Agreed crystal durability is my number one most hated "feature". Unironically refuse to spend another dollar while this feature exists

Some easy potential solutions:

- Make a crystal grayed out if it breaks until you repair at a black smith.

- Add a buff you can exchange from a villa or tent that protects against positive karma crystal loss.

- Add an elixir that prevents positive karma crystal loss.

- Make crystals have a durability system that can be repaired by turning market crystals into dust for repairs.

How has this problem not been solved yet?

Easier PvE is not the solution.

More protected classes is not the solution.

Unengaging braindead grinding is anti-fun.

Let people use their best crystals against the toughest enemies, fight, die, adapt, and overcome.

Stop punishing people for playing the game.

Why fuss and invent so much?

Simple remove destruction of crystals because it is an oudated and toxic system (as well as the loss of experience after death) and add a new system to use the "pseudo surplus" of crystals, e.g. melting crystals into a new powder from which you can produce a vell or garmoth heart.
Problem solved.

Every single of the solutions you listed, I would agree with. Just - do - something, PA. Please?

1000% yes! I actually want challenging content so badly, but I feel obligated to decline every time because I'm legitimately anxious every time I go to a new end game zone wondering if I'm going to explode hours of time I put into this game. It's crazy how horribly impactful this one concept is to the overall amazing game. 

Or we could all just go back to Orcs where it's safe and great money, because that next hour of it will be just as fun... right? 

-1 Rebellious today

Permanent removal of crystal breakage for any non negative karma death would be a very positive and huge QoL addition and in the future could allow them to make creative and difficult areas that aren't just avoided from bad risk/reward. Like people say, the desyncs and disconnects aren't going anywhere. Not all deaths are caused by that obviously but non refunded ones certainly still are and it's one of the worst things.

My crystal break today. I suggest PA to make the change as follow:

Make the cheapest crystal by themarketplace price breaks first before any expensive high end crystal. 

Thank you. 

hearing that this is being discussed truly makes me happy, I hope some sort of solution comes out of this: we're all begging, either give us crystal durability, more crystal restorations per year, crystal protection, or just remove the break entirely

If you want to make this a PvE leaning game you're going to have to make the change to incentivize challenging PvE at some point. 

A company run by AI would eventually come to this conclusion faster than PA.

Agreed; crystals need protection. Currently, there are a number of ways to die very quickly, whether to Dehkia or many bosses. Losing XP or crystals when you die is pretty harsh.