I constantly see characters 10/15/20 levels higher than me wearing crappy lvl 15-25 gear because it is all they could afford just grinding FATEs. All I can think of is how they are going to be hurting come time for endgame, meanwhile some of us have actually been gathering/crafting along with a slower main class progression and generally just experiencing the many facets the game has to offer... the fact that we're rolling in gil right now after getting headstart on crafting/gathering doesn't hurt either ;x It could be argued that FATE grinders wanted to wait until they hit 50 before they started any gathering/crafting, but at this point the AH's are so flooded with low-level materials and armor/weapons and the prices of said things are driven down so far now that latecomers aren't going to have an easy time of it right from the gate.

FATE grinders who then complain about "Wull immat lvl fiddy lol wut do i do now there's liek nuthing 2 do XD" are just...wow.