Let's be honest, Atma grind is here because the community at large BEGGED for a gameplay element to be like FFXI. It's that simple, people wanted grind for something, they got it. Now people complain. Quite frankly, they release an alternative every few patches to make it fair. If you want to grind, you grind, if you don't want to grind, there's an option for you too! Don't like killing EX primals to get high level weapons? run ST! solution had!
Don't like grinding atmas to get a weapon that you keep advancing and changing and altering? do other content. It's not being locked out of content, it's being settled that quite frankly, not every player will be able to complete every single quest or line, some gear is only for people willing to dedicate the time or that get lucky. This thread is old, worn out, past its prime and this is not changing. Drop it already people.