Rather then trying to force crafting into the combat, gear grind end game, it simply needs more value in an alternate end game.

Vanity gear, housing objects; heck, a collectible card game with craftable cards. Make more things to do with crafting and thus to do in the game in general. It needn't all be about fighting stuff to get better gear to fight stronger stuff. That's fun and all, but they don't need to be forced together. Expand.