Originally Posted by
Lemuria
You do this in two ways. Firstly, you curb the vertical progression. Secondly, you create a weapon that evolves, rather than merely stagnating. The relics in FFXI start at level 75 but eventually become level 99 through upgrades.
The reason people would do it is because the relic would be special, something worth owning. You might have a sword at level 99, but what of the person with the relic sword who deals bonus holy damage on strikes, or that guy adding poison onto targets through mere melee strikes?
The reason no one really cares about XIV relics is that, aside from their appearance, they're boring. They offer you nothing new or unique over existing weapons, just a shiny glow and new bodywork. Give people something to care about, and you'd see a lot more support for future relics.