My theory is they didn't seem to think players would care all that much about items so they didn't care all that much about itemization. For casters there are just so many slots that have pretty much straight up junk until late kunark or velious that it wouldn't have been too hard to come up with gear that isn't terrible. Like, just a gradation of viable options would have been nice. Also they seemed to want player to do exploration/adventuring but they kinda stuck a stick in their own bike wheel by putting like one good item for a slot and expect people wouldn't try to get it? Like if you're a caster in classic it is basically wolf fur slippers then GEBs, that's it, some middle ground boots in like... kedge would have been nice.
Diablo 2 has random generated loot so you'll get both junk and good loot but in EQ the items are static so that junk is just junk forever.
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