EDIT: nopk would prevent pk up to and including level 15, removing nopk would require the voluntary cancellation via command AND ranking to level 16 afterwards.

At level fifteen you can explore a lot of the noobish areas and some of the not-so-noobish areas without dying, so it would give them an opportunity to explore, interact a bit, learn about cabals while you can walk for more than galadon to arkham and not need a rest in between.

nopk status would prevent any skill improvements or level gains (kind of like when you havent chosen a sphere) so you can't levelsit to spam up skills while nopk. That means nothing over 75%, and nothing gained if you only practice once and try to spam it up. (New players probably aren't going to know or benefit from the one extra practice you save by spamming up hide, etc). If an IMM feels like the person is genuinely noob, it's not that hard to add skill learns via IMM bonus.

Removing yourself from nopk status would take some RL timespan of played hours of the char, so someone can't nopk as soon as they see a mage that's vulnerable to get that first magepk, etc. Time frame for expiration is random between a certain range to prevent "planned pk".

nopk status could grant some boons and downers:

Additional movement regen so these new players can explore more.

It can also offer warnings like with ranger skills that prevent you from falling into deathtrap rooms, etc.

Limit what areas they can enter at all (So they know where an area is, but can't get in. Gives them a reason to go out of nopk, lets them know where tougher areas are, and keeps them from getting frustrated by dying to a dark-elf patroller when they get lost)

Grants a recall skill on a timer after level 10 like an inherent. That way they can get back to "home base" when they've really got lost, but not just jump back instantly whenever they want.

I can't think of any other bonuses/detractors, but I think the negation of any skill improvements and area limitations would prevent many of the "vets" from abusing it. The very PK focused vets will want to pk as soon as they can, and many of them will not want to have skills that are so low at lvl 16.

Those who aren't noobs won't have any problem fighting these players, so it won't give any advantage in pk to those that use the status. (I'm assuming here that a vet using the status wouldn't have mastered defenses etc, so someone who didn't take the status will either be at an advantage or on even ground with the nopk person ) It's not going to eliminate the advantage vets have, but it will allow a bit more time to do "real" stuff in the MUD without having to start from your pit every 5 minutes.

Would coding for these things be too arduous, and would it be worth the return investment of allowing new players more time to get to know and enjoy Thera and stick around?