Well, Ed, the problem with heavy rods is that there is no before-cast animation delay. When you cast with a heavy rod, the spell is instantly fired, and the delay comes after. As for damage on heavy rods, I'm not sure, but consider that your mental level is probably a lot higher than that of other people.

Well Stefan has fixed a lot. Its just up to us EM's now to host fair spars like melee only and magic only spars. There's even a bows only spar

I know for certain that rods with wizardry spells use the rod's level.

I am going to try to explain this again so you will understand. When someone is casting spells with heavy rods, It is impossible to catch them. The casting time is instant and each time you are hit with it it knocks you back...obviously thus slowing your momentum. If they have 2 or 3 rods there is no way in hell you can even get close to them especially if its a wide range spell.

Delay -> Sitting Duck.

Even with knockback you can pretty much run right through the spell.

Ummm have u played it thoroughly enough with the pvp. you get knocked back. you can't run through the spell if it knocks you back. Speed was reduced to make it more fair. And a rod being used against you will keep knocking you back. Ask Ed to demonstrate on you sometime. Besides this knockback isn't like a step..its a good 2-5 steps away from where you were hit. so you won't go through the spell. you will keep getting knocked back as you are hit.

i walked out of the trade when it was being lamed and somehow the knockback knocked me to hotaru o.O

The whole problem in my opinion is the fact that dex affects speed. You should never have a stat that is meant for certain classes (namely archers) affect something so vital as speed. I personally think speed should have it's own stat (of course it is way to late in the game to do such a change) but that is just my 2 cents :).

He has "demonstrated" on me many times, and I have not experienced this problem.

Also...when ill, it shouldn't knock you back. =/

Thats just kinda stupid to be knocked back by illness. =/

I mean, I can see getting knocked by a sword or something, but illness? Thats just pushing beyond unrealistic into the land of stupid, and failing...no offense, of course to the staff the worked on this system, but the illness thing needs to be fixed up to stop that little bit...just doesn't fit right, and looks weird. O.o

I think thats just a bug anything thats gives damage will knock you back.

Yes need to fix the illness thing, was not ill while testing it on the debug server :D
We can also make it possible in spars/battles to only allow certain weapons/magic, like on Zone.

Is it possible if you can make it so you can choose to use the old system or new system in spar/battles?
I hate the fact that most of my items are useless since most of them are speed/dex items.

No. That would create further complications with the system. The old and new systems will not be able to work cross-compatibly because of algorithms calulating the main variables used to determine damage and so forth.
That's why I suggested an overall speed increase for players while using the new system.