Reeks of 1.0 stalling. Hamlet, and that laughable excuse for content with the Imperial invasion events come to mind. But at least the former took a modicum of skill, complete with unique mechanics. FATEs, however, have always been a numbers game, and sadly nothing more. I daresay it is one of the least cognitive things to do in this game. I likely would have snapped if I didn't have a second monitor to focus almost all my attention on, while I half-assedly ran around zones hitting things within blue circles. Which is precisely the problem here.

If something to grind on is horrendously dull and vapid, yet has gracious RNG implemented, that can be forgiven relatively easy.

If something has incredibly steep levels of RNG, yet is entertaining, that can also be forgiven easily. To me, Hamlet fits in this category.

If it is both dull, and also possesses very poor drop rates, as long as you are given a sense of progression for doing it, even that can be forgiven.

This FATE grind is somehow not only boring beyond any reasonable means, with spartan as all hell RNG, but there is no progression if you did not get it from the FATE you just did. It is a gambler's fallacy to think just because you have been grinding in a single zone for over 3 hours, the chance is somehow greater it will drop. Your chances are no better than when you just zoned in and did your first FATE. It has nothing of appeal, so it fails as a mechanic.

The FFXI relic comparison doesn't really hold water, because from doing Dynamis, myriad currency, crafted items, mountains of currency, attestation, currency for days, they all, for the most part, always had a sense of progression. With the exception of the final stage in Xarcabard, pretty much everything you did concerning the relic quest was a step in the right direction, no matter how minuscule it was. This FATE nonsense, on the other hand, is the equivalent of rolling several dice. If they all land six, you get to progress, anything else, you are no better off than when you started x hours ago. Probably worse for it, considering you've wasted so much time for what amounts to nothing, unless you really care about FATE achievements.

The new crafting tool requirements are fairly grueling. 50 HQ Silver Brocade, another 10 HQ for the Spectacles, that is 120 Twinthread I need to manufacture. But it's not something to really bitch about, because every success is one step closer to the goal. I can see the finish line in the distance, rather than flailing around blindly in the dark for the exit like these FATEs have people do. It's just a terribly poor mechanic, and it is baffling to me why people are defending it.