Why is Crafting still in the game?

[Tetsaru]

I wish they would reconsider making DoH/DoL as actual classes again, like being able to actively participate in end game content like 1.0's hamlet defence. That was such a unique experience.

It's such a waste of potential to develop the classes so much, only relegate them to playing passive roles end game.

Agreed, I enjoyed hamlet defense, as it was the only content in the game that took crafters and gatherers and put them in a party scenario where they could provide supportive roles.

Additionally, I think if SE ever implemented something along the lines of GW2's world vs. world mode, they could be used for gathering supplies for a base and using said supplies for building siege weapons, fortifications, etc.

I agree though, that crafters have kinda been given the shaft lately. Some things I would like to see happen:

- implement content that requires crafters and/or gatherers to form a party and cooperate together somehow

- bring back the ability to repair other players' gear

- remove stat caps on melds

- introduce materia that does not involve stat-stacking, but provides other combat bonuses (for example, inflict Poison on critical hit, 10% chance next spell costs half MP, 10% bonus damage vs. undead, etc.)

- allow materia to be melded to dungeon gear

- Allow dungeon gear to be converted into materia. Make high ilvl gear the only way to obtain tier V materia so that players will be motivated to continue to do older content to obtain them.

- Raise the max ilvl of crafted gear to match that of current max ilvl dungeon gear, but make max ilvl crafted gear extremely difficult to craft and/or obtain items needed to make them (for example, an ADS frame for ilvl 100 tank body, etc.).

- when a melded piece of gear is converted into materia, increase the tier and/or quantity of the materia received

- If a piece of gear has 5 melds and is 100% spiritbound, give the option to turn it into an unmelded "aetherial" version of the item that retains the same stats and has a higher ilvl proportionate to the stat bonuses. The aetherial item can then be melded AGAIN, but with some sort of crazy risk involved (meld success rates are cut in half, require multiple carbonized matters per attempt, etc.).

- introduce new craftable housing decorations during seasonal events (for example, Christmas trees, snow to cover the lawn, jack-o'-lanterns, etc.).

- Have crafting and/or other gameplay aspects play a larger role in upgrading relic weapons (or possibly other items). For example, to upgrade a Holy Shield Zenith to the next level, you would need a Lv50 armorer with max reputation with the Kobolds in order to gain access to their forges and make O'Ghomoro Darksteel, etc.