Relics are too easy to get

[Sargon]

Can no longer differentiate skilled vs non-skilled by their gear. I couldn't agree more with the OP.

Gear have never been a proof of skill.
At most, gear will indicate how much you play, but if you've ever been in a real hardcore guild, you've carried your burdens to great gear and you knew their skill were just average at most. When you try hard 6days a week, you sometimes HAVE to accept that extra healer/dd/tank that's not as good as you wish.
This may be wrong for the very few top guild doing a real tough selection, but they are rare.

This being said, I agree that relic is not what hardcore player will call an achievement, since as a very casual player I should still be able to get it before 2.1.