SE really is asking abit much for this relic in my opinion and here's why:
Step 1) perfectly fine
Step 2)pretty fun, I did all 10 via DF. Wasn't that bad
Step 3) okay... Did you add a extra 0 somewhere SE?
Current need: 20 of 4 UI, and 16 HQ spec crafts.
The options to get UIs: Alexander,tomes,maps,hunts,beast tribes
So looks like a lot of choices right? Not really because for new players/people who didn't do beast tribes on the side don't get that choice. Maps if you can't get them yourself can get pricey. Tomes: law it's okay it's easily gained. Poetics is not something a lot of people have in mass and gain fast. So the main ways for those people are Alexander,Map,Law tomes. At a pace of 2-3 UIs we'll finish in about a month or so. (If a person can spend that much time a day grinding,which is unlikely)That's not too bad for a weapon for most of us isn't good compared to alternatives (so get the other alts you say) and that's a fair point we could do that. But is "that content isn't good for you? Don't do it then" is bad answer. Should content being ignored because it isn't fun? We pay $13 dollars a month to pay the devs for server costs and fund new content for the game. All those who say don't do it, your basically saying support content you don't want in the game.
Now enough ranting this is how I would change the relic step 3.
Half the amount of UIs needed. Make it 10 per UI instead of 20. Alex runs. Make it 5 pieces a UI. that's 50 runs for a floor. Far more manageable/mental sanity saving
Crafted items. Reduce it to two or remove the spec on the recipes.
Also: we've got 5-6 weeks before 3.2 drops with the next upgrade around then. So all this work for a subpar weapon for most for 2 weeks is abit crazy. Atleast with A4S you know your getting a good weapon *looks at Dark knight sword with parry* for the most part...
I don't think that this content would have as much of a backlash if it was released around savage, back when people still needed the mind numbing unenjoyable fights of NM.