My ideal MMO crafting system would be:
- Multiple professions to choose from, pick only one per character to specialize in, subclasses would further define lesser specialty for making subcomponents. Your primary specialization would make the biggest quality items.
- Gathering skills independent of crafting system, mixed in with adventuring system (EQ1-style drops with the option to do EQ2-style gathering, but not require the EQ1-style drops to progress)
- Interdependency between primary classes/subclasses, so that you will need to actually interact outside of your trade to create finished products. (EQ2 did this early in its lifecycle and it was amazing for a game like Pantheon wants to be.)
- RuneScape/XIV style progression/XP system. Milestones on leveling up to create new items, general item strength is relative to the quality level of the materials you gather through the EQ1-style drop system, combined with the quality of the items from subcomponent combines. Effectively a long grind that you get better at doing as time goes on with no catchup mechanics.
-Racial based crafting. Being a renowned <race> <crafter class> was the one thing about EQ1's crafting system that was done extremely well, and fits right into the 'roleplaying' aspect of early MMOs that was lost in modern titles.
-Ability to augment existing gear through the tradeskill system, as opposed to only gear that comes from crafting. Adding a few extra stats, or an enchantment, is really well done in WoW, but I always thought keeping it to just 'enchanting' was poor design.
Do that, and put it in Pantheon. There's your crafting system. That'll be $100 for the FoH consultation fee.