I've read your thread carefully one more time, I apologize if I had misunderstand your point.

About the Armors
Yes, now I'd please if SQEN will give us leather armor for tanking. To tell the truth I've try to dress like pirate before I can wear hauby (eyepatch with Jerkin) and after I reach rank 20+, as you said I change into hauby for the sake of inventory slot saving and I'm going to change to cuirass when 30+.
I think the reason why they let MRD can use heavy armor is because of Armorer guild in Limsa. MRD is the only battle class in Limsa so it will be weird if crafters can provide goods but no one in town don't use it.

sum: I'm looking forward for high tough leather armor.

About Skills
I think you pay too much attention on AOE, I think having many of single target skills isn't that bad.
When I think of axe, I always imagine about fighting a huge creature with axe and smash it with devastating swing.

I like Rentahamster's idea about having different kind of MRD guild in other towns.
How about obtaining some different set of traits with no actions cost (more trait form advancing guild quest) if you register into that town guild. You can change your registry guild by paying guildmark and obtain the set of skills you want.
For example, Limsa's guild will have offensive set of skills and Ishguard's will have defensive one.

For now, I'm going to compare armor's stat in database again and will try using different set of armors when I can go back into Eorzea again.