When I sit here asking myself what change would most make me finally leave for another server (like many are asking when reading threads about changes to the most important part of server - the rates), I find it hard to quantify. This is because When I chose this server it was completely based on 2 facts: 1.) there was a 20x server, and 2.) there were lots of players on that server. Since then (not too long ago), the server changed down to something like 10x, then moltdown it went to 7x, and now proposed changes to drop it again (albiet only gold/rep/drops at this time), makes me think that I shouldn't pay attention to what I can put up with but that the staff keep making the server worse and worse and worse and eventually it'll be -5x where everytime you do anything you go down in level, and money comes out of your bag instead of into it. (yes thats an exaggeration). Point is, many of us signed up for 20x and staff is obviously shooting for 1x. What a waste of a good server.
Players choose server based on rates, commit thier time and energy based soley on that. Its a contract between server and players that should never be broken.