Higher level rod is a downgrade in stats?

[Dallie]

IMO, the Gilded has REALLY high Output which means you get more items per gathering attempt. By the time you are high enough to equip the gilded you are probably high enough to not need Gathering to succeed, and the output will make amassing large amounts of items like Catalysts less of a chore.

Aye, the gathering stat itself isn't as strict as it was before. You can get away with about 3/5 of what you previously had, and still garner the full effects per node.