It's become a chore to even log on to the game

[Aegis]

Yes, I did mean ARR. Was not aware I had to specify. Lesson learned.

But yes, how ARR is designed, it does not work. I can only assume 1.23 was still based on the original XIV, just with a different combat system. There it probably did work, but the game was already tailored in a format where it could work.

The main differences in the combat systems are thatVersion 2 gives you your TP up front, AA is just 'white damage', you spam abilities faster at lower TP cost and there's no animation lock.

In version 1, you built your TP through auto-attack, the second and third moves in a combo cost no TP and there was animation lock.

Things like the Ifrit fight are identical between the two versions (except in Version 1, Ifrit used moves semi-randomly from his moveset rather than in a set pattern like now).

I don't see any particular reason why the elemental wheel wasn't game-breaking then, but it would be now.