1) While there's not a "training area" persay, there's lots of tutorial pop-ups for different mechanics and you can revisit them later on through the start menu. Not all classes have access to everything, for example, dodge, parry, block, etc... these are locked to certain classes. You can dip into classes to learn some stuff and carry it over to another class too. I think the biggest tip I can give is that (for PS5), L1/R1 unlock a whole new series of commands too. Worth noting.
2) Truthfully, I've never focused a TON on crafting. I tend to always make sure I have a Mage in my party to help primarily with the healing, buffing, and debuffing. But, there absolutely is a lot to craft. Eventually there's a specialization that will auto-craft stuff for you (like turning herbs into the more powerful brew).
3) You get 4 items hotkeyed to where your pawn commands usually are, but are accessed through the L1/R1 thing. Healing a pawn can be done by pause/inventory. In terms of pawn healing mechanics, there's a few ways. Yes, you can give them their own herbs. However, there's also a specialization where a pawn will use healing items on everyone in their party, almost like you can designate them as the party healer.
4) So pawns aren't meant to be in-depth characters, they are as their name suggests - pawns. Eventually, when they're trained, they get a lot better at doing things properly. They can also help you find chests that they found while in another person's world, or guide you on a quest you're stuck on. I've always loved the pawn system, but it's not for everyone.
Inventory - so when you get rid of the pawn/they die, their inventory gets sent to your storage. The exception to this is equipment. If you equip someone else's pawn with them, you're actually sending that equipment back with them to their owner. This was a way of "boosting" newer players in the original and it'll surely be a thing here too.
5) You're very early game, the original had romance options. I haven't encountered viable ones (yet?), but I know they exist. In the original, I got married.
6) I agree, the loot system is challenging at times.
7) So it sounds like you got some misinformation here from looking it up online. The crystals are indicative or significant foraging materials to be found. If you gather them, the crystals disappear. The exclamation point is indicative of a seeker's token, and once looted, it disappears. Note that some of them are in places that are difficult to access and require certain combinations of classes or to be revisited later (e.g., there's double jumps for some classes, vaulting, levitating, etc.).
8) I've yet to encounter anything that I've lost out on from being time locked.
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