Originally Posted by
Niwashi
It doesn't sound like the issue is about how to level, or about there being too much to do before being able to reach the new gathering nodes. It's about the pattern. It's about not being able to get item X until you've already passed the point where item X would have been useful to you. That's just bad design.
People (those who have any interest in gathering / crafting) should be able to first gather items, then use them to make gear, then do the content where they'd wear that gear.