Ranked by Time to Complete
Relic weapons are one of the longest-running progression systems in Final Fantasy XIV. While every expansion introduces its own relic weapon chain, the time required to complete them varies dramatically.
Some relic weapons can be completed in just a few hours with modern tomestone farming, while others require dozens of hours of exploration zones, dungeon runs, and rare item drops.
This guide ranks every relic weapon series in Final Fantasy XIV based on how quickly players can realistically complete them today.
Fastest Relic Weapons in FFXIV
| Rank | Relic System | Expansion | Average Time | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manderville Weapons | Endwalker | Very Fast | Easy |
| 2 | Phantom Weapons | Dawntrail | Fast | Moderate |
| 3 | Anima Weapons | Heavensward | Moderate | Moderate |
| 4 | Resistance Weapons | Shadowbringers | Long | Hard |
| 5 | Eureka Weapons | Stormblood | Very Long | Very Hard |
| 6 | Zodiac Weapons | A Realm Reborn | Extremely Long | Extremely Hard |
These rankings assume players are completing relic weapons after their original expansion, when some requirements have become easier.
1 — Manderville Weapons (Fastest Relic Weapons)
Manderville weapons are by far the fastest relic weapons to complete in the game.
Unlike earlier relic systems that required dungeon grinding, FATE farming, or exploration zones, Manderville weapons primarily rely on collecting Allagan Tomestones.
This makes the grind extremely predictable and efficient.
Players can obtain tomestones through activities such as:
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Expert Roulette
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Alliance Raid Roulette
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Trial Roulette
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Level 90 dungeon farming
Because the upgrade materials are purchased directly with tomestones, the Manderville relic chain avoids many of the random drop mechanics that slowed down earlier relic systems.
Typical completion time for a full Manderville weapon is a few hours to a couple of days depending on tomestone farming efficiency.
Related guide:
Manderville Weapons Guide
2 — Phantom Weapons
The Dawntrail relic system introduces Phantom Weapons, which combine several content types including FATE farming, roulettes, and exploration activities.
While Phantom Weapons involve more steps than Manderville relics, the activities required to obtain upgrade materials are generally accessible and repeatable.
Players will spend most of their time participating in:
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FATE events
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Critical Engagements
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Duty Roulettes
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Occult Crescent exploration content
Because many progression items can be obtained through multiple activities, players have flexibility in how they farm relic materials.
Related guide:
Phantom Weapons Guide
3 — Anima Weapons
Heavensward’s Anima weapons remain one of the more approachable relic systems in the game.
While they involve several upgrade stages, most of the requirements revolve around repeatable dungeon runs and tomestone materials, making progress relatively consistent.
Compared to older relic chains, Anima weapons contain significantly less RNG and fewer rare item requirements.
This makes them a good option for players who want a relic grind that still feels substantial but avoids the extreme time investment of earlier expansions.
Related guide:
Anima Weapons Guide
4 — Resistance Weapons
Resistance weapons from Shadowbringers are tied to the Bozjan Southern Front battlefield system.
While players have multiple progression routes available, many stages require participating in large-scale battlefield content and collecting specific relic items from various activities.
Some stages also involve farming large quantities of memory items or completing raid-style encounters such as Delubrum Reginae.
Because of these requirements, Resistance weapons typically take longer than most modern relic systems.
Related guide:
Resistance Weapons Guide
5 — Eureka Weapons
Stormblood relic weapons require players to progress through the Eureka expedition zones.
Unlike other relic systems, Eureka includes its own leveling system known as elemental rank, which must be increased before players can advance through later zones.
This adds a significant time investment.
Progression typically involves:
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leveling within Eureka zones
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farming Notorious Monster boss encounters
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collecting upgrade materials
While the system can be enjoyable for players who like large-scale cooperative content, it is far from the fastest relic weapon path.
Related guide:
Eureka Weapons Guide
6 — Zodiac Weapons (Longest Relic Grind)
The original Zodiac relic weapons remain the most time-consuming relic chain in Final Fantasy XIV.
Players must complete an extensive sequence of upgrade stages that include:
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FATE grinding across multiple zones
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dungeon farming
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rare drop acquisition
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crafted item turn-ins
Even with modern adjustments that make certain stages easier, completing a full Zodiac weapon still represents one of the longest relic journeys in the game.
Related guide:
Zodiac Weapons Guide
Which Relic Weapon Should You Farm?
The best relic weapon for you depends on your goals.
Players looking for the fastest relic weapon for glamour or completion should focus on Manderville or Phantom relics.
Players interested in experiencing some of the game’s most unique content systems may prefer the exploration-focused relics such as Eureka or the battlefield progression of Bozja.
Regardless of the relic system you choose, each weapon line represents a unique chapter in the evolving design of Final Fantasy XIV’s endgame content.