Quote Originally Posted by Osias_Qol View Post
I just feel like these kinds of things are easier said than done. I also just do not think this game can get off the vertical treadmill it is on without some huge sweeping changes.
See the thing is they did it in reverse - before in v.1.22 there was no item level and no huge exponential vertical growth - you had special Job AF bonuses and ability modification, GC gear had stacking set bonuses, and Materia melds were to push certain aspect of a class to the absolute maximum. Then they gutted the stat system and removed specialty bonuses - stopped adding new set bonuses to gear - and made Materia melded gear negligible entry gear/expensive for A Realm Reborn. So why not bring some of these concepts back with more polish and vision? I don't think it's as difficult as you seem to think it is...