stramatus2
Dalayan Beginner
It likely would detract from the social element, but no more so than trade-skilling (speaking as a 250 smith, 250 miner, ~200 brewer), or the practice of duo boxing for farming purposes. The social element would still be there for those who want it. And an applied exp penalty for use of bots over real players can incent players to sacrifice a bot for a real player in a group.
But I think you hit the nail on the head with the casual player. I personally have spurts of activity in game. Sometimes I can be online for many hours each day over a six-month stretch. Other times I can be online only for a few hours a week over the course of a similar time frame. Spending a full hour forming a group and getting everyone buffed isn't a viable option for a casual player who has only a couple of hours to play. Bots are a great option for those players.
But I think you hit the nail on the head with the casual player. I personally have spurts of activity in game. Sometimes I can be online for many hours each day over a six-month stretch. Other times I can be online only for a few hours a week over the course of a similar time frame. Spending a full hour forming a group and getting everyone buffed isn't a viable option for a casual player who has only a couple of hours to play. Bots are a great option for those players.