With the recent news about the current dye system being removed and allowing the "Stat" allocations of certain types of dyed gear to be applied in other ways...this makes me wonder why the developers are using such a convoluted solution for a simple problem.

Instead of sub-secting the gear as a different item based on the stat bonuses they are obviously working very hard on allowing a item to have multiple sets of "Stat" bonuses layered ontop of not only a dye system, but the materia system as well...I find this is the wrong way to go about it.

Why not just make the "Variant" items with different stats a seperate item instead of having 3 stat sets for one item?

As it stands we currently have. *The stats aren't proper for this but it's for example purposes only*

Felt Robe(Undyed)
+32mp

Felt Robe(Red)
+32mp +3int

Felt Robe(Green)
+32mp +3mnd

This data wise is 3 seperate items, not the same item with 3 different stat sets programed into it.

As of 1.20 we will have

Felt Robe
+32mp
(+3int or +3mnd)

Felt Robe (Red)
+32mp
(+3int or +3mnd)

Felt Robe (Green)
+32mp
(+3int or +3mnd)

So instead of 3 items with 1 stat set each we now have 3 items with 3 stat sets each...why not just have them as seperate items (And for that point why not get rid of the nuetral stats of a undyed item)

What should be!

Felt Robe of Power(Starts as nuetral colour and dyed freely between available shades)
+32mp +3int

Felt Robe of Healing(Again starts as a nuetral tone and freely change colours)
+32mp +3mnd

This way we get ride of the useless item set of "Nuetral" stats because there is 0 point to having the nuetral stat item in the end even if you don't need the extra Mnd or Int it does no harm to your character in the end. We also have 2 distinct item names, and no need to program the market wards to recognize multiple stat allocations of a item.

Speaking on the wards or whatever market solution is implemented, when items are sold on the market they should revert to Nuetral colours. This can be multi faceted usefullness. For it to work dyeing would have to be taken out of the hands of crafters though.

-Promote player to use dyes and make them a more consumable item for market stabillity
-Allow Rare colours or difficult to obtain colours exist
-Easy way to "Undye" a peice of gear if you want it nuetral colour
-Save you (Developers) from putzing around with item data for years

I see no reason the same item needs to have a "Second" layer of customization beyond materia the stats the item has should just stay hard-coded in the item data. I can only imagine this saving you a immesne ammount of time in the long run.