HQ and NQ stat gap needs to close (Both should allow max stats with materia):

[TechnoTechie]

You are making some assumptions here... one is that negating a difference with food buffs is acceptable. Another is that the NQ item isn't a NQ main/offhand. But again in none of these cases NQ and HQ aren't really comparable. The gap in quality and value is HUGE at the tier two star level.

She makes a good point -- you're talking about two whole stars worth of quality. Your NQ i170 tool isn't a 170, it's a freakin HQ 150. 20 item levels worth of stats because you NQ'd an item? really?