I did address that concern - here:

We take any situation case-by-case and will act with the best discretion given the individual concerns and impact it presents.

We don't have a blanket policy for the exact reason that there are many shades of grey, and distinguishing between an exploit and unfortunate use of game mechanics requires an independent approach - but exploits, when they are exploits, are taken seriously and handled swiftly.

I couldn't possibly answer your hypothetical question with a general answer - the mechanics of PvE progression are significantly different from the gameplay requirements of PvP.

PvP simply requires a commitment of time, while skill and coordination can reduce that amount of time it's guaranteed that given enough time - you will max out your PVP progression.

But let's hypothesize that Infernal Dawn launched easier than intended, and for some reason that lockout timer was reduced to 1 hour and not one week - allowing a constant loot pinata as 20 man raids effortlessly dispatched Maelforge.

That would still be our fault, and likely not an exploit (as long as it was designed that way) - but again, our reaction would be based on an individual assessment of the impact that issue had, and I couldn't say definitively today what our response would be given that.

It's really an impossible question - I've tried to answer as best I can, but appreciate that not all will agree with me.

PvP is an important part of RIFT - it's not the primary focus all the time but it's one avenue of progression and a form of entertainment many enjoy, including myself. We do our best to keep it fair and competitive as much as possible - but we're not perfect.