It is odd at how so many people opinions differ about what they want in a game. All these things teck mention are good and fine , but to a larger extent, we have to ask ourselves what is tribes, and not so much what cool awesome mega "super plus good double better" things we want in it?
In tribes I don't get good by leveling my player, I get good by practicing my aim, skiing, position , etc.
It is the realism that the skill of a player is in reality the true skill of the player and is not bolstered by powerups nor over the top powers. Everything I have on my persona in tribes, another player can have, but how we use these things are what make us good & bad players.