Just hitting 50

[JonBigwood]

Until you have the relic weapon and shield, I would buy a HQ ilvl 55 shield, if it's not too expensive. (The Wolf variety was cheaper for me and same basic stats than the other crafted ilvl 55 and the one that used to drop at WP, it has never dropped for me.)

I also would buy a HQ ilvl 55 ring with VIT if affordable (I think also the Wolf variety, usually cheaper than the other and same important stats) since you can only buy one Darklight Ring of Fending. This will give the best HP ring to use together with the DL fending ring until you can afford the Hero's Ring of Fending.

When you have extra philosophy tomes to spend you can buy the Darklight Ring of Maiming (I think it's this one, more STR) and use it in situations where top HP is not essential and higher STR gives more damage and enmity. (CT, dungeons, supposing you have high enough HP to not have problems.) This is until you buy the Hero's Ring of fending. It may be useful later for an alt job.

[Asteldian]

I would just buy dl armor (though I personally did make darksteel chest as I am a 50 in all crafts and have plenty of cash). If you do have money to burn, I would still use dl but buy gryphon skin jewelry and rose gold screws (earrings). I havent even finished the story quest yet and have 472 acc with that jewelry and dl gear and no relic. The jewelry when melded seems to give same vit and parry as dl, also gives acc str and dex. So great early on until you get myth or allagen accessories and then great later on when you don't need the 5 vit extra each accessory gives

For weapon I would get the I55 sword you need for your relic quest, its as good as the GC one and since you need it anyway, why not?
The wolf shield is a decent one to use till you get a decent drop too.

[OSUBuckeye4]

Is it worth it to pick up some crafted gear such as the heavy darksteel pieces? If I do, do I slot parry or vitality materia?

I somewhat recently hit 50 (post 2.1), here was my path:

1) I had AF armor and a bunch of lvl 20-35 accessories, I went ahead and bought some ilvl 52 accessories to bring my ilvl up to 50.
2) I foolishly bought a HQ weapon, but, I really should have just spent GC seals and got my GC weapon
3) I went and got enough philo to upgrade my belt to DL since there is no AF belt.
4) After I had my ilvl over 50 via the crafted accessories, I started running CT. I got the helm my first run, and the feet my second. I really probably should have waited for chest/legs, but, I can always get those in future weeks. If they don't drop, I can just buy those pieces with myth tomes.
5) After getting some CT loot, I spent a little of my philo for some DL equipment, then began my relic weapon quest.

There is where I'm currently at.

Priorities for each week are:

1) Getting my CT loot
2) Maxing Myth
3) Progressing in my relic weapon quest



NOTE: If the accessories are going to cost you an arm and a leg on your market board (I bought mine because they were cheap and got me into CT fast... I dinged on Sunday night and was trying to beat the weekly lockout), skip buying them and instead just run the end dungeons a few times (Cast and Pretorium) and get philo tomes and buy philo (DL) accessories.