At least with Exploration Zones, it felt new with some progress steps visually. Say what you want about Eureka but the zones had a sense of unknown and danger to them that made them interesting.

And I'd rather do a NM train and grind for lost actions. That to me is fun.

No matter who you cut it, there's always going to be a "grind" for relic because that's how it's designed to be. A long process to get the final expansion weapon. And tbh, relics have never been hard, just grindy.

The way they have them now is so boring. I have no attachment to the weapon because I just drop the tomes to buy it from my daily routines. Mandeville is cool and all but attaching it to a relic weapon is a choice.

Eureka and Bozja at least has some creavitity put into it.

ARR was the true grind hell tho.

HW was okay.