The Lessons Not Learned.

[DPZ2]

This may come as a surprise to you, but not everyone was running around with a Zeta relic by the time 3.15 was released.

I suspect that you were one of them, however. Especially since you remember the 2.0 grind for the initial Zodiac relic weapon.

[Nezerius]

Yeah, the 2 1/2 hours I spent running FATEs in a single day were totally significant. It was problematic as well, since I ended up with 5 'extra' crystals that I didn't really want for the next job's grind. They're still in a retainer's bags somewhere I think.

Oh sure, you must've hardcore grinded for those Crystals when that first step was released. In fact, you must've put in so much effort that you were completely burned out to even bother with the 2nd or 3rd step!

I suspect that you were one of them, however. Especially since you remember the 2.0 grind for the initial Zodiac relic weapon.

You "suspect" that I was one of them, despite me stating that I finished three Zeta weapons during ARR. How exactly does this change my point that the majority went into Heavensward without one?

[DPZ2]

Oh sure, you must've hardcore grinded for those Crystals when that first step was released. In fact, you must've put in so much effort that you were completely burned out to even bother with the 2nd or 3rd step!

Hardcore grind? Hardly. 20-30 FATEs in a few hours was a normal weekend activity for me in HW seven years ago. I took one look at the relic, didn't like the look and abandoned any further relic grinding. I had been burned once before when I lost my nice glowing bow after the 2nd phase back in ARR and abandoned that. Since then, I've had a number of show-glowy weapons that, somehow, just don't seem all that worthwhile.