So browsing the new raid weapons it looks like none have an element, unlike prior raids. Is this a change in design philosophy? As the elemental primaries were pretty much all I would see people use in PVE once they obtained them.

Also, I am enjoying the expanded number of perks and their synergies on all the new armors in 2.0.

According to some pre-release info, the raid gear/weaponry comes in two variants, normal and Harrowed (difficulty-based). The elemental variants are probably the Harrowed variants, but who knows. I wouldn't be totally against doing away with non-exotic elemental primaries, but it seems odd that two variants of a weapon would exist if nothing really set them apart.

I bet that's it. Like the "Adept" versions of the Trials weapons.

Would rather see an exotic elemental material that you could apply to a weapon to give it a random elemental damage mod. I'm sick of the fixed raid shit, especially when it's behind a Hard diff wall. Although I'd be okay with this behind said wall.

I mean, you get the full raid set and then what? Nothing (albeit I hear there are some quests). This adds some more incentive to play. Like the Etheric Light.