Spiral Knight is different from most mmos in which is based on gear rather your character's level. In spiral night the moment you have one set of 5 star gear you have access to the whole game there no real point in own most of the weapon in the game in terms of player versus environment which is the main part of the game, most of the game is suppose to revolve around co-op player vs. environment.

In order to make spiral knights a better mmo it nee feature alternate paths, more explore-able areas that require certain piece of gear and replay value base finding hidden secrets to a level rather than just farming.

For of alternate paths and exploration we multiple options of how to start

First let look at what we got when we interact with the environment we got weapons swords, guns, and bombs and we also have status' fire, shock, poison and freeze.

Certain weapon should have certain objects that they can break, bombs for example should have giant boulders or land masses that they can break, this can be taken a step further and bombs cab the blast power gauged meaning certain bombs with high blast power can break object that bomb with lower blast power can't

Level one blast power would include haze bombs, dark retribution and other of the low star bombs
Level two blast power includes: crystal bombs, vortex bombs, and spine cone bombs
Level three would include all the blast bombs (these bomb would be able to destroy all bomb related objects/obstacles)
(there could be a level 4 which could include the BaB and iron tech)

As for swords the would able to cut through certain objects and just like bomb they would have a level of cutting strength that allow higher level groups to cut through stronger objects
Level one would include flourish lines, cutters and other low star swords
Level two: brandishes, calibur, FoV, spur
Level three: trioka, seal and maybe hammer(seems is would fit better break bomb related stuff)

Lastly guns which is some what already done with the far range switches just make some that require certain gun behavior to reach (example switch that need ricocheting bullet to reach)

And for status ailments

For fire create object that need to be burned to ashes or to thaw passages in order to progress in a said direction, shock can be used to recharge object that can either open up gates or draw down bridges to cross, freeze can be use to burnout object or be used to freeze water to cross a certain pass or make and area have less friction to push bock (which push block is another idea that can be implemented)

Just like before with the bomb and sword for certain object a certain strength of the status will be need to interact with the object (these levels of strength already exist)

These are simpler way to increase the amount exploration and replay value of levels in the clock works with doing any major changes to the entire (in short most thing will work the same way they did before)

Now here are some changes that are more radical and if you don't like radical changes skip this part.

Now what radical change(s) am I talking about well its called the integration of a z axis. Now by no means am I talking about z axis in which players can jump when ever they want or shoot like first person kind of game. The z axis integration I'm talking would still have the over head view we do now and gun will still shoot in x and y directions.

The z-axis direction would mainly be movement based such climb up ladders, leaping off ledges to other ledge (done automatically, dashing right before a jump would increase your distance), falling (if you fall you land to part below you and if there is nothing below you'll re-spawn back on the platform with 10-20% of your life drained). This could allow more environmental factors to be created as well as create new piece of gear that help with exploring.

These are my idea comment on the good or bad about them or add to them or give you own idea of how to increase the adventure spirit of the game.