Compared to previous expansions people were right that WoD was more RNG(random sockets and tertiaries got added) and garrisons were basically a mobile game. It's all obviously relative to the expansions that came before.
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Both neck and artifacts had/have both soft and hard caps, not sure what makes you think there's a difference.
The solution to M+ players not having tier sets would've been to add a M+ set each season too, not deleting tier. The big advantage tier had was that it actually changed each tier. Azerite doesn't, we're running basically the same setups as in BoD(and would've used basically the same in Uldir if we had the extra ring if traits back then)