But now surge has BY FAR the worst diminishing return value in the whole game....yet itemization builds on crit/surge items.

The softcap is already active at the very base of 50% Crit Multiplier. If this is truly working as intended I do not know what to think of it. They said Surge Rating was brought in line with all the other stats. I see NO other stat being so harshly capped.

I would swap my surge for another useful stat. A lot of money down the drain but I would do it but ALAS, there is nothing to swap for.

After running some comparison and calculations I found out that Surge Rating softcaps at the very base of 50% already. Patch notes indicate that the intention was to bring Surge Rating in line with all other stats. I cannot find any other stat though that receives diminishing returns right from the base. At 60% Crit Multiplier the DR already becomes significant, at 70% the return shrinks down to approx. 33% of its initial value. As a result taking more than 2-3 items with surge rating is a complete waste. Yet, itemization basically forces me to either go high surge/crit or power/alacrity which seems to be very unpopular among many classes (I know as a Merc Healer I dislike Alacrity). Personally I feel like the DR curve is either too steep now or starts too early on.

You have to consider that the game launched around Christmas. A LOT of people had more time on their hands than usual.