I don't know why every game needs to have some gimmicky level up system now. It's one thing if it's something fun that really changes things up, like allowing customization, but I can't recall the last FF I'd say fit that bill. These systems just tend to lead to lots of homogenization, where you make everyone good at everything. The crystarium in particular was so linear that you may as well have just had automatic stat/ability/trait progression and normal level gain, like in FF4. As for the Death spell, you never need it, and doesn't make anything easier.
