Any idea what the final item level of the relic tools will be?

[tdb]

I'm currently using facet tools overmelded with lower grade materia (to keep melding costs in check). Dragonsung tools at i475 would be a minor upgrade to control and craftsmanship, but a minor downgrade to CP. Aesthete tools would be a significant upgrade with no downsides. They would also take less effort to make. But if the final relic tools are expected to be better than aesthete, creating the dragonsung tools now could make sense. I can craft all current equippable items as 100% HQ using NQ raw materials even with my facet set, so I can deal with lower stats now if it provides better stats in the future.

[NamidaTekika]

I was kind of sad since with the new stuff being 490 it killed the drive for dragonsung goodies. Shame that something that took a reasonable amount of effort was literally drop kicked by relatively easier crafted stuff.

[tdb]

Well, I'm fairly certain Dragonsung isn't the final step. But if the final tools are, say, i505 with no meld slots and no CP, they're probably not worth the effort compared to overmelded i490 tools.

Normally in this situation I would look at previous expansions, but we had no relic tools in Heavensward or Stormblood (at least AFAIK). And in ARR the whole power progression dynamic was different enough that it doesn't really translate to present day.

[Liam_Harper]

I'd imagine we'll get another upgrade to the relics this patch that remains inferior to Aesthete tools, then in 5.45 we'll finally get the last stage, which will either come with materia slots or the choice to augment with specific stats, becoming slightly better than Aesthete.

This seems to be the way they work with DoW relics, keeping them intentionally inferior to Savage until the final patch, where they become BiS.

[Sqwall]

I have a mix of Aesthete gear with only minor CP and Craftsmanship melds with some of my facet gear still. I thought about buying the Aesthete tools or having them made from an FC mate, along with my 6 dragonsung tools. I use food and syrup, I can say this...

I have been able to HQ every single 490 craft available to me. Simple macro tweaks are abound if I upgrade further as my progress is just shy of 12 points on 35 Durability 3 Star. I really don't want to change my macro and have to trial synth again.

Sitting with 620 CP and I think 2550 craftsmanship and 2500 control I can say I don't have any issues. Kicking myself for making all the new crafting gear and not even needing it all. ONLY piece I would say is a huge bump would be the chest piece if you don't want o purchase everything.

I say mix the Facet with Aesthete, use dragonsung or purchase tools if they are cheap. If not dragonsung will still get an upgrade in 5.35 and hoping it becomes slightly better then BASE Aesthete tools. Aesthete will always be better for min-max melds. I have seen others with 2700 crafts and 3000 control. Just crazy numbers, but you need a completely new macro if you go that route.

[tdb]

There will be a new tier of crafted combat gear (i510 / 80****) in 5.4, which will require more stats than the current crafted items. But there will likely be no further tiers of crafter/gatherer gear after aesthete. So upgrading facet gear to aesthete is more about preparing for the upcoming crafts than making the current ones easier.

I won't go for the crazy numbers with all VIII/VII melds because the chances of success get ridiculously small and acquiring all that materia is prohibitively expensive. I typically use VI for the first overmeld and IV for the next two, though variations are commonplace depending on what the stat budget on each item is. Needing new macros wouldn't be a problem anyway since I can make one easily enough.

[Rasler_Heios]

Oh god, I just realized these are relic tools, not relic weapons...

In any case, the relic tools would also reach its max at the end of expac... as to the final ilvl... that's still not sure

[Sqwall]

There will be a new tier of crafted combat gear (i510 / 80****) in 5.4, which will require more stats than the current crafted items. But there will likely be no further tiers of crafter/gatherer gear after aesthete. So upgrading facet gear to aesthete is more about preparing for the upcoming crafts than making the current ones easier.

I won't go for the crazy numbers with all VIII/VII melds because the chances of success get ridiculously small and acquiring all that materia is prohibitively expensive. I typically use VI for the first overmeld and IV for the next two, though variations are commonplace depending on what the stat budget on each item is. Needing new macros wouldn't be a problem anyway since I can make one easily enough.

On point here. I currently have all the Aesthete HQ now and slowly melding them until 5.4 drops. Still wearing my Facet/Aesthete hybrid though. That just leaves the tools as I don't know what the ilevels will be for them at 5.35 beyond. I believe your right as we won't get any more updated crafting gear save for relics to be top tier VERY late 5.5 into next expac.

Really that leaves the expert recipes to drop in ishgard restoration, and I see no benefit to penta at this point unless certain crafters are into that. Expert recipes are no joke and extremely tough which for me required penta. After 5.3 dropped all that GIL imo was wasted, and I no longer try to keep up with the materia race. Personally I look for the best ROI down to the very last GIL spent on gear.