Critical hit! Direct hit!

[Canadane]

Hate to break it to you, but there's always going to be the "one mathematically correct" answer to optimizing a class.

Yes absolutely.
But that doesn't mean we should dumb the game stats down to "Gloves of power+20" and they are 100% better than your "Gloves of power+19".

Even if it's an illusion of choice, the difference in stats can really be fun to work with. And for those who don't find theorycrafting or playing with unique stats entertaining can just wait until someones figured out the mathematically correct choice and run with that. Wanting more of x stat while maintaining a minimum speed and accuracy were something to actually do. Something to think about while getting the gear you do have. Getting one cool new piece may change your entire loadout!
But we're taking away more and more and eventually we'll just have one bland stat. ilvl is already almost that as it is.

And ya know what? We still aren’t shown an approximate average of what they do. Yer ability ta customize them is wank - even if ya go nuts with materia ya see changes of 3-4%. Wow matey, I’m blown away.

This is what actually makes what I mentioned above true. Not knowing the exact values adds to the mystery and gives the players something to do with them, rather than just receiving them.

[Urthdigger]

Yes absolutely.
But that doesn't mean we should dumb the game stats down to "Gloves of power+20" and they are 100% better than your "Gloves of power+19".

Even if it's an illusion of choice, the difference in stats can really be fun to work with. And for those who don't find theorycrafting or playing with unique stats entertaining can just wait until someones figured out the mathematically correct choice and run with that. Wanting more of x stat while maintaining a minimum speed and accuracy were something to actually do. Something to think about while getting the gear you do have. Getting one cool new piece may change your entire loadout!
But we're taking away more and more and eventually we'll just have one bland stat. ilvl is already almost that as it is.

Oh, I don't think we should dumb things down further. Rather, I meant that since the OP was bemoaning the fact of how there's really only two stats anyone cares about, no matter how they switch things around there will likely be two stats that are considered the best. I do like complex systems, and I do wish tenacity and piety were a more worthwhile way of building tanks and healers, but I do understand that at best we'll see each job have their own two stats, and that it's highly unlikely we'll wind up with, say, several ways to build a BLM.

[Malmstrom]

Oh, I don't think we should dumb things down further. Rather, I meant that since the OP was bemoaning the fact of how there's really only two stats anyone cares about, no matter how they switch things around there will likely be two stats that are considered the best. I do like complex systems, and I do wish tenacity and piety were a more worthwhile way of building tanks and healers, but I do understand that at best we'll see each job have their own two stats, and that it's highly unlikely we'll wind up with, say, several ways to build a BLM.

I'd rather have the "own two stats" thing than "MELD FOR BIG DEEPS OR GTFO".

[TaranTatsuuchi]

Direct Hit IMO is worthless on Tanks/Healers because you're only getting around a 12% shot of doing it at most. That's too low to be reliable. Determination would be a better stat to invest in for them since it increases the low point of damage/healing the more you invest in it. The healing part of that is mandatory for all healers, since one less (o)GCD to use for healing is another attack spell cast. Tanks...you have the aggro, you're always going to be hitting it, DET is more important.

DPS, Direct Hit shares importance with Determination, though I believe DET is more important for BRD/MCH/DNC considering you're always hitting the enemy unless it becomes untargetable.

"Learning that Direct Hit doesn't effect healing fills you with Determination!"