I know you guys have a lot on, but what do you think of the following idea?

Have an imm who looks after IC newbie support (as opposed to ooc newbie support on the newbie channel).

Where some dude has the newbie flag and has a pk ratio of under 10% (without being a healer) after 20 pks in which either they or an enemy die, give them some kind of simple quest to kill some mob to get some skill/spell that will help them.

e.g. For a newbie mage, maybe give them aura as well as shield.

For a newbie fighting class, maybe give them harmonius equilibrium.

For a newbie priest, maybe give them a boost to mana regen.

Alternatively, just boost their hp by 100 (all three groups above).

If their pk ratio gets to 30% or better, they lose the bonus skill/spell/hp.

Basically it's something to make the learning curve slightly less difficult.

Another option might be giving them an improved "outfit" command which might include some extra hp and possibly an item that progs cure serious, say (but can't be used by anyone else).

Personally, I think it would be a much better plan to write up some edges opposite murderous reputation. So that if you have a certain PK ratio, and above so many PK deaths total, that you can spend edge points to get bonuses such as you're talking about. I assume since the Ehren edges can keep track of Gank-O-Meter, that the newbie edge could track the overall PK ratio as it goes.

I suppose if you WANTED, you could try to set it up so that only those answering "newbie" have access, but I know plenty of people just pick yes anyways. I could be wrong, but you COULD set up an Imm command to set the newbie status for people and just turn it to N, and deactivate the edge bonuses if you wanted.

Theoretically, it should hopefully regulate itself (since as your ratio improves, you lose the bonuses anyways), and if it IS somehow "powergamed", and Imm could easily turn it off period. Hell, then someone can turn some of those definate NOT "curious newbie" into more the "helpful mortal" side like I bet some of them are if they want, heh.

for those with a really bad pk and who pick both newbie, and a suggested newbie class.

Sliding scale, like murderous reputation.

usually.

for 20 pks or until I get buffed, then go to town

At which point you'd lose the bonuses. Heh.