The meta hasn't shifted? Explain to me then why entire PvP factions are using the item then.
And yes, it only increases your chance of getting Thorns, but since it's Thorns 5 it's by a drastic amount, and it still shifts the fight entirely in someone's favour with no drawback or counter.
"I can see why you might be upset with this, but I actually think this is good. Could perhaps be reduced in availability, but I don't think it should be removed."
Quite frankly, you think it is good because you can't win 1v1s based on skill, and you need crutches.
I've yet to see an entire faction use this item, and even if you've seen a whole faction use it, I don't think that any one faction can define the meta unless they hold a large amount of the playerbase.
Actually that's not at all why I want it to remain. I've only used this to kill one person in a 1v1, so I'm not even sure where you got that from. So unless they said something to you about it, which wouldn't surprise me considering how much of a little diva he acts like, then you're literally talking out of your ass.
I want it to remain because I like novelty, and I like it as a feature. I wish more lore items had impactful modifiers in factions.
If I was fighting someone and they used an item on me that I didn't have or know about previously, I wouldn't say that they were less skilled than me, even if I could kill them without them using the item. I would find it amusing they found a novel way to fight outside of the rigid "vanilla pot pvp" that is prone to elitist with low ping, high cps (possibly even macros, some of u are fishy af), and some experience with PvP of that nature. I would also learn something from the experience. Which is always nice.
That's how you beat some people. Some people simply have better PCs, better connections, higher cps, or are simply more skilled than you at the core mechanics of PvP in conjunction with the other modifiers, making them extremely hard to kill if not impossible.
Also, I don't believe every fight should be a result of pure skill, and not every fight at current is. There's a myriad of variables that could influence the outcome of a fight, such as gear being used, number of competitors on each side, potions that are in use, etc.
At the end of the day you're sitting in front of a screen mashing keys and timing things correctly, while simultaneously attempting to upgrade your hardware and connection in a meaningful way so as to help you more efficiently mash keys and time potions/strikes.
Very, very impressive.
I can win 1v1s based on skill. If I am of the higher skill level, or if other contributing variables align. Whether that means I can land more hits, avoid more hits, or use tools you weren't smart enough to use, it's all conscious decision, and I would argue that it contributes to skill.
You seem have a very ego driven definition of what it means to be skilled at this game, and consequently a very narrow view of the myriad of possibilities which could and should apply to PvP outside of the very basic concepts such as strafing, block hitting, and player count. Basically, you're the sort of person who thinks your way is the right way (because it works well for you, and you don't want that to change), and any other way is illegitimate or inferior, especially one that threatens the security of your way.
That's not a crutch. It's a tool. Your perception is flawed, and therefore your observation is inherently false.