You make valid points on the game design, but... (Destiny)

by Xenos , Shores of Time, Wednesday, May 27, 2015, 21:09 (3262 days ago) @ CruelLEGACEY

To be clear, I'm not talking about the extra loot chest that requires a key to open (since the keys are a nightmare to find and introduce a whole separate problem). I'm talking about the rewards you get for completing the activity. To my knowledge, those rewards include blue engrams, motes, coins, glimmer, and Queen's weapons, plus armor cores and weapons cores used to purchase fallen-themed gear from the tower vendor. The big issue here is the Queen's weapons and fallen gear; none of it holds a candle to some of the raid weapons.
Plus, the raids both give 2 chances at an exotic each. PoE only gives 1, and only if you have a key.

At 35 you get an elemental primary (which has a random element instead of set element, which I think is awesome!) just for beating Skolas (no key required from what I've read) as well as the same chance you get from 34 of getting the Elder Cipher. The key chest will also give some exclusive, but non-gear/weapon items.