While most people believe that getting a better understanding, more wealth, free quests done are criterias to become member, I have a different opinion. Getting on members early help with collecting herbs, seeds etc. These are things that are in scarcity and prices of these are unreasonably high due to the sudden demand when people turn from f2p to p2p. A combat level 3 member train to level 50 combat will definitely get a better head start as compared to a level 50 f2p going p2p. It's a similiar concept between mining and smithing or fishing and cooking. Most of us will raise the levels of the related skills together, just like how combat should be tied with getting the materials. Nonetheless, one might argue that having more wealth will enable you to get the materials needed since the Grand Exchange had made things easier. The problem is with how much wealth do we have? Do we all have 10m? 20m? I would think that having 10m is considered quite rich in free world but in member's world, 10m is really little. Most of us have a few sets of armors (barrows - guthans for pve, dharoks for PC, veracs for pvp etc) And yeah not forgetting all magic and range because we often need them for different bosses. As you move on in the members' world, you get more teleportation around the world of runescape that's beyond just magic. Tree spirit, canoe, ancient magick etc etc. This will reduce the time of travelling. Some of these teleportation are at no cost! Reduction of travelling time = more time farming = more exp = higher chances of good loots = quicker in leveling. My 2 cents worth and virgin post. =)
