RNG is Back with ZODIAC Relic

[kyuven]

I love how people complain that there's no mid-range items between "casual" and "hardcore," then we have this thread complaining that what is commonly seen as casual is not casual.
Make up your minds.
Earning alexandrite in and of itself is the definition of casual. The materia melds are expensive not because of a design choice by SE, but because of market values. If you want THE BEST MOST UBER of weapons, you have to be willing to pony up the dough. However, getting materia is very easy. You can get a full set of very nice shiny materia with a decent shot at the more expensive ones if you're willing to invest the money or time.
"Casual" does not necessarily mean it can be done in a week of playing an hour a day. That's absurd for a game's endgame content. Hell that's bad business sense since if it takes a week to accomplish something, what are your casual players going to be doing the other 5-6 weeks between major content patches?
Things take time. It's a purposeful design decision to keep you paying your monthly fee. Deal with it, or quit. Time investment isn't going to change.

[RiceisNice]

I love how people complain that there's no mid-range items between "casual" and "hardcore," then we have this thread complaining that what is commonly seen as casual is not casual.
Make up your minds.
Earning alexandrite in and of itself is the definition of casual. The materia melds are expensive not because of a design choice by SE, but because of market values. If you want THE BEST MOST UBER of weapons, you have to be willing to pony up the dough...

Don't confuse People with People.

It's also not the "best most uber" weapon, not by a long shot especially for the novus step. You're right that this is player market driven, but obtaining the materia is rng of its own (especially if you're trying to for grade IV materia, there's no guaranteed converts for these, let alone to get one that isn't a primary stat or elemental)

What I have a problem (and probably a lot others) with is the projected time investment required for the relics versus the alternatives (which would now be ilvl115 with upgraded shiva weapons). Weapon damage is the strongest damage stat for every class (to a varying degree), and even something as easy as shiva would outdamage novus. Unfortunately I can't really see how they can change upon novus because again, it's mostly player driven in regards to price (though that can still flow into obtainin the materia and being lucky with it).

The current relic quest I don't mind so much; it gets nearly all the aspect of the game involved, it helps to know friends who can craft and desyn for you, or if you can even craft yourself (espesically at this late in the game, gearing for 3* is significantly easier now)