I understand that and agree with it. but it's still optional, you can beat the game without it, you can do all the content without it.
In FFXIV, you need to grind dungeons for gear, levels to do the next quest, dailies, roulettes, tome grind, CT/Coil grind for gear.
In Dark Souls, new players would usually find weapons that better suited their playstyle and raising their SL to better use it, rather than to explicitly buff up.
& my 73 poise breakpoint was unknowledgable, I've never actually made a build with high poise before.
I usually go with enough to poise, to tank 1 hit from a Falchion for the parry, or enough to not get stun locked by Armor of Thorns, or items.
& that's whjyh I love DkS too, everything was viable if you gave it effort.
I even get my ass kicked by people with Cestus and Whips, & so many fun builds -
Armor of Thorns, Painted Guardians Set, LArge Club + rotten Pine Resin (Fast Roll)
Paladin Leeroy Full Set
Ninja Iaoio Set
Havel Set
Dual Wielding Bonewheel Shields
Path of the Dragon Fist Fight
Greatbow Build
Non-lethal Sorceries/Trap Build
Avelyn... dual wield
& thousands more for each weapon and playstyle, lol