Crafting shards, crystals and clusters...

[DumdogsWorld]

I was looking at these the other day and wondered why these even still exists? I do a TON of crafting and still I gain them faster than I use them.

You may be correct in that the efficiency has changed, but the reason hasn't changed since the concept was introduced - to make things more difficult for you. No, really.

[Krojack]

to make things more difficult for you. No, really.

But it doesn't make crafting more difficult. I completely forget they exist. It's only more difficult for new people leveling crafting. I got some friends that started playing several months ago and just started trying to craft. I just give them shards but now I gave them access to my garden and showing them how to plant shards when they need them. I just supply them the seeds from my retainers.

[DumdogsWorld]

But it doesn't make crafting more difficult.

Hence the efficiency part of my statement. Just because Square Enix tried to make it harder for you doesn't mean it worked.