Before I get seventeen million replies, I know the i90 artifact gear hasn't been completely removed from the game.

I understand the mentality behind making i100 gear the new lowest rung on the gear ladder, so to speak. I know this has been the team's MO since the relaunch. I know there are now more ways to get Soldiery tomes.
My gripe here is that the only way to purchase i90 gear now is by doing a dungeon that requires i80 and getting lucky on a loot drop. In return, the prices on i100 gear with allied seals is absolutely ridiculous and, frankly, impossible to achieve without at least several weeks of work on A and S rank hunts.

So, rather than having an easy step up into the post-50 gear ladder, now what? Is everyone new 50 expected to just grind the endgame dungeons until they get gear drops? Am I supposed to drop everything else I was doing and grind up soldiery tomes to get my level 50 gear so I can do half the endgame content? Or was SE's intention with this to promote the craft and sale of i70 gear?

I fail to understand what the hell they were trying to accomplish here other than alienate a lot of people. Please feel free to tell me what a lame noob I am and reassert how this new gear grind is far too easy.