The Daily Grind: Is looking cool more important than stats?

My gaming philosophy is this: Looks matter. They're not all that matter in video games, but they're important. If I'm to spend hundreds of hours with the same avatar, then I want that avatar to look sleek, sophisticated, tough, or coordinated. I do not want to come off like I slathered glue all over my character's body, jumped into a Salvation Army discount bin, and started flopping around.

How my character looks in an MMO is so important to me that often I'll choose a piece of gear based on its appearance rather than its stats. If I feel forced to be saddled with an ugly hat or a pair of trousers that were robbed from Bozo the Clown's wardrobe, then it grates and I go to bed that night with a headache. If I can assemble an outfit that I think makes me look cool to others I meet -- and myself especially -- then it almost doesn't matter to me whether I have that extra +5 stamina or not.

So even though many MMOs offer both cosmetic appearances and adventuring outfits, the question remains: Is looking cool in MMO ultimately more important than stats? At the end of the day, would you rather look spectacular or fight spectacularly?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!