The damage variance between a Critical Hit and a Non-Critical hit.

[ForteNightshade]

Here's the actual secret: variance in gaming is fun.

Critical hits are pervasive in gaming (and have been for decades) because that dopamine hit from a gigantic direct hit crit on your biggest ability is an experience that hits the dopamine. In FF14's case, it also opens some design space for moves that auto crit/auto DH instead of the normal chance-based proc.

Also, that one time that you didn't crit isn't why you hit enrage

Gonna have to disagree here. While yes, variance can be fun. Too much is simply annoying. It's ridiculous when a Ninja can lose 80-100k on Hyo because the game said "screw you." I have runs on Paladin in P8S where I didn't Crit Goring or most of my Blade combo once the entire fight. Auto DHCs are necessary but kind of defeat the point. Direct Hit itself should be removed and Crit split. You still have some variance but not these insane swings pull to pull.