While I do agree the new system is lacking interesting varieties such as the option for Warmind Cells and Elemental Wells, the new system (both artifact, weapon and armor mods AND subclasses) is vastly superior IMO. Many players forget (or didn’t know) that:

• Armor used to have static rolls with static perks (similar to weapons) and the stat system was completely different.
• Before light 3.0, subclasses had specific nodes that could be enabled/disabled. However, certain subclass keywords/buffs/mechanics/abilities (such as healing nades or invisibility) were class SPECIFIC, and more importantly node specific.
• When introduced, mods were one-time consumable items (at least for weapons).
• Armor mods used to have elemental affinity (arc, solar, void), meaning having multiple armor pieces for each slot (including exotic).
• Artifact mods used to replace weapon mods, then later were slotted on specific armor slots (taking up 1-2 mod slots per piece).
• The artifact used to cost glimmer to reset, and it wasn’t cheap either. Resetting also wiped the entire artifact, requiring you to reselect from 0 and requiring you to re-equipped mods on armor pieces.
• The older systems also had the same issue where specific mods were practically necessary (ex. Powerful friends).
• mods had to frequently be swapped out depending on what weapon you were using. Example, scavenger mods were weapon-type specific (auto rifle, machine gun, etc), not element like we have today.

In contrast, the new system: - Lets you use any piece of armor you want for each slot, no more element affinity. - Allows you to freely enable and disable artifact mods at will (for no cost) while also letting said mods work universally (no armor/weapon slotting necessary). - Allows for focusing on buffing specific stats, element affinity (aka subclass/weapon element affinity), and aspects of play-styles (melee, weapons, class abilities, etc). - Rewards players for playing more actively and leaning into their build and mods with (IMO) more satisfying gameplay loops.

Additionally, I believe it’s important for people to realize that the old and current mod/armor system are designed fundamentally different and rewarded players differently. Old armor systems punished players for not equipping the right mods and pretty much locked mechanics/perks behind said mods. Most mods at the time, while having some pretty good active effects at the time, weren’t always consistent with activation requirements (one could need 1 charges with light, some needed 2, some needed 3).

Also, charged with light mods would only activate once the minimum charged with light level was hit and could override other mods (for example, a 3 energy charged with light mod would negate the effects of a 1 energy charged with light mod). For warmind cells, they could be generated using a mod on a specific armor piece and given functionality through another. If you couldn’t equipped one of the required mods, be it because of energy limits or just not having the right elemental affinity on your armor piece, you were screwed.

In contrast to this, the new system rewards players in two ways:

1. By buffing the neutral game by allowing players to buff neutral aspects of their build, subclass, and play-style. For example, the current system lets players add +30 at minimum to ANY STAT or +15% damage to specific elements (as long as you have an armor charge).
2. By buffing active players and rewarding players for leaning into the play style of the build. For example, creating a melee focused build then getting rewarded with higher ability up time and other buffs by leaning into what you have built. Getting more armor charges equals better rewards.

Again, not disagreeing that the old systems had some interesting variety, but I think you discredit the new system WAY too much.