This might be my third time returning to SK, but I am not certain if there were many changes since my last visit. The reason I stopped playing last time was the endless grindfest to get those crystals for forging. So I was wondering if it is still as repetitive as before or if they finally removed the system now that it is under new direction.
Time to return perhaps?
You haven't told us when you left, so we don't know whether anything's changed since you left.
Yes, you still need to grind for some things, especially Radiant (5-star) Fire Crystals. However, there is now a decent mission for grinding them: Dreams and Nightmares. Also, there are a few new weapons, armors, monsters, and levels related to sleep.
My advice in all of these threads is: You don't have to go "all in". You can play SK in occasional spurts. Drop in, try out what's new, and go back on hiatus when you're not having fun anymore.
Well, that's unfortunate.
Also I don't think I can grind in the mission you mentioned, I am stuck on that part of having all 5 stars gear. And as if that wasn't bad enough, I need to grind for some low star gear again to get a Calahan and at least one 5 star Gunslinger part to combo with the damage part. Basically I did a lot of bad things while unaware what weapons/sets were good or bad.
I went for the cobalt gear, leviathan blade and valiance. No regrets, since it just makes the game harder and a lot more fun uwu
It's the same.