RNG

[Lanadra]

You've answered your own question. It's a subscription-based game. The whole point is to keep people playing and paying.

And on this front FFXIV really isn't even all that aggressive. The worst is basic MMO loot design and timegates on the latest raids, the former only being 'bad' if you hate it, as OP clearly does. That's outright saintly compared to what WoW gets up to when it comes to 'keep people playing and paying'.