatic.

>>As far as having to hide all the time? Do you really? It seems pretty rare that I even get attacked, let alone put in a position where I can't just simply walk away. Unless of course, I'm looking for a fight.

When trying to rank, damn straight I do. I try to find the most out-of-the-way place I know and stay there till the exp sucks. Even then, I'm spamming where/who pk.

>>I don't use preps, which is what tends to kill me at higher levels, so I can see your point there. Honestly though, it sounds like you haven't even been to the level where that amount of prepping comes into play. Some lowbies manage to, but that seems pretty rare too.

I've seen low lvls gnawing on fillet's and roots, quaffing dim potions etc. It's common enough.

>>If you have been playing for very long, and still die every five minutes (especially in CF's PK climate as it is now), then it is an issue with your ability rather than the game I think.

I played years ago and just came back so no, not a very long time. Every 5 minutes is an exaggeration. Every time I get attacked in PK is less of an exaggeration, which is often enough. In all of my previous and current play time I can count on one hand the number of times I intended to kill someone and succeeded. My PK deaths have become about as common as fleas on a stray dog and I loathe to count them. In virtually every low lvl death I can say that I was either out-geared or out prepped.

And no, nobody NEEDS gear if you intend to run every time someone in PK range enters the zone. But CF isn't about running, it's about PVP. And gear and preps makes that completely unbalanced for low levels. Noobs without a clue are without a prayer. A lvl 20 necro may be able to sleep, weaken, poison, etc. provided they get in the first shot and the sleep doesn't fail. I can guarantee you that if that necro is the one being attacked and they're in academy gear, they'll be dead before their wimpy even knows what's going on.

I know this sounds like I'm whining, "I suck and it's unfair." but I'm not. Again, my point is... if you want to make CF more noob friendly the low lvl balance of gear and preps will have to be addressed. The advantage old players playing new characters should have is the knowledge of CF zones. It should not be from the fact that they're lvl 11 and beating the #### outta some lvl 15 noob because they've vultured a set of lvl 40 gear and have 10 lines of affects. CF has a HUGE learning curve. The depth of CF is astounding, but that alone isn't enough to make most noobs stick around. Only the most determined of noobs coming to CF are going to accept repeated ass beatings until they experience that depth and decide to stick around. Most however, will quickly become discouraged and go elsewhere.

If CF is only looking for noobs who have huge amounts of tenacity, then no change is needed. I can understand the need to keep CF unique. Personally though, tenacity is exactly what I'm trying to decide if I have enough of to make a new character and try yet again.