Idea: Merit system

[Nalien]

In what way?

The majority of content can be beaten with multiple players straight up missing, nevermind their item level. Various other pieces of content straight up cap item level too (Eureka and Treasure Maps spring to mind), or straight up don't use gear to begin with (PvP, Deep Dungeons).

It's essentially a progression system that exists solely for Ultimate, I wouldn't even say Savage strictly needs it anymore... Savage gets beaten day 1 by people in crafted sets, sets which make grinding the previous patches highest item level to be ready for the next a poor joke. The only reason then to get gear from Savage is, as I said, for Ultimate (which, by-the-by, will eventually be item level capped, so...). It will help with prog for Savage, but even if we count that... That brings us to 5 instances in which max item level is remotely relevant... As I said, item level is just completely redundant for most of this game... As such it's stopped being an interesting endgame progression system IMO, it offers no feeling of progressing, even in the content it's relevant in. The sense of progression in XIVs endgame essentially comes entirely from learning mechanics and progressing through the story, IMO (not saying that's entirely a bad thing BTW). Even if I entertain the idea of item level being an endgame progression system, the effect of it is so weak (stats in this game are negligible and boring), and the means for obtaining it so plentiful and down right easy (you can literally never touch Lv80 content and end up gettings tomes for relevant gear), that it's just... Dull...

The patch cycle doesn't help, either... You get max item level, and what's that? The 24 man raid released and everyone can upgrade their tome gear to the same item level while sleeping through content. Knock knock, a new 8 man raid patch with crafted gear that's superior to your current set. Gear is so transient in this game as to be irrelevant as anything but glamour, IMHO. It would be an interesting matter to have a poll on (I miss when Yoshida used these forums for polls), actually... I'm sure I'm probably relatively alone in feeling item level is complete pants, but still. What do people raid for? I'd say to beat a challenge, to play with friends, that sort of thing. "Getting better item level" doesn't remotely register on my radar for that question.

Instead of a Merit System I think I'd prefer a more robust Relic Weapons system, but Lord knows SE will never be able to deliver on that...