I think if there were more gear, and more gear diversity, their logic would make sense. But with the system as it is, limiting infusion of any kind just makes the game more tedious than it already is. Cores have had no impact on me leveling up. But that is because I pretty much ignore the system and use only a small subset of gear. There is no reason for this. Cores don't really have any impact on the gear I use. Because I gave up on using what I wanted to use a long time ago. I am using one of the three sets that drop from pretty much every activity, so it costs me glimmer only 90% of the time. So my argument about cores is not in regards to obtaining or using them efficiently. My argument is based on the fact that they have made me completely ignore infusion as an impactful choice, and I have no reason or desire to master work anything. That is poor design. And unnecessary. They were fine as a pinnacle material used to bump gear to that next level. Using them to limit what gear, that we have already obtained, we bump to our current level, makes no sense.

I feel they implemented it so people WOULD use other armor choices to see if they like anything new. I mean, if I could freely use the Robes of the Great Hunt all the time, I would do so in a heartbeat because they look really clean! However, that means I'd never want to experiment and use the Gambit Prime sets or the Iron Banner sets (not that I'd use them this season because they look too "samey" but yeah). I agree with some things that some people say and some that the other side of the coin says too. Which is why I say that infusing shouldn't cost coins if the armor is masterworked. It is a pretty fair (I think) middle ground solution to this whole debacle.