what kind of benefits do donators should only have are considered "acceptable"?

[Homura]

1) I don't play on iRO anymore because of the bad server stability/bots/zennybots, i don't really mind the gear they sell/benefits they're not gamebreaking yet again, i haven't played on iRO in years
2) When i decided that i'm staying in that server, when the server has a healthy player count and the community and GMs are nice, when the cash shop doesn't sell retarded stuff, when they ban bots and update the game regularly, that's when i decide that i should donate.
3) Yes.
4) Of course, that's why if they don't give the players incentives to donate they won't do it (normally)
5) The ideal is to get a benefit you can't get if you play normally or it's usually pretty hard to obtain if you don't donate. Some neat things are resets, sex change, costume coupons, stat build changer, cute hats/costumes.
6) Dawn of midgard had the best donation system in my opinion, they only offered costumes/coupons to make costumes, EXP rings and pets sadly i never really saw lots of people donating.

[Styx]

6. That should be originsRo because they don't have any donation at all.

[Cressy]

Shouldn't this be a case by case thing? Different servers have different play styles, which would mean different donation rewards.
For instance a server focused on WoE might offer WoE supply packs for people who don't want to farm the supplies through the week. A PvM server might offer Hand Made Chocolate or Life Insurance, things that can make leveling faster/slightly easier, but not put such a gap that the only way to do it is via donation.
My next question is, would anyone really call those things Pay to Win? After all donation is not the only way to do them, some people just don't have as much free time as others (particularly since RO's player base are mostly people in their 20s+ we have jobs and stuff) but do have the disposable income to say they earned those items in a different way.

[Minabe]

Doing Tripper's job.

[Duckshooter]

It'll never be perfect. Make donation items tradeable and there's a way for everybody to get them. Overpriced and considerably unfair but still...

[Styx]

You're buying so stop calling it a donation and no you didn't earned those items, the only way is by playing, no two ways about it.

That is subjective since even buying means using resources that are earned somehow.
Only some Servers don't need funds to keep them online. However, if funds are required how will the server survive without funds?
You can't expect donators will pay for your fun because you consider your contribution and efforts as more legit.
Why do you play games if you can't raise some funds yourself? It isn't a sport or something that is supposed to be fair by default. It is only entertainment and if you like it then you support it. If you don't want or can't support your own entertainment, likely you will experience less entertainment. It doesn't require Einstein to figure this out.
If you don't like that situation, play a game that doesn't require funds. If they do, you only can feel lucky donators make it possible you are able to play it for free.
Of course only when the server owner is legit to keep up the game, otherwise we are all screwed and in practice we usual are.

[Minabe]

Doing Tripper's job.

[Styx]

You're not using resources, you're using money and wether it was earned or not is beside the point for it to have an impact ingame. Also, all servers need funds but not all servers try to milk their community. That last line sums up what's wrong with buyers (stop calling them donators, donators don't pay, they give) and their mentality, they want special privileges and that means p2w.
LMAO, your last sentence invalids your whole argument, which is the reason i don't support such servers. A real dedicated server would find ways of making money w/o changing the balance of the game, bc when you can simply pay to get things it is p2w.
About it not being a sport or "something"... but it is, it's a game for f*** sake, you don't want fairness in a game?

Well suppose, your yearly income would be 500k $+ , what would you think of a server allowing unlimited donations?
Like usable things, tradable customs, you know that they are in for the money only. Actually you could buy the whole stupid server anyway.
Only entertainment is what should matter, if it doesn't you must be aware something is wrong. Don't kill the messenger.

[Minabe]

Doing Tripper's job.

[Styx]

Actually not, my statement is that it is okay to donate for entertainment and you get something useful for it.
Something that you can't sell. Account bound VIP tickets with a small boost for a day, week or month are good enough for this
If there isn't a limit how much you can donate, you must be aware they are much more depending on the money, as a company would be.

Certainly not the way GGRO went and similar ones. The only good thing they offer is pop, though these days that doesn't mean entertainment anymore.
The current pop that goes for the challenge bring also drama, cheating, insulting and racism. Small servers could be a better place for the casual player.

[foxrain4]

I think everything is acceptable,
mvp cards, imba weapons and others overpowered items.

Why?
Because players whom comes to private servers are usually
fed up players that wants something more powerful and better progression
otherwise they wouldn't come to private servers and stay in original legal server.

But the if you are talking about me as donator,
I wouldn't really much donates unless its some fancy customized items like very cool looking headgears
equips, basically never before seen costumes you can show off.

[Kensei]

I think everything is acceptable,
mvp cards, imba weapons and others overpowered items.

Why?
Because players whom comes to private servers are usually
fed up players that wants something more powerful and better progression
otherwise they wouldn't come to private servers and stay in original legal server.

Bruh it's called "Donation" not "Purchasing". In a literal way, donators should not expect anything in return. Also there's a reason why every server manages the items. You don't see servers (especially successful ones) offer something that would give donators a huge gap against F2P players. Selling MvP card would mean, the first person who buys it will stomp on everyone and that calls for your server closure real fast.

A good benefits would be the classic bubblegum/field manual which fasters your leveling/grinding. Or some quest prizes / certain rare drops (which basically saves you from grinding it ingame).

[blame20]

I will be direct to you. There's a stable server which have 15-25k players in Thailand. If you can understand the language, you got the advantage because you would actually understand current events there and the mechanics of mini-games, donations, etc.  This is a good basis to know what kind of benefits do donators will be considered acceptable. Not only to donators but to all RO players.

[Neffletics]

(I'm going to answer #5 only) 

5. On my past server, SolaceRO, I sold premium membership that gives 50% base and job exp for 7 days + a ticket that lets you convert your headgear to costume. They liked it, that's why most of my players before were non-donors.

[Floki]

This is what I have on my current server.