seriously though i really hope 2.1 isnt full of item level 80 gear
ilvl90 is the highest you can get until 2.2. ilvl80 is "middle ground" gear that shouldn't be gated. If it isn't gated then work on those gear as well as doing your " 2 hour tomb grind".

I do agree that they shouldn't be gating content, but they are doing it so people don't blow through the content, then people REALLY complain that there's nothing to do on their character.

This is a New MMO ( some people can claim it's not that it's 3 years old but whatever :P), and as a New MMO, people should have known FFXIV ARR wouldn't come with a lot of end-game. ( which is why I made a brand new character), instead of using my All 50's character).