Uhm, why is the system complicated for you. It`s kinda basic; eat specific food to accumulate eityr, get better at magic by using it on enemies. What`s complicated with that?

What you stated as an example is the progress of making magic items and that is the same as usal too: get tool to gather ingredient, refine ingredient (via smelting bars or actual refining in terms of magic), craft item.

So what exactly is complicated? As I see it, it is standard Valheim.

Edit: Only exception: the refining itself. Fun times if you let the mashine work IN your base and go do something else ingame for days xD .