In response to those saying that what I want caters to 5% of the playerbase, it doesn't. I'm simply asking for a change to itemization stats and gameplay (to a degree). This would mean people could get different gear to suit their own playstyles. This wouldn't change the fact that someone could run most if not all content.

We can have our glamours, we can have our housing, but those things don't carry a game on their own, we just need something fresh to breathe new life into the game. I have faith that if the team actually put their all into this they could design the new itemization in a way that wouldn't exclude players. Horizontal progression means it would be useful to dabble in all content, casual or hardcore making the gear you get from anything more worthwhile and longer lasting.