it is the same randomness, you're right.

one thing requires either gil or time to farm/exp/craft
one thing requires a group, a portion of brain to get done and some equipment to help that process.

combine both and you got a good balance, take away one of them and you got an ever repeating process of the same old crap.

the current version doesn't require you to work your ass of for endgame equipment, you can just farm gil or spiritbond enough equipment to make you happy (depending on you luck with melding)

BUT

wouldn't it be more nice to make use of both, one being more solo orientated while the other requires a group to get done with?