problems with this gearing system

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

You're comparing the 5.2 tier to the 5.0+5.1 tier, while you should be comparing the 5.2 tier to the 5.0 tier.

5.0:
Crafted/Titania: 450 [5.1 addition - Augmented crafted: 460]
Tomestone: 460
[5.1 addition - Hades: 465]
Upgraded Tomestone: 470
Savage: 475

5.2
Crafted: 480 [Likely 5.3 addition - Augmented crafted: 490]
Ruby Weapon: 485
Tomestone: 490
[Likely 5.3 addition - New trial weapon: 495]
Upgraded Tomestone: 500
Savage: 505

They did break the pattern of having the initial EX trial weapon at the same iLvl as the crafted one.

Not really. Was the same in 4.0

Susano weapon was 320, along with crafted. Tome 330, raid 340, wep 345

4.2

Byakko was 355, crafted 350, tome 360, upgraded 370, wep 375 for raid.

[Nezerius]

Not really. Was the same in 4.0

Susano weapon was 320, along with crafted. Tome 330, raid 340, wep 345

4.2

Byakko was 355, crafted 350, tome 360, upgraded 370, wep 375 for raid.

The guy I quoted was comparing the previous tier to the current tier, and how those two specific tiers showed a pattern of the EX trial weapon being higher than the crafted weapon. Edited my previous post for better wording.