Is Endgame Just a Cycle of "Static Killers?"

[Shai]

Don't ever refer to Normal-mode as raiding... ever again... just don't.

But honestly, this in and of itself is a giant problem for me.
They first introduced the idea of "Savage" as a huge challenge with nothing but bragging rights to those who attempted it (which I think was not quite the right move).

Then they decided, ok we'll have two tiers so people can enjoy the story (lol what a terrible story) and can enjoy this higher difficulty of fighting.

The problem is there shouldn't be a lol-easy and a wtf-hard mode, or maybe there was an intermediate mode needed.
The story mode should be and feel like a raid, and give gear worth a damn - not something you literally throw away to make room for better things in 4 weeks time.
...or alternatively it should just be "story-mode" and not give you anything but access to the story.

I don't know how to articulate it well, but here's what I would prefer (I think).
1) Story Mode for Story - no loot to speak of, easy mechanics - Maybe a minion or something story related, but just for people who want to know the story, but don't care to actually raid
2) Normal Mode for decent loot. 90% of the mechanics, but not as high HP & DPS so you can clear it (and practice running the content) at a more forgiving level.
The loot is maybe iLv -10 or even -5 from Savage Mode / Horizontally equal to un-upgraded tome gear
3) Savage Mode which is what it is now, but a lot more punishing, demanding fewer deaths, more DPS and just higher skill level. It doesn't need 100x the mechanics. It just needs to be dialed up a notch so that the real hardcore can feel like the bosses they are when they clear it in 2 days. It gives out ever-so-slightly better gear, or like Coil Savage I'd be ok if it just gave out trophy items (titles, minions, mounts, glamours)

Something more like this feels more reasonable to me than what we have in Alexander right now. The Story mode is an absolute joke and barely - I mean BARELY - prepares you for what you're going to see in Savage, and the Savage mode (at times) is unreasonable. I'm tired of 1 death = wipe and 1% off a DPS check = wipe. It doesn't feel right. Having to have a flawless run for your first clear on an average mid-core team is too punishing. I don't want things super easy, but I feel like Alexander (as is) is just two extremes that are mostly unrelated to one another. I'd like them to actually tier raiding so that you can practice and enjoy yourself and learn something every week instead of dying to Hand of Pain 100,000 times in the first 1.5 minutes of a pull (and then a 3 minute wait on cool downs - thank god that's going away). /endrant