If this were to happen then we'd all be ok at mining and melee which wouldn't always make sense. I would make things easier for newbies but I think a different approach would be better.
I may not know about everyone, but all the new characters I've seen, be that from new players or odl, evenually pick up a pick and start shoveling for gold, they may not train mining up the ying yang but they do train to the 1st level. And for those starting out, even with a high levle in a weapon or spell skill, the still need the PP train, so the first level in unamerd/melee will not unbalance the game either. This seems the easiest choice to implement, as for starting out gear would make the developers implement a new catagory of weapons with no value just to thwart cheaters looking for an easy buck.
As stated, Unarmed/melee requires no item to use the skill. Crappy attack vs weapons/spells, so no unbalancing.
Picks have only one use and are not aquired else where other than at the smith shops, akin tho the smither hammer and riviter. So setting their value won't affect the game.
Mining, which eventually everyone gets anyway, unless you are old player that gets automatically initiated into a guild and there for recieve instant help in both PP and money.
And if you think your character shouldn't have them, then don't use them. Simple.
Maybe you'd see things differently if you had to beg for coin and Exp so you could atleast become self sufficient. How about a restriction on joining guilds only after the 100th hour of game play, but this is no good since you can easily ask for help from that guild all the same. And yes, old players also have the advantage of donating funds to their new characters or asking already established friends for help. So when you see fault with this, try looking at it through the eyes of some one new, instead of from your now advantaged position. Then you might be forced like the rest of us to grovel at Harnquists for the first starting days.
Many players gravitate towards cross character interactions cause it is the easiest way to develop new characters. Why should the new players have this as a disadvantage over the old? Rules against such actions are hard to police and if the penalties aren't strict and severe for each offence, like banning, people will just ignore them. Ideally then, it is best to treat everyone like a new comer and help everyone start off the same. As for the moment, to get enough money and PP to train, new people with no one else for support are quite at a disadvantage.
Atleast for now it is a good idea and when the other skills eventually come into play, this solution can be scrapped which can then be replace by the other credit producing skills that aren't in the game yet, like herbalism , etc.
