However that is what I'm pitching. You could gather meterials that were from runs such as Ifrit Extreme or Garuda, or even more difficult World Bosses or long term Guild Rewards, just as the process of Relics were done, in order to obtain comparable components.
The difference would be, these components would then have to be crafted into their necessary piece items via crafting, and could not simply be assembeled by an unknown NPC in the middle of town.
Arguably the process might even be more difficult than a relic, with the trade off of being able the customize your stats to a degree, as well as name your own Magnum opus.
That added comment you edited in makes me want to smack you.
This isn't about elitism, this is about personalization and creating a crafting experience on par with the combat experience.
This is about ADDING to the variety of long term goals. And having personal ownership of your own work, which, given the amount of effort put in, shouldn't be restricted to being outshines by someone who decides to ignore crafting.
Also, I don't know what planet you're from. But I'm from earth, here there still are people who work hard to perfect their craft and make things one-of-a kind, rather than mass produce the same BS Crap over and over again.
If you want to call playing a video game an effort or a matter of weighing skill over another, go play an e-sport. I've ZERO tolerance for that sort of crap, especially when you're being needlessly defensive.
