Atma Grind Needs Some Changes...

[Divine_Intervention]

You can buy dark matter for gil at a shop in new gridania.

[Amelia_Pond_Behemoth]

Or, more specifically: The fatal problem with Atmas is that there is no sense of achievement whatsoever up until the Atma actually drops. I am literally wasting time, burning through Gil to keep up with equipment repair costs, and the FATEs themselves are even wasting your Challenge log because of the EXP bonuses!

You're doing it wrong. If I've used up 4/5 gold or 9/10 total FATEs on a level 50, I'll switch back to a low level for the bonus. You can even manipulate it to only having to do one fight instead of two.

[Bucy]

You're doing it wrong. If I've used up 4/5 gold or 9/10 total FATEs on a level 50, I'll switch back to a low level for the bonus. You can even manipulate it to only having to do one fight instead of two.

does that really work?! Can I do some of a Fate on a relic carrier, then switch to a low level job, finish the fate, get exp for my low level job, and still get atma?

[Jasiwel]

I decided to quit trying to grind Atma after 2.3 when they released a plethora of other weapons that are not only better, but also are more enjoyable to obtain. This reasoning has just been further boosted by my obtaining an Unidentified Allagan Tombstone after beating ST again (which I enjoy) and I'll have enough Letters for Liberator in two weeks. Then theres's the fact that Atma isn't even that good and is only a stepping stone for Animus, which is a lot better, but still painful to get.

[Valthein]

brought it up before bring it up again all the atmas should have been 2 star crafting item requiring mats from other lvl 50 1 star craft items plus an extensive SB grind instead of just RNG. a week of working on it get your atma this would get players on board with leveling up crafts giving them more to do and players with 50 crafts to get all crafts at 50 and material enhanced to actually make it. then your looking at what 12 weeks all ur atma if you do it every day for each week. not too bad of a grind if you ask me it would appease the ones who want something that takes a long time it would be totally fair to all players where rng isn't and it shows people progress which is the biggest thing I think.

[Magis]

Atma IMO wasn't bad at all, and I found it p. fun to do. It also gave me something to work on one dailies were completed.

[Krindor]

The idea itself, to grind for a weapon and feeling that it's earned as well as helping players with fates is good but the current system is quite flawed. Personally I would have no problems grinding if I could see results but RNG is just stupid as you could do stuff for hours without accomplishing anything whilst someone else did it for 5 minutes and got the reward. Also why not let players level their character while grinding for Atma? Even with RNG something is still accomplished, also for those that already have all 50 it would be nice if the gil reward was increased or some alternative reward added so that it at least isn't pure wasted time.
I gave up on atma because of the RNG, but if I could skip atma I would do the grind heavy animus and novus, atm I'll just get my soldiery wep instead as I can waste less time getting that and not relying on the RNG god.

[Gallus]

Yes, I too think Atma is one of the worst things they could ever come up with. I enjoyed more doing the entire 9 Animus books than collecting a single Atma. I remember the Southern Thanalan one, it literally took me 3 days almost nonstop. I got around 70k seals before the stupid atma of the scorpion dropped, I think I did around 300+ fates only for that one. When I see people saying that they did +300 fates FOR ALL 12 it makes me rage to dangerous levels.

[Amelia_Pond_Behemoth]

does that really work?! Can I do some of a Fate on a relic carrier, then switch to a low level job, finish the fate, get exp for my low level job, and still get atma?

No, you'll have to go one FATE without your high level job. You'd need to be on your low level job before the FATE begins.

[Fendred]

For those saying that the animus isn't so bad, I agree. Even though it is long, you can clearly plan out and plot your progress towards getting the weapon. That is simply not possible with the atma fate grind.

There are three potential issues besides the low drop rates:
1) Some zones are just really big, and by the time you reach a fate, it may already be completed.
2) Too many people in one zone results in not getting full credit for all the fates participated in, thus increasing the grind duration.
3) Too few people means fates take too long, thus increasing the grind duration.