When only one (intermediate) filter is used there is only one exposure so the gradation cannot vary.
I'll chime in once more here. Erik can print however he likes, and if he likes mud, he can have mud.
But, Erik is simply wrong here about how S/F printing works. I will say it again - any combination of 00 and 5 filtration exposures still can be
exactly replicated by a given single exposure using an intermediate filter. Admittedly, the equivalent intermediate filter might be "3.63," but a 3.5 filter should be near enough as to be functionally equivalent.
Consider these addition problems:
1+1+1+1+1+10 = 15
5+5+5 = 15
In this example, "1" is the #00 filter, "10" is the #5 filter, and "5" is a #3 filter. Both equations equal the same despite using different numbers in different amounts. This is how S/F printing works.
As for burning and dodging...S/F printing still does not preclude the need for it. Just because you used enough 00 filtration to bring down the highlights to a reasonable level doesn't mean the rest of the scene (midtones) are where you would want them to be. It's like color filters on b&w - darker red filters can be used to push down the sky tonality but if it's simply too bright - like say during the sunset - you'll still have to burn in the sky (or use a GND, which is pre-exposure dodging of the sky to lower the exposure).
All of these techniques are useful for different reasons, and one may choose to use them how they see fit. The use of burning and dodging is a separate issue altogether. Insisting on not using it is comparable to the adherence of some digital photographers to a "SOOC" jpg as some kind of standard.