I along with many others have been under the impression that there would only be basic item customization in this game but alas, I found a guide which should put many of our fears to rest. There seem to be materia not only for stats but also for elemental attributes and many other things. I found this guide which everyone should read over at least once (assuming all information is true, I couldn't find any sources they cited but it looks legit) and see the full spectrum of possibilities of the materia system via the different materia groups.

http://www.ffxivguild.com/ffxiv-a-re...materia-guide/

If anyone knows if this guide is outdated or otherwise not legit let me know, otherwise this guide has now made me personally excited for gear customizations.