FFXI's gear swap was like having extra skills.

[Isaveron]

Funny how some people whine about jumping somehow ruining their immersion, but blinking and instantly swapping gear every few seconds doesn't. I wish they'd admit they just want the game more like XI.

[Buddhsie]

In a way, not having gearswaps will be a more strategic method of gameplay than having them. In FFXI you used to have a gear set for every situation, where as in FFXIV you have to weigh up the bonuses to each aspect of the fight to consider which piece is best for the overall DPS. I'm sure in the future when haste and other stats are added, as well as a better understanding of damage mods and stat bonuses that it will become even more critical to choose the best combination of gear to suit all situations.

Of course another bonus of this method is there's less space required to store multiple gear sets. I didn't mind gear swapping in FFXI, and I don't mind not having gear swaps in FFXIV, but I can see that each method has its pros and cons.

The materia system is great for simply having a player be able to 'personalise' their own equipment, it removes the static gear sets and clone problem that FFXI had, where everyone wore the same things because they were tested to be 'best in slot'. @OP while it is true that if you are lucky and rich you'll most likely end up with the best equipment, but making money is part of the game and you can't call that an unfair advantage. Luck always plays a part, a game without luck is a boring one.

All in all I think the OP raises a good question about why FFXIV was made without gear swaps (one of the issues being the server), but then goes on to rant about personal experience and trails off into 'I'm a little bit mad about having some bad luck'. I don't think swapping gear is a necessity to the game, it's just something they didn't think they needed when the game was created, so it's not in it.

[indira]

who needs gear swaps when you can do everything with crappy equip effortlessly >.>

[Nilheim]

Dear lord, no thanks. Carrying like 60 items just for my Blue Mage was annoying as hell.

[weeble]

new system that works like gear swaps without all the space, make them like materia, u collect them the same as gear from drops,nm, dungeons what have you. but instead of adding them to gear, u add them to your spells. long as u get the right ones it turns to key item that u can then turn it active to any spell. kill nm > drops dark element materialwanabemat > now can activate it to any spell or move > turn it on for u'r stun!! > done. same thing little less of the work an hastles and no blinking or making long macros lol.

[Wynn]

Gear swap is/was ridiculously stupid. I'm glad XIV has taken a stance to prevent this kind of player exploitation of game mechanics this time around and I hope they always continue to do so.

[Sygnus]

Im not for this at all, gear swap in a middle of battle is stupid and wanted only for power playing. We have enough blinking like that, we dont want more.

[Lebannen]

The rich being the strongest is only sensible, same with crafters being the richest and so on. And as for the u/u gear they allready stated they would make it possible to equip materia on it a t a later date.

[Buddhsie]

The rich being the strongest is only sensible, same with crafters being the richest and so on. And as for the u/u gear they allready stated they would make it possible to equip materia on it a t a later date.

I'd like to see where that was stated.

[Jinko]

God no .. so is that what they meant by blink tanking when he kept flashing and i lost target on him whilst trying to heal. /sarcasm