I guess it's time

[Velhart]

That said, it would make a lot of sense to include more unique phases and mechanics in the savage mode of the raids. I also believe the rewards for it need to be adjusted and changed. They need to at least have unique models for equipment, though I'd like to see them have some special stats or at least a higher ilvel jump. I just think removing Story mode raids entirely would be a huge mistake.

I think Savage does that for the most part. Two extra panels to deal with in AS5, jails to deal with in AS7, and a whole new form at the end of AS8. Making the gear dyable in Savage to me is fine. My issue is on a gear design standpoint is while the gear does not look bad necessarily, it does nothing to stand out from other gear. For FCoB, that Bahamut gear. You knew without a doubt that was raiding gear. It's design was over the top, but you never seen something like it. Design team needs to use that as inspiration for future Savage gear.

For story mode, it is understandable why it is there. The argument I give is that very same content should not exist in the expense of the content's intended audience, which is midcore/hardcore. Which was awfully balanced in 3.0, and rocky in 3.2. The influence to raid has dropped since there isn't really a working point towards it. At best you have trials. Not to mention, the story mode content becomes dead really quick once people get what they want from there. Which is basically less than a month. Getting instant satisfaction as opposed to my idea above that lasts the long run and balances out the content on all three levels of play. Midcore audience seems to be getting hit the hardest in SE's approach to content.

They still spend resources on raids, they're just doing it wrong.

Also the resources excuse is too used by now, first was the small team excuse, now it's the money excuse, i see excuses everywhere and zero improvements.

Maybe it's time SE invests more in the game.

Read what Claymore65 said. He explained very well why there is no such thing as "magic resources". Please understand how development works.