It’s difficult to justify compensation for Celestial items. Statistically, they’re “better” than other items even without MF. You may have purchased it for the MF, but unlike if you purchased a bunch of Traveler’s gear, you’re no worse for wear for having it removed. That’s probably why Anet didn’t provide compensation for Celestial items.
Celestial is only better when one doesn’t understand the concept behind stat weighting and budgeting. Why do you think everyone and their dog pushes full Berserker even on the squishiest classes?
For the layman, yes Celestial gives overall more total stats, in some cases significantly so. But the value of each stat is not equivalent. When you’re talking about high level PvE, such as fractals where the mechanics of gameplay include one hit KOs frequently, then it doesn’t matter in terms of survivability how much vitality, toughness or healing power you have, if you get hit you die. Conversely, stats like Power, Precision and Critical Damage indirectly contribute to your survival simply because the faster you put down the target the fewer opportunities it has to OHKO you, and the less time you the player has to coordinate dodges, blocks and invulns.
And one thing that gets repeated but apparently no one listens to, the MF sets included the MF in their stat budgets, which is why speedrunners and “1337” players disparaged sets like Explorer’s so much, because you sacrificed a lot of guaranteed party contributing power for a RNG stat that only helps your own wallet.
Now, the sets other than Celestial that had MF now give stats like Boon Duration or Condition Duration, which means previous MF sets had their stat budgets adjusted to include new combat relevant stats. Celestial got no such consideration, hence all the QQing. Honestly, Celestial is supposed to be the “all stats” armor, so any stat available to armors in GW2 should show up on Celestial. Meaning that Celestial, if no adjustments are made to the existing stats to compensate the loss of part of its stat budget should at the very least get the addition of Boon Duration and Condition Duration, but at the relative Celestial stat weighting so as not to eclipse armor sets like Giver’s.
And the rest of the Celestial items should follow suit. Seeing as how for some builds for Eles and Guardians rely on boons, Celestial could shine quite a bit there with native boon duration, freeing up the need to run dual Water/Monk, or the new and quite expensive version of Traveler runes. As well, a Condition Duration stat might make Celestial attractive to Necros who are also multi stat users, and in a condi meta could work out quite well. I on my Ele for example have a full suit of Celestial armor (among other sets) , Celestial weapons (also some Knight’s and Berserker’s) as well as a combination of trinkets, including Knight’s, Cavalier’s and Celestial. To say that anyone who purchased Celestial trinkets through Laurels should just suck it up and deal is kind of rude and harsh in the face of all other MF gear getting not only a stat boost to make up for the MF but a free change if you want something else.
, and its undeniable less desirable than it was yesterday.