Im not saying youre wrong to feel this way. So dont take this as that. And i wont defend experienced players slacking on appropriate gear and expecting the party to carry them. Lazy, like Jojoya would likely agree, is a much bigger and more insidious problem. With that said, there is one thing you should keep in mind. Beating Prae(and ultima after for that matter) is required for a new player to get access to their first meaningful set of accessories. The best accessories you can find in the story/on a vendor up to that point combined(yes, all 5 slots added together) have lower stats then 1 piece of ironworks jewelry. Someone with a half a set of half upgraded accessories being compared to your idea of a hard ilvl 42 requirement... theyre probly missing 10 or less of their main stat. That shouldnt be near enough to make a difference.

So yes, my entire point is that low level accessories suck(as a board certified goldsmith im allowed to make this claim) and the game doesnt let you get good ones until you see your first credit roll. So new players have it rough.