Variance in player skill is hurting FFXIV's itemization design.

[Hayward]

There is no gap, By the time most raiders are close to being 240, welfare city comes out and everyone can be 240 in a matter of weeks. There is only an illusion of any gap and it's at the raider's expense.

This attitude right here is the very reason people are put off by raiders. How in the world does allowing everyone else to get caught up become synonymous with "welfare"? Should they just be happy with i210 gear until the next expansion? My guess is i220 crafted gear wouldn't even be available in a raider-approved version of XIV. Should those commoners simply be allowed to struggle through the new content unless they are accepted in the high-and-mighty raid FCs?

I'd be quite interested in your answers.