I get a bit nostalgic sometimes, especially when I was struggling to clear Ifirt/Garuda/Titan EX before echo was added and now ilvl + echo lets you brute-force most things. But I don't really mind since the min ilvl option is there for those that want the "real deal" and, let's face it, people don't have TIME to do all the old EX/coil fights with all the stuff that's been added since. Also, if I get Mentor Roulette'd into an EX primal you better believe I'm praising the stars for Echo and ilvl inflation helping to carry us through.
My biggest problem comes in the form of the old raids- Alex NM and the ARR 24 mans in particular. The ilvl sync is so high in all of them that there's ZERO challenge. None! You can just attack everything like they're huge fancy target dummies. If the vast majority of people could clear that content when it first came out, why can't that level of difficulty be preserved? Or at least cap the ilvl within a certain range, even if it's not the max available for the expansion? I always get a little bummed when I roulette into those and remember how much fun I had when mechanics even kind of mattered. In essence I wish there was a better middle ground for that kind of old content between "hurr durr" and "first week of release".
The memories I have of struggling through Coil and getting hard-won loot are mine forever. I still have original Allagan gear I earned. I will be keeping the High Allagan BLM staff, my first drop from T9, forever and not just because it's awesome looking. If someone wants to do them now unsynced that doesn't invalidate my efforts to clear four years ago- though I will of course feel good knowing I got the clears the hard way. :)
