To your point regarding crafting end-game gear:
You say that all you'd need to do is sit in town, craft, and get end game gear that way, yes?
When the first NMs came out, the best items were made by crafters. Did you feel that "Sit in town, craft better gear, then don't raid because you have the best gear?" was the standard way of getting the best gear (Barbarian Bardiche, Aeolean Scimitar, Champion Lance, Dodore Doublet) back then?
Did you think that the process was too heavily skewed in the crafters' favor back then?