I would just like to say that buying your own equipment is the same as getting your own equipment. My Bard is in very good equipment and he either camped or bought everything he has. My first set of plate armor was pre-planar. Pre-quest. Pre expansion packs. And I bought it all from the merchant. There where only a few people on the server with comparable gear at level 20. And I feel that I earned it. Got it for myself.
Shenkd 27 Rogue Innorukk.