ILevel or Skill level?

[Sylve]

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All your idea does is screw people who don't have huge amounts of time to play.
Right now, a skilled player with minimal time can still get the best gear and be on a level play field with those who spend 10+ hours per day on the game.

With your idea, people with limited time would *never* be able to catch up to those with more time to play. Especially if you're raising stats in your grind.

If anything, everything needs Materia Slots and the Materia system should be changed to apply or modify effects on skills.
For example, a Monk might want to get a Materia called 'Instant Demolish', which causes the Monk skill Demolish to apply its whole DoT effect instantly, but has a 28 second cooldown.
While another Materia could change Twin Snakes to grant a longer duration buff with lower bonus damage, allowing you to dump more True Strikes.
Damage done over time is unchanged, but its a different more personalized play style.

You would only have limited Materia Slots, perhaps only on Head/Chest/Legs/Hands/Feet/Weapon, so you wouldn't be able to just use every Materia for every skill.
Maybe even have it so only 1 Materia could affect any given skill at a time.