[Rant] Shards, Crystals, and Clusters...

[Aerowaffle]

It's completely unreasonable to to use me as the base standard for obtaining crystals and shards but don't point to me for that, point to the company that made the game. To be truthful I saw my worker empire as an adventure and setting it up was just content I created. I didn't do it with malice or intent and never took it close to what I could in size but most of it is passive. I put more effort in to keeping market orders up to date than I do in sending out retainers.

I don't know if Square measure difficulty on getting shards and crystals based on this level of output but the point is, that's the high side of what we are capable of.

High end? Sure. In the extreme sense of the effort involved.

Realistically, how many people do you think make such an effort on a server? You would basically be spending 100% of the time either talking to a retainer bell or farming seals for the huge costs of ventures you'd be burning through. There would barely be any time for you to do anything else.

I really doubt that the shard market is composed of players that take that much effort. Especially those with retainer names that are just a face-roll combination of letters.

But back on track with the OP's concern;

The OP is talking about the difficulty of retaining shards as an reasonably active crafter, and I remember it being tough at one point as well. But as you level up crafting and gathering (mostly gathering), SE opens up very efficient methods of getting shards and crystals. Be it through beastman dailies, retainers, or Aetherial Reduction, it's not really a problem unless you completely loath all three of those methods. And at that point you're just being picky.

[Fufupel]

You can plant seeds that grow and turn into shards in 24 hours. Get some Shroud Topsoil 3 and the seeds and you get 100 shards per seed planted. I just send my mining retainer to gather the soil needed.

[Ksenia]

High end? Sure. In the extreme sense of the effort involved.
Realistically, how many people do you think make such an effort on a server? You would basically be spending 100% of the time either talking to a retainer bell or farming seals for the huge costs of ventures you'd be burning through. There would barely be any time for you to do anything else.

I really doubt that the shard market is composed of players that take that much effort. Especially those with retainer names that are just a face-roll combination of letters.

But back on track with the OP's concern;

The OP is talking about the difficulty of retaining shards as an reasonably active crafter, and I remember it being tough at one point as well. But as you level up crafting and gathering (mostly gathering), SE opens up very efficient methods of getting shards and crystals. Be it through beastman dailies, retainers, or Aetherial Reduction, it's not really a problem unless you completely loath all three of those methods. And at that point you're just being picky.

I used to think so too and like the OP I loathed the shard and crystal farming

- Ignored -

It's completely unreasonable to to use me as the base standard for obtaining crystals and shards but don't point to me for that, point to the company that made the game.

- Ignored -

You seem to have a need to create an optic around what I offered to the topic so I will give up trying to elaborate any further.

The point being we can obtain far more shards and crystals (clusters as well with 50+ retainers) and contrary to what you think the 'extreme effort' is not that great. It's easier than you think though it is a long term objective, mostly passive and not a youtube guide worthy solution though. More of a play every day and build your account solution.

[Mysticdraggon]

- Ignored -
- Ignored -

You seem to have a need to create an optic around what I offered to the topic so I will give up trying to elaborate any further.

The point being we can obtain far more shards and crystals (clusters as well with 50+ retainers) and contrary to what you think the 'extreme effort' is not that great. It's easier than you think though it is a long term objective, mostly passive and not a youtube guide worthy solution though. More of a play every day and build your account solution.

Great!
(quits job)

but seriously, it just seems that your including reasoning within your post then just telling me to walk it off, become a pro, and buy more retainers while spending more time than i already do on the game. while i do appreciate that you understand my situation, id rather not go for a "try harder" solution. rather, i want the devs to walk off whatever coding they need to do in order to make this system better

[JunseiKei]

I just wish shards were easier to get. Diadem- Matron was great for getting them. Unfortunately, I can't remember Matron popping since 4.0 dropped. At least clusters and crystals can be obtained through reduction. Wish shards had been included in that somewhere, especially with 60+ cooking (and even some 50+ cooking) recipes still using shards.

As for gardening, already have them all in use for other things that are just as valuable, if not more.

As for retainers, like above, using them to gathering more valuable mats to level crafters as is. >_<

I wouldn't mind going out and mining shards if I actually had an incentive to do it. Getting [largely] 1 shard per swing on a level 70 gatherer is incredibly irritating and time consuming. I don't particularly want to buy them, either. Last time I ran around looking at people that spent time gathering from low level areas for shards, they teleported from node to node. I have no desire to support cheaters/RMTs.

EDIT:
And yeah. I've always hated the shard, crystal and cluster requirement along with the mats to make anything. Not hard to get, but in the case of shards, just a time waste to gather. Or in the case of clusters and crystals, you practically roll around in them to the point that they have become redundant.

I'd almost like it better if they placed in furniture that could be used at any level, where to completely rids the cost of any shard, crystal of cluster requirement. You, however, must be in close proximity to the furnishing.

[Felis]

1. add a level 50 or 51 trait to each crafter that allows them to not use shards.
2. decrease the GP required for each Ward. players should not have to spend enormous amounts of GP when it comes to the quantity of such a simple yet required resource.

1. add a lv 60 recipe that allow a blacksmith to create shards with hammering on crystals
2. meld gp materia in your gatherer gear

[Ksenia]

Great!
(quits job)

but seriously, it just seems that your including reasoning within your post then just telling me to walk it off, become a pro, and buy more retainers while spending more time than i already do on the game. while i do appreciate that you understand my situation, id rather not go for a "try harder" solution. rather, i want the devs to walk off whatever coding they need to do in order to make this system better

If this was difficult I wouldn't be doing it. By hard core standards I'm as lazy as they come. Churning out low level alts to establish retainer empires is a pretty low key commitment and I seldom maintain full production though I do like having 32 'minion retainers' to gear up on my crafting main or making GC crafted turn in items for the seven Alts to keep seals and ventures in supply when others are screaming for the next content patch. I never have find myself with 'nothing to do'.

[ServerCollaps]

you can also grow shards in gardens, they are so easy to come by

[Sylve]

If you buy shards off the market board you are supporting RMT. RMT botters get gil to sell by gathering shards.

Wait, So you're saying I'm an RMT because i sell off the crystal/shard/clusters i get while doing battle content?

[MistakeNot]

I have never had a problem getting enough shards or crystals. Many crafting quests and levequests give them as rewards which gives you a nice base to start from.
Once your retainers can start gathering them you can just send them out for a batch or two whenever supplies start to run low. Send out 2 retainers and you can get 120 shards in 40 minutes - which is more than I use up by crafting during that time.
You can also go out and gather them yourself if needed - it is trivial to do so, just takes time. This should rarely be needed however.

Clusters are harder to get in large quantities, but there aren't many recipes which require them so they are not much of a problem either.