Crafting shards, crystals and clusters...

[Krojack]

I was looking at these the other day and wondered why these even still exists? I do a TON of crafting and still I gain them faster than I use them. I personally feel they should just be done away with OR greatly increase the amount needed to craft higher end gear. Like maybe 4 star crafts should take 10 or 12 of each cluster or something. Right now it's just 4 clusters (2 of two different kind). Big whoop..

I donno, I just feel they are pointless. They don't even sell for much either. I just give them away to whoever in my FC needs them, which is only shards for new people leveling crafting.

[DumdogsWorld]

I was looking at these the other day and wondered why these even still exists? I do a TON of crafting and still I gain them faster than I use them.

You may be correct in that the efficiency has changed, but the reason hasn't changed since the concept was introduced - to make things more difficult for you. No, really.

[KageTokage]

I've only ever had issues with my stock of shards as the amount of those you gain passively from activities like aetherial reduction is significantly lower.

The main people I regularly see mining for clusters specifically are bot farmers, which is understandable because only players who are spending the vast majority of their time crafting are likely to ever run into issues with their stocks of those.

[Krojack]

to make things more difficult for you. No, really.

But it doesn't make crafting more difficult. I completely forget they exist. It's only more difficult for new people leveling crafting. I got some friends that started playing several months ago and just started trying to craft. I just give them shards but now I gave them access to my garden and showing them how to plant shards when they need them. I just supply them the seeds from my retainers.

[Miminming]

I need to buy from mb for my need...

[DumdogsWorld]

But it doesn't make crafting more difficult.

Hence the efficiency part of my statement. Just because Square Enix tried to make it harder for you doesn't mean it worked.

[Seraphor]

There must be a demand for them, because it's what funds botters and gil sellers.
Perhaps youre just not crafting enough.

[Kalise]

I ran out of Lightning and Wind shards...

When I was doing literally hundreds of Ixal dailies as Weaver to level up other classes (Since it's far quicker to just craft all the stuff in 2 actions as level 70 fully geared, than to sit around faffing about with level 10 classes... Especially when the craft itself doesn't really give any experience, it's all the quest turn in...)

But yeah, for the most part, they're pretty redundant.

How did I even end up with 8000 of each crystal and 1000 of each cluster? I haven't a clue. I know I didn't farm for them or reduction for them. They just appeared in my inventory at some point while I wasn't looking.

At the very least, I can use them to get the "Gather a bajillion things" DoL achievements without filling up my inventory full of crapola.

[Mansion]

During intense leveling or low crafting (for FC airships and things like that) I tend to run out of shards. Crystals sit around 6 000 each and clusters are quite high to.
I wish we could break crystals into shards.

[Krotoan]

During intense leveling or low crafting (for FC airships and things like that) I tend to run out of shards. Crystals sit around 6 000 each and clusters are quite high to.
I wish we could break crystals into shards.

Or smoosh shards into crystals.