Variance in player skill is hurting FFXIV's itemization design.

[Granyala]

for me it's not a lack of skill that stops me doing extremes / savage stuff it's just there is absolutely ZERO motivation to do so.
and I know a lot of players who feel the exact same way.

GOOD.

Because stuff like savage is best left to players that WANT the challenge for its own sake and not to be made mandatory because it nets ridiculous levels of character power.
If you want that, WoW raiding should be right up your alley.

if the rewards from savage / extremes were valuable pieces of gear. i'd makethe effort to get them. but when the rewards are "next months junk" there's no point

That's a problematic you will find in virtually EVERY MMO that employs vertical progression.
New Raid tier -> old stuff rendered weak and worthless.