"Fair point - though you can't deny that look & cosmetic factors are typically appealing."
Yes, indeed. My rogue used the epically cool costume management features of that game to wear a set of assorted relatively plain costume pieces, all dyed black, of course. The only thing I couldn't find a sane costume piece for was the head, so bare-headed she went (OK, with a real helmet on, but hidden by the costume manager), which spoiled the effect slightly because she was blonde.
"If you pop out of stealth wearing peasant rags, I'm not going to feel threatened (which can be the point, at times

), compared to some ungodly looking monster with shiny weapons appearing out of nowhere and hitting me in the spine."
The trick was, of course, to come out of stealth by stabbing you in the head repeatedly.