Please remove iLevel

[Felis]

I think the best way to do it by far is a mix of vertical and horizontal.

this
We need more diagonal gear.

Like 5 different body for mage class with the same ilevel. The first 3 stats would be the same for every gear, but gear 1 would give you more heal power, gear 2 more crit rate, gear 3 more dot damage, gear 4 reduce the enmity of your skills and gear 5 would make your stone skin a bit stronger.
The next ilevel the same, but with more stat points.

In short, SE should do it that with every ilevel the player can choose between a handfull gear and not just only 1 single gear each ilevel.