I have to put in my 2cp too
I haven't voted because I can't really choose between the two. I will, however, tell you a story:
When I was 65-68 I had the hardest time ever finding pickup groups. I was in a very small guild so much of the time it would be /LFG for me. One day (at 68) i got a MPG 6way group offer (AFTER they made sure I had my level 68 mezz). They had one slot open and was having a hard time finding a dps class to fill up the group.
My friend, a level 68 mage with 300+ AA's and all his spells, was online and I asked the group if they wanted him in. I was told that they ONLY wanted level 70's and that I ONLY got in the group because they needed a slower badly.
Last spot was then filled by a level 70 (don't remember class) with NONE of his level 69-70 spells and only a very few of his 66-68 spells (and I think he had about 20 AA's).
I guess what I am trying to say is that sometimes people focus too much on the level and not on the toon. We would have been MUCH better off with the mage in that MPG group because he had made sure that his spells and AA's followed along with the levelling.
I was lucky at levels 66-68 because I had a few good friends who I met up with and we could go to places like RCoD and farm runes for spells. I promised myself that I wouldn't go to 69/70 until I had my spells and the AA's to go with it.
Countless people have asked me at 66-68 why the heck I wasn't level 70 yet and my answer was always that I wanted my AA's to match my level and that I would NOT level up to 69/70 until I had almost all my (OOW) spells for those levels.
If I hadn't stuck to that decision I would have died a WHOLE lot more on the way - my AA's have saved my butt so many times during the way (and my spells have made life a lot easier). Also I have learned so much about what I can do as a chanter along the way. I learn something new everyday actually
I don't know if all this makes any sense and maybe it got a bit out of subject, but I got carried away hehe, but I guess I tend to lean towards the suggestion that AA requirements might be more important than level requirement - but then again, with the level 75 cap coming (and it IS coming) then maybe level 70/some required AA's would be a good idea.
I'm still just so happy you all let me into The Tribe *sniff*
*HUGS*