well with out this carrot on a stick you call it then you'd just have all the weapons and gear from stronghold and then what, you'd be done with the game. mmo's aren't meant for everyone to have every piece of gear and they not supposed to be done with ease, that is called paying for your gear and weapons...yes your monthly. cause you just loged in got everything and yaaay can go back to doing nothing again. while i agree with ifrit, the way it is done is stupid, add a really low drop rate is fine but make it so you can pass around the gear to each other so you get the ones you want. other then that low drop rate gear and weapons is fine to me and expect them in ffxiv.