More ways to level crafters and gatherers sounds fun! Specially since mechanics wise they are hard to make more interesting without changing the mini-games.
Always wanted to see monsters of the gatherers type being fought by them, just for the giggles. Could make funny Botanist vs Treant dungeons/trials, Miners vs Golems, Fishers vs fish.. I imagine gathering certain items would cause damage, others debuffs, and stuns. (There are a number of gathering slot options, so you could have a basic battle system with ~7-8 "gather-able abilities" working with your double up, % increase, HQ % up abilities.). Example-ish:
Stun is 20% gather, use 50% boost would be mega useful if boss will cast a special spell, or if you need more GP perhaps gathering the 100% basic would be your GP generator, use your double item count abilities to use an ability twice, HQ for a more powerful version of whichever spell.
I think you could make end game content using gatherers and crafters like a -better- hamlet too. A raid for all classes of Eorzea.
(Battle classes would protect the gatherers, have bombs drop that have to be picked up and carried away- gatherers attempting to max both points, quantities and item types, crafters upgrading the players, npcs, and outpost).