You're exadurating the NEED for all that gear in 11, you could absolutly do with base 75 crafted gear on any job. In fact most people with multiple jobs did, but what made all those extra gearsets useful was the ability to perform slightly better on different occasions, it was never a necessity unless you were apart of some elite-fat-head linkshell.

Also you obviously never attempted the weapons at the end of ffvii, the arena at the end of ffx, or the marks pyramid at the end of 13, you hit the level cap and your gear doesn't get any more significant unless you build it specifically to strategy, as well as your character selection. The endgame for a ff has never been the end of the main story otherwise you would have just quit after Shadowlord in xi. It's tactics and strategy that make a good horizontal Final fantasy endgame, always has.