Crafting/Blacksmithing can turn your fighter into an unstoppable killing machine...
This isn't even hyperbole. You don't have to game the system, or use wonky mechanics, or rely on glass cannon. You just change your characters name to "He Upon Whom Death No Longer Holds Lease" and call it a day.
Lol. I'm not sure I'd go that far.
It definitely greatly improves your current gear, but oftentimes I would rather have the stat boosts from legendaries, than the extra armor / base damage from crafted stuff.