Obviously Veteran Ranks are still in place and causing much discussion in relation to the increase to Vet16 that is coming and when the hell are ZOS going to remove the damn things. The main issue they seem to keep coming back to is based around itemisation since all gear in the game is based around levels. Armour, weapons, even consumables are all tied to the level systems that you need to reach before you can use it and that is causing the all the problems.

Now if ZOS eventually remove the vet ranks and just make the level cap a flat 50, what happens to the vet level items and the materials used to craft them? Do they become irrelevant completely or do they get re-purposed. I say re-purpose them as a secondary improvement item. Now this would only really apply to equipment since that is where most of the issues seem to lie for most people.

A quick breakdown of the current system vs the idea using blacksmithing

Blacksmithing:

Currently:

1-14 Iron
16-24 Steel
24-34 Orichalcum
36-44 Dwarven
46-50 Ebony
V1-V3 Calcinium
V4-V6 Galatite
V7-V8 Quicksilver
V9-V14 Voidstone

New:

Levels:
1-14 Iron
16-24 Steel
24-34 Orichalcum
36-44 Dwarven
46-50 Ebony

Improvement:
1st tier: Calcinium
2nd tier: Galatite
3rd tier: Quicksilver
4th tier: Voidstone

Ebony would be the maximum level for the gear for levels. The material afterwards would be used to make the items equivalent to the current vet rank itemisation. For example, you make a Ebon Sword at level 50, you then use some voidstone ingots, either the same amount as current or less since it wouldn't be a primary crafting material, as an alloy to improve it further giving it the power of a vet 14 Voidstone Sword. To denote the difference between a normal Ebony Sword and a Voidstone-improved Sword, an inlay of Voidstone on the blade of the sword would give a different colouration and the name would denote the difference ie. Ebon-Void Sword.

Obviously this would apply to the woodworking and clothing as well as blacksmithing. Ironthread could line your Ebonthread shirt, Mahongany could add accents to your Yew Shield improving the armour or power this items has. All are small details but they would make a difference and give the vet materials a new purpose instead of removing them completely. It would also make the current gear still mean something since it would have the equivalent power that it has now instead of decreasing it because of the vet rank removal.

So I call upon the ESO community, give me feedback on this. Is it good? Is it garbage? Are there any areas or additional things that could improve this idea.