I sincerely doubt it's the worst you've ever seen.
You may be right about the buff timers. Buff classes and support classes in general are a very fun part of the game in my opinion, removing their validity with an npc is just a shame, so we try to incorporate both the need of support classes with the added benefits of an npc.
Thank you for your response. :)
We enjoy the majority of elements Lineage 2 has to offer other than the gratuitous grinding required.
Relying on teamwork (buffers and support classes) to accomplish goals makes those goals more rewarding.