Downvotes are part of the system here, so if looking to maximize, it means finding a path through without taking downvotes. That generall means - not being a dick - but many can't help themselves =)
Many of the votes he gets are generally from a trail that I am pretty sure he controls, as they seem to have been AFK for years.
Yes but isn't the downvote pool relatively "new"? Plus downvoting someone like him being a small like me would mean a war I couldn't win. I'm tempted but should I?
Downvoting has always been a thing, but the 2.5 "free" downvotes is new. Downvoting shouldn't be about wars - but people are people.
Yup. Disagreement on reward is a battle that's going to be hard to win ;)