While unrefined, SethLex made a good point.

What are the majority of endgame players doing now? Grinding for tomes. Grinding FATES for Atma. Completing the books for their Animus. Doing whatever the Novus quest involves (I don't know, and I'm completely disinterested.)

Is any of that particularly difficult? Does it require skill? Not really.

What are they NOT doing? Learning better/proper ways to play their classes. Trying something different. Consistently clearing HM/EX primals. Challenging and/or clearing even the first set of Coil turns. Learning or even getting to SEE the Second Coil.

I'm not trying to sound holier-than-thou at all. You can lump me in with the rest. The difference is, I WANT to use the skills I worked hard to learn to challenge content that IS challenging. I don't care about the Zodiac Saga, not when I realized it's a grind purely for the sake of a grind. Speedrun Brayflox HM for tomes? Nah. I'm level 50, i90x. I can get tomes doing literally ANYTHING now. Why overlook everything else the game has to offer for just a by-the-numbers routine, for the sake of a grind that serves as a gateway to a grind. . . which serves as a gateway to a grind?!

To hell with the Zodiac Saga and the grind it enforces. Get me into Coil anytime.