More Horizontal Progression please

[Nektulos-Tuor]

Vertical progression means you replace every piece of gear periodically (every other major patch in FFXIV). Horizontal means old gear remains viable in new content, and can be replaced by new gear.

Like a piece of Jewelry with a valuable effect. Even with less stats its effect is still powerful enough to keep.

so it has a ward to make up for less magic resistance and has more DPS? why would anyone use the piece that has lower DPS and just magic resistance?

there's no "real" horizontal progression game, there are many different ways to do horizontal progression. you're stuck on horizontal means absolutely no BiS which is not true.

Maybe that is their play-style. Maybe they would rather absorb the damage straight up instead of relying on a proc to do it for you. Maybe they want a offensive proc effect instead of a defensive one. There are many reasons. Have you played Diablo before? Everquest? Everquest 2?