What exactly is up with the RNG in this game, and why is it so atrocious? I understand that 1 of the points of a MMO is the constant grind to make your build 'better', but why is there nothing in place to ease or 'stabilize' the grind?

For example. Let's look at Diablo 3's Reaper of Souls. You have a series of ways to get the item you want, and stats you want. It's not just grinding rifts or mobs nonstop. You can gamble at Kadala with blood shards, and then hit up the enchantress to keep rolling for better stats if you don't like the stats you have on the item you received. So it's not like it's impossible to get for example a Wand of Woh (relatively rare Wizard drop), and then with good traits. Not to mention, you can also modify said weapon with a specialized cube to improve it further to be able to use a gem with it. Rather than hoping it came with a socket, or rolling for one. There are counter measures to make sure you don't get completely screwed over by RNG, while still promoting the grind for gear. Why aren't some of these features in ESO? I have no idea.

Want players to play your game? Okay. That's fine. Want players to work for end-game gear and strong gear? That's fine. But, don't sit there and dilute the loot tables with crap traits like Charged in Maelstrom Arena. Don't not have a token system in place, so that a player can do something over 1k times and still be S.O.L., all because the player had "bad luck". Then turn around and have players who maybe complete the content once or twice, and get a best-in-slot drop with perfect traits. That's an amateur move to make, ZOS.

And would you like to know what happens when you incorporate that type of system...? You have your forums flooded with complaints of the trash RNG in place. You have people no longer wanting to subscribe to your game, or in cases like mine, not want to touch your game for prolonged periods of time. Only to return on the next update is released alongside new changes and new content. So it in fact has the opposites effect of what you want. Oh, and you don't have to take my word for it. I did a poll on this located here: https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/302366/would-you-still-play-if-there-was-no-grind/p1 And in the words of Yo Gotti, numbers don't lie. The data is right there for you to see for yourself. And I'm pretty sure those numbers would pretty similar if asked of those outside of the forums the same question, on whether or not they'd still play without being subjected to your RNG-based grind.

Also, while we are talking about taking input from your player base — why do you all refuse to change the system in place if you constantly receive so many complaints about it...? I'm not a game developer, but I am pretty sure if a company had constant complaints every single day/week about how bad their system(a) is? They'd work hard on fixing it, and try to make it a tad bit better. They wouldn't constantly ignore the people lacing their pockets from subscription and crown store purchases, but rather try to please them to keep the bucks flowing in. Not slow down. That's counter-productive.

ZOS, you are the only company I know of who literally ignores what your player base over serious issues, and at times then makes things worst. Case and point you strengthening poisons, rather than making them weaker. Even though on the PTS, we told you that they were over-performing. You literally ignored it, and did it your way. Then looked goofy on ESO Live when you saw it for yourself, and made no comment on it. But, that's a topic in and of itself. And I don't make too many more threads nowadays on the forums. So no, I won't get on your helmet about that. But, I highly advise you guys do something about your RNG. Or incorporate a token system, or allow players to re-roll things. Otherwise, you're just asking for: More complaint threads, more people dropping subs, more people ceasing to play, more people speaking bad about the game, and more people speaking ill of ZOS. All things I'm sure you don't want.

... Unless of course you truly don't give a damn, and really are out to make a buck only and on your final threads of care regarding the game. In which case completely disregard all that I wrote. Lol.

Edit:
For the people who like to half-ass read things, and then make a comment/response that has nothin to do with the thread itself — here is a TL;DR for you: "ZOS, please make your RNG better. So that the future of your own product strives and gets out this downward spiral of negativity."