New/Returning player seeking progression advice

Long story short, I'm back after ~2 years absence. I've decided to make a go at making my main ninja, as that is always the class i've wanted. I do not have heavensward yet. I have ALOT of catching up to do before that becomes a concern.

So i'm not new, new. But still feel very lost at times.

So as i approach 50 on ninja what is the best progression plan in terms of weapon upgrade.

Do the relic? Then run the entire zodiac grind? This is obviously alot of work. Is there a better option? Is this still worth the effort?
Please assume i have access to limited funds and resources. Ie i dont swim in piles of gil for fun, nor do i have an army of master crafters in my backpocket.

Welcome back to the realm as for weapons the Ironwork weapon is good i120 then you upgrade it to i130 will help you till level 55 same thing goes for the gear or maybe coils gear T10~T13 i135 gear the relic is kinda waste of time now since you can skip it for the new relic the zeta is i135 .

As you said the old ARR relic is a fair amount of work, and by all regards semi redundant; at level 50 duties will award Poetic tomestones, which can be quickly gained and then used to purchase the i120 NIN weapon in Mor Dhona, and the item to upgrade them to i130 can also be bought cheaply with more Poetics. It would take you a few dungeon runs to gain enough, easily doable within a few hours so you would have the weapon within a day.

The ARR relic still has -some- use in that it is still the strongest weapon at 50, but it still takes a few days of pure grinding to do. Otherwise it gets outclassed swiftly past 50 once you obtain Heavensward within a few levels and thus its only other use is to skip a stage on the new HW relic.
Otherwise its pure Glamour bait.

Iornworks Weapon for Poetics will serve you fine.

Thanks so much, this is exactly what i was looking for. Some sorta plan as i ease back into the game. I got alot of things to do and don't want to waste time doing things that have become obsolete.

Definitely settle on the Ironworks gear. When you do pick up Heavensward, it will serve almost the entire way along as you'll pick up upgrades from the main story quest as needed. The old relics are more or less obsolete.