Elsword!

I'm interested, since this looks a lot like how Grand Chase should've been.
GC was fun, but Cash gear being damn near required was a turn-off. Is this game the same way?

No, not really, unless you want the Ice Burner sets. Even then, you can just buy them from the market (though, obviously with a hefty price tag). The onlly thing in the cash shop that really stand out to me are B slots (4 more skills available for use in dungeons) and short cuts for the locked skill quests. Everything else is just pure character dress-up or more revival stones, which you don't even need if you know how to play the game properly.