Stats and loot had all the same importance in OS1, it just so happened that you could craft most of the best equipment, so finding it was never an issue. That of course lead to the opposite problem where the loot you could find or buy was never anything but trash and it was only the materials you ever cared about.
And it is much more strategic. It's the difference between reloading until something works (either reload the instant it fails or reload when you lose the fight, same difference either way), or finding a proper strategy that doesn't fail. The difference between solving a jigsaw puzzle and forcing the pieces together to call it solved. It has some flaws but the way hard CC is handled isn't one of them.
Also, I found that the AI likes to focus targets with lower HP, so balancing Con has the benefit of making the enemy spread their damage rather than focus one target to death. The exact mechanics of the game's aggro system are beyond me though. There are also ways other than armor to provide immunity to certain CC, including potions and the rested status.
1-lie, never bothered with crafting in the first game, everything i equiped i found and i finished the game no problems.
2-lie again, stratagey doesn't mean cheese the AI until you are able to win, you will still be reloading like crazy until a fight plays in a certain way so you are able to win it.
3-AI is psychic it will focus characters with traits like glass cannon or undead without knowing shit about that, so yeah, there goes your fucking strategy, the AI outright cheats.