I dont know about you, but in my book there is multiple options to gauge a build: Clear speed, MF, Survivability, ability to do any map mod, atziri/uber viable. Quite a few builds excel at one or even two, but seldom has there been a build that was able to do them all. You force this clearspeed meta onto everyone and everything in this game, and by doing so ignore parts of what distinguishes PoE from games like D3 (which is why I mentioned it in my last post). Uniques are not supposed to be the end all and be all for your character either, they are supposed to be build-enabling (again something that clearly differentiates it from D3). Some of them are utter garbage, I agree, while others may not fit into your clearspeed meta and be useful there but instead provide meaningful leveling advantages or are just all around gimmicky for fun builds (that still work well, an example for that would be Shackles of the Wretched). What is there to gain by, say, removing these uniques from the game in favor of ones that benefit this meta, except for making the game less complex and fun? In what way does having 'bad' uniques lead to discouraging people to build diversely? The only reason people play the same shit over and over until it gets nerfed is because they A: Want to hit 100 as fast as possible, B: Think playing the "op" build minimizes the chance of dying in HC so they pick the "strongest" build or C: Feel forced to do so because people like you try to force this clearspeed meta onto the whole game. Maybe some actually enjoyed playing Flameblast, LL Incinerate, Bladefall trapper, Vaal Spark or voltaxic LA/VMS the last 2 years, but those clearly are in the minority compared to A through C.
It's not like this game has suddenly shifted to what it has become today anyway, people at the top were always looking for the strongest/fastest builds. The only thing that has changed is that for the past year or so everyone tries to fit WB into their build, which didn't matter that much a couple of years back when the skill was still shit and people were actually walking through maps. Since it is much easier to just re-level in case you actually die people have also become more lenient in regards to their defenses especially in HC, which leaves more space for more offensive/faster clearing builds. Very little of that, however, has anything to do with item design or challenge league mods or the game becoming easier. As I said already, it has mostly to do with the availability of higher level mobs for better XP. 10k HP Freezepulsers weren't so successful back when challenge leagues weren't even a thing because they cleared extremely fast, but because the build was almost unkillable which was more important when it took you about a month to even hit level 90. Obviously the very real power creep plays a part in this as well, but its certainly not the sole reason.
I do agree that having low risk, high reward options to certain gear or currency is a bad idea overall. You yourself already mentioned though that it is mostly based on luck to hit the jackpot, or investing a lot of time to roll not 10 but 100 prophecies a day. How is that different from grinding the same map over and over, hoping to get enough currency/a t1 drop to jump-start whatever build you want to play? Is it really that detrimental to have something semi-deterministic, quite similar to divination cards, to get certain results that enhance the gameplay? And in what way does it diminish your enjoyment of the game, being able to safely ignore all of it? The only reason you seem to be really disappointed in this league is because it is not intrusive enough (like perandus boxes and their mobs were, but you also didn't like the previous league for some reason) to provide a meaningful change of pace, coupled with GGG not coming over to smash the most op builds to smithereens this patch, while claiming the game has become too easy but ignoring most of the actual end-game content. Therefore you sit there on your not-nerfed fast-clearing build, ignoring most of the challenge league itself, playing the base game. Well no shit you're disappointed then, take a break and come back for the next flashback/ruckus event. But please don't complain about the game having nothing more to offer when it clearly does but you're just ignoring it. Stop tunnel-visioning on the clear-speed meta and try to enjoy parts of the game you've neglected so far, you'd be surprised how fun they can be.
