Quote Originally Posted by Camate View Post
I’d like to share the developers’ thoughts and plan for these new trials and upgrades.

When it comes to the first stage of upgrades for relic/mythic/empyrean weapons, this is considered to be the weapon’s complete form and is also the one the developers expect most players can achieve. They don’t want to dangle a carrot in front of everyone saying, “you can make these weapons even more powerful!” and then make it so only small fraction of players achieve this.

On the other hand, as some of you have already mentioned, the second stage of these weapon enhancements is left for those players who wish to go above and beyond—the “completionists” so to speak. This is why there will be no difference in weapon skill damage or other stats and only an AoE benefit as well as a special effect will be given for completing this upgrade.
I love that "completionists" sounds like a polite euphemism in the last paragraph. I can imagine the developers seeing that some poor soul has completed an afterglow weapon, looking at each other with amused expressions, then cheerfully declaring that the King of all NEETs has claimed his lonesome throne.

They'll begin to debate whether such a throne is made of out Mikuru Asahina love pillows or Mami Tomoe love pillows, battle lines will be drawn, and even less work than usual will get done that day.