lol These types threads just will never stop, eh?
To the original poster- There is many ways you can minimize not getting attacked. I admit I sort of skimmed the thread so dont know if anyone expressed this to you or not. Minimizing yourself as a target is key in avoiding in what you say is an unfair system.
But actually going with the topic-
Right now, your biggest problem is your level. A long time ago, your level was end of content, and then there wasnt the same gear/buffs/ lots of things that makes these levels incredibly easy in terms of stamina it takes to level. Back then, losing 5 levels meant something more at this level. Not so much now.
As the game progresses, it takes more stamina to complete each level (on average, overall. Although there are some easier levels along the way, higher levels are more expensive in general) Considering this, for higher levels the potential xp loss is a much greater risk.
Because of this, for the most part (at least when I played, I have been outta the loop for something like a half year or so) pvp in general decreases as you gain levels and the ones who do partake up there doso at much higher risk. As you approach EoC, you can actually track who pvps and avoid them with levels somewhat easily, so long as you dont mind being near the top (pvp at the EoC has always been something for only the highest rollers that know the true meaning of risk)
This is the reason players like me when I was active camp at lower levels because I can actually turn a profit stealing trivial amounts of gold since in order to one hit my levels back, it takes next to no stam and very little in buffs/pots. This can give you the misconception the BB is an unjust punishment. The actual time to get through these levels is rather low, and it would be pretty hard for someone, even with a vendetta to actually hold you back from continuing with current mechanics.
For higher level players, unless they get pretty extreme gold steals, if they receive the full potential of punishment on the BB, they lose in terms of monetary value. This in itself makes the statement in your title a fallacy. The BB doesnt favor pvpers, it favors those whom have are sitting on the most firepower.
"Firepower" in this case means friends willing to stand up for them and their actions. If you attack the wrong person, you lose 5. Like I said, at our level, thats laughable, but if you were a couple hundred levels above your head right now, you would notice.
Such situations can go beyond that if your friends (remember we are using you as the example of the attacker and one who lost 5) feels that punishment was unjust, can in turn retaliate, causing a pretty messy cycle which no one in the end truly wins except hcs from the fsp bought to fund such things (Im not sure if such wars really go on anymore)
It comes down to Resources (namely fsp) + friends= power. No matter how you change the BB, this will not change. You can make it so max levels taken on a bounty are 50 and xp loss on the bb is quadrupled, there will still be people pvping because they can dump the money in the game to make the levels back up like nothing. This or they are confidant enough with their circle of friends that no one will take such actions against them without fearing similar repercussions. What I assume it would accomplish is just make more people quit due to an unbalanced system, but who knows.
Is this unfair or an unjust system? Well, hypothetically that comes down to anyone *has the potential to* surround them selfs with the right people, or anyone *has the potential to* drop enough money in the game to buy the stamina needed, it all comes down to their social skills (something not fairly distributed) and their wealth that they can hand to the cows (also something for the most part unfairly distributed) So I would have to conclude that it is my opinion the system is as fair as life itself and thus no "fixes" are needed.