We Really Need To Talk About The State And Path Of FFXIV

[Edax]

That's fair enough. But you don't need top of the line i370 gear to not be a burden in Sigmascape NM; you can easily be a great contributor in i350. Since you wouldn't repeat it aside for glamour, we're still left with: why be so focused on battlecraft progression, when being progressed in crafting already lands you at a battlecraft progression of two steps below maximum, which is easily enough gear to handle the next two to three major patches?

I guess I don't like the idea that being a crafter somehow makes me a lesser player?

[Dualgunner]

I guess I don't like the idea that being a crafter somehow makes me a lesser player?

How does being a crafter make you a lesser player? By what metric? Battlecraft gear strength is not the measure of a player. In battle content, their ability to manage their rotation amid mechanics is. Gear makes your numbers bigger, but you're in no way a lesser player for not having it.

You probably have bucketloads more gil than I do. Does that make me a lesser player than you? Come the start of next tier, on day one your gear will vastly outstrip mine. Does that make me a lesser player than you? Also you have to keep in mind that Raiders come clamoring to crafters like you because day 1, crafted gear is damn near mandatory to getting through the tier; yes day one of 4.4, all the gear from 4.2 to 4.3, including the Ultima weapons, will be obsolete.

[Edax]

How does being a crafter make you a lesser player? By what metric? Battlecraft gear strength is not the measure of a player. In battle content, their ability to manage their rotation amid mechanics is. Gear makes your numbers bigger, but you're in no way a lesser player for not having it.

You probably have bucketloads more gil than I do. Does that make me a lesser player than you? Come the start of next tier, on day one your gear will vastly outstrip mine. Does that make me a lesser player than you? Also you have to keep in mind that Raiders come clamoring to crafters like you because day 1, crafted gear is damn near mandatory to getting through the tier; yes day one of 4.4, all the gear from 4.2 to 4.3, including the Ultima weapons, will be obsolete.

The ability to manage rotations amid mechanics is not a tangible metric. Most players are judged by what they wear in this game.

[Dualgunner]

The ability to manage rotations amid mechanics is not a tangible metric. Most players are judged by what they wear in this game.

Not a legally tangible one, anyway.

Judgments based on gear are hollow and not worth paying attention to. Not to mention that, when you'd be doing something like a new normal mode raid, you'd probably have better gear than 90% of the other players with you who neither raid nor craft.