If CF is addictive to you, I strongly suggest you have nothing to do with it. Addictive behavior by definition does not end well.
I have seen CF screw people up and I am not joking.
Well, when someone's knocked out, you could weigh them down with things in their pockets, pack, clothes, etc. When they wake up, they are going to have to drop them to regain their mobility. Because it's something that could theoreticallyhappen in the real world, I don't consider it an exploit.
I got a monkey and they could go anywhere. Ran him into the mausoleum and stole a cloak of death (or picked one up, I forget if it's cursed). It was so nice being able to explore like that. You could dismiss them right away if they failed a steal PvP. I understand why they changed them, though.
I've been playing for over 20 years. I do not know anyone OOC. I've given some advice when asked over DM, but that's it. I don't ever know who's playing any other char and if I did, it wouldn't matter, because they don't know me OOC and owe me nothing.
This may or may not be typical. But, the point is everything I know about the game has been learned IC or is