Poll: Gear progression, horizontal or vertical?

[Caraway]

Gods damnit... Lost my post when editing.

Anywho, gist of it was that the 'gap' between best and worst builds is a bit of a poor arguement. The Secret World is a good example of why that is, as even the 'worst' build is relevant in content that is still challenging for the best specs. It's a matter of how wide your endmarks are and any developer worth their salt is going to make sure the floor is not too low.

The only game I've played in recent memory where your build decisions can actually halt your progression has been Path of Exile and that's designed purpose built to be for a niche hardcore crowd. And even then, with enough patience and gear you can take something that shouldn't be viable and turn it into a map running success.