Question regarding relic moving forward.

So I quit a while back when Void ark came out and just came back. Im on the part where you need 40 unidentifiable items.

My question is, Will I have to do all of this to start Samurai's Stormblood relic?

Im not worried about skipping the first stage if its like heavensward was. My main concern is how far behind I am and needing around 25k Lore to finish. Is it better for me to just farm up tomes and wait for Stormblood or finish the relic? I don't really wanna put all the effort in when im not even going to be playing BRD anymore after that anyways.

Will I start the heavensward relic or the stormblood one if I stop at my current point?

We don't know how the new relic chain will look like, if it's even continued or implemented. We also don't know if it's right off the start or later down the line like HW was. But just in case it would be the same as HW was, then you won't have to finish/continue your relic, if you're not planning on skipping one or two steps throughout that chain.

I highly doubt that the HW relic would be or become mandatory to start the new relic chain (if implemented). It would cause a lot of problems to newer players as well to players that returning or veterans all together that chose not to go that route.

However if you're feeling a bit bored or burned out on current content, it's a possibility to finish the relic just in time, since it has been adjusted. But since Sam and RDM won't get a weapon from this current chain, it might just be a waste of time and items since you're not going to continue playing your brd. If you're 100% certain that you do not want to play brd anymore at the end, or any other job that's not the new ones, then I would say skip it, since there's nothing to gain as it stands right now.

Yea im in no mood to farm up 25k tomes alone, since all of my friends pretty much moved on and my brother refuses to. I supposed ill just max out tomes and try to get higher ilvl for now so I can prep to buy higher ilvl samurai stuff. Granted I fully expect to have to level it for a while before I can do anything. I really hope they don't start it at level 30 though. I wasn't a fan of that

level 50 will be the starting level of both new jobs.

Something I would recommend if you have the correct item level on your bard, enter dun scaith because the weekly lockout on items have been removed, and while you might have to run it more then once (if you're not on a caster or mnk), it's pretty much free and less frustrating ilvl 260 loot. That would give you a good start with the new upcoming expansion, without having to stress about farming tomes and stacking up ilvl 270 gear (scripture). That would give you also the chance to maybe fully gear your brd if you still doing that (i was lazy and didn't check the lodestone), never know how the job changes might affect your current character, or maybe Sam/RDM didn't turn out as you wanted etc, at least you would have a Job to fall back on if it's geared. Or just cap the tomes at 2k, because you might need them later on to buy a weapon for the new job etc. But that's just my suggestion.

For level 50, just get some tomes and buy the ironwork sets and the upgrades that go with that, or if you're doing leveling roulette and end up in the HW dungeons, greed a couple of pieces that will hold you above water for the start of the expansion.

Any idea which piece of gear they will be thrown on? I assume a STR set so monk perhaps? That was the initial plan. I have a few 245 pieces already so im working on it already. Im gonna get all 260 for brd at the very least just in case there is 40 billion samurai and someone needs a brd for new content.

Samurai will share the gear with Monk
Red Mage will share the gear with current casters (Summoner & Black Mage)

We don't know what second or third stat they prioritize on, however since it's just leveling gear (till 70) I wouldn't worry much about that. Now if there were a set that would have parry on it, just like tanks have in most cases, I would say go for a set that has something else on it. But since that isn't the case for dps at least not for now, any 250-270 Mnk/SMN/BLM set will do just fine.

Accessories would be STR in case of SAM and INT in case of RDM.