Path of Exile's December PvP Update

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Firefly00 wrote:

Concerns about PvP balance are understandable, as are those about how changes made in pursuit of same might have unintended and undesired consequences for the rest of the game. The idea of PvP-focused leagues does present opportunity for what I believe to be a reasonable solution. In such a hypothetical league the following rules might be in effect:

*characters start at level X, with the appropriate number of skill points to invest as they wish;
*XP is not gained in this league;
*the world consists of the 'town' and series of arenas, handled similarly to the existing examples;
*because of the above, drops and loot do not exist, and are therefore non-factors;
*gear (flasks, weapons, armor, and gems) can be requisitioned from the quartermasters in town;
*requisitioned gear is all of common quality and appropriate for the abovenoted default level;
*because of the absence of orbs, modifying gear is done at benches in town, which collect all the mods associated with the masters, as well as additional ones that mimic orbs' effects.

"But wait," comes an obvious question, "how does one pay for all these requisitions and crafting?" Answer: favor (or, if you will, requisition points). In addition to the skill points, every player starts with a pool of RPs for their initial purchases. How do you get more? Through defeating other players, naturally.

The structure of this league means that while it doesn't have to end (like Beyond and Onslaught will), you can have special queues available for limited times... for example, there might be one for 6-person FFAs where everyone puts up Y RP, winner takes the pot.

As for arenas themselves... well, there's nothing which says they can't have inherent mods (i.e. recovery amounts from flasks halved; mana costs doubled; et cetera)...