Patch Notes are up!

[Keisatsu]

If they want to eventually make it easier they could by making you not need as many Materia. Make it for example, where instead of having to add a certain number of I/II/III/IV Materia per stat, you just have to add certain amount. Like, you need 5-10 of DET Materia (and they can still be the cheap ones) but you still get the maximum amount of DET. It just automatically adds it like with the books.

Alternatively (which would make people rage, I'm sure) they could crash the market by making you able to obtain the Materia through tomes or something.

Keep in mind they do want to retain some level of fair-ness with people who've already done it. Just saying it wouldn't be fair to those who paid full price. Though increasing ways to get alex (Whether it be % increase in Fate drop, or price reductions) would still keep to the fair-ness and making it easier on those that have been left behind or perhaps working on a second / third relic, etc.

[AlphaDragoon]

Keep in mind they do want to retain some level of fair-ness with people who've already done it. Just saying it wouldn't be fair to those who paid full price. Though increasing ways to get alex (Whether it be % increase in Fate drop, or price reductions) would still keep to the fair-ness and making it easier on those that have been left behind or perhaps working on a second / third relic, etc.

Ultimately though, without easing the Materia portion it will never be easier for other players to catch up because the Materia is the hurdle. Relics (with ideal stats) are a rich person's weapon as it stands.

I don't think they'd do something like that though until say, the expansion at minimum for the very reason you stated.

[Clarkamite]

I know some people might not agree with this but they sort of already nerfed at least the Alexandrite portion of the relic grind. You can buy maps now for 400 Soldiery instead of 800 Mythology. Still a grind but easier now. In my experience, I'm getting bonus Soldiery tomes from all sorts of duties so its still really easy to get the required amount fast.

EDIT: I will say this though the materia portion is a little bit ridiculous. I'm sure it's this way on most servers but if you want to make a min/max best version of your weapon (at least for DPS) it costs a ton of money. And in fact, it used to be cheap to just meld accuracy on your weapon. Things like Acc 4's and Parry 4's were pretty cheap but now on my server everything is expensive.

[Keisatsu]

I know some people might not agree with this but they sort of already nerfed at least the Alexandrite portion of the relic grind. You can buy maps now for 400 Soldiery instead of 800 Mythology. Still a grind but easier now. In my experience, I'm getting bonus Soldiery tomes from all sorts of duties so its still really easy to get the required amount fast.

Wasn't there some massive argument about how Myth tomes =/= 1/2 Sol tomes because Sol was harder to obtain? I swear I recall that somewhere..and I'm just waiting for the same people to show up and start that argument all over again.

[Clarkamite]

Wasn't there some massive argument about how Myth tomes =/= 1/2 Sol tomes because Sol was harder to obtain? I swear I recall that somewhere..and I'm just waiting for the same people to show up and start that argument all over again.

Maybe. I tend to stay out of the big pissing contests about whats harder to obtain/do. Personally I think Soldiery is pretty easy to obtain. I DO think it comes a little bit slower with some methods. Hunts being a good example. You still get the same Soldiery as you did before but since Soldiery is the new Mythology I guess that's sort of a nerf. Before one S rank hunt was 200 Mythology and now it's just 50 Soldiery. So I guess that is a little slower.

[Synestra]

Before one S rank hunt was 200 Mythology and now it's just 50 Soldiery.

B ranks were the main reason why players got flooded with myths, 30myth from enemy that had rather short respawn time and there were multiple zones(bacially you were able to kill them non-stop)so there was almost always one up somwhere. Now that B's dont give tomes anymore SE could boost A and S ranks lil bit as those have alot longer respawn times compared to old B's, currently theres really no reason to do hunts if you are only after tomes and dont need allied seals.

[Ultimatecalibur]

Ultimately though, without easing the Materia portion it will never be easier for other players to catch up because the Materia is the hurdle. Relics (with ideal stats) are a rich person's weapon as it stands.

I don't think they'd do something like that though until say, the expansion at minimum for the very reason you stated.

That will likely happen with the introduction of equipment that converts in Tier IV/Tier V Materia.

[Illya]

Keep in mind they do want to retain some level of fair-ness with people who've already done it. Just saying it wouldn't be fair to those who paid full price. Though increasing ways to get alex (Whether it be % increase in Fate drop, or price reductions) would still keep to the fair-ness and making it easier on those that have been left behind or perhaps working on a second / third relic, etc.

I'm not sure what fairness there will be left when everyone already knows that Heavensward will bring a gear reset. The Relic quest will probably start over at the expansion with a new weapon, or possibly use the final stage of the current Relic as it's base. Might as well let latecomers have the damn thing before Heavensward.