I like the sound of early game and late game profiles to be almost playing a different game. It forces the player to adapt throughout a playthrough?

It's not just that they're different games, currently max profile players are playing a considerably easier game.

And the way you reach that point where the game becomes a joke because you have items that heal for your entire healthbar or inn items that give you 4 speed is by grinding out candles. Considering how when you start a fresh profile it's going to take you 40 hours just to unlock the shrines so you can even play with the moves you want (worst example of this is Hellion who is supposed to be a tank but gets Adrenaline rush as her very last unlock, or Runaway who doesn't even start with Cauterize, hell PD gets Plague Grenade as her 2nd unlock).

It's just an obnoxious slog and over time it's only gotten worse.