iLv needs to change

[Ibi]

Why would I (anyone) waste their poetics on a weapon when you could get a poetics Head & Chest to 130 that same timeframe?

Players must have a complete lack of rudimentary sense and proportionality to buy a poetic weapon (or even a soldiery) if they already possess a Relic for that class.

Since we're talking proportionality, let's do some math!

We're obviously not talking about going from a Nexus, Zodiac, or Zeta to a Poetics weapon here. Let's give someone the benefit of the doubt and assume they've already gotten all the way to Novus relic, and work the numbers based on upgrading from that to an Augmented Ironworks Weapon.

i110 Weapon -> i130 Weapon*: +6 Damage, +12 Primary stat, +14 Vit, +16 Secondary Stats
i110 Head & Body -> i130 Head & Body: +7 Defense, +18 Primary stat, +21 Vit, +16 Secondary Stats

*these numbers are slightly different for paladin and bard

The weapon is costing you 1300 Poetics, the head and body 1320, so that's effectively equivalent. Secondary stats are also the same in terms of numbers. While that's not actually identical, they're weighted so much less than even primary stats that it's going to make very little difference.

With that in mind, the crux of the comparison is +6 weapon damage, +12 Primary stat, +14 Vit vs +7 defense, +18 Primary stat, and +21 Vit.

Weapon damage (according to Ariyala) is worth between 6.7 and 9.4 points of primary stat, depending on your job. That means the weapon has equivalent of between 52 and 68 primary stat, compared to only 18 on the body and head. The difference of 7 Vit works out to 102 HP. The 7 defense is almost insignificant (an i110 bard body alone, for example, already has 91 defense).

You're comparing the equivalent of 34-50 points of your primary stat on the weapon to 102 HP on the head and body. Rudimentary sense and proportionality would probably suggest that the first option is superior.

Also, remember that this was assuming you've already have your Novus relic, rather than an earlier stage. An earlier stage would favor the weapon upgrade even more.