The whining game of people is strong here. They get gear update, but "boo hoo I need to grind now" well guess what. You don't.Also I am pretty sure grinding for the socketer is easier then trying to get upgrade of an item with socket in it.
Although I'm excited to be able to pick my gear for sockets, that currency amount looks arduous. So, like Benthic Azerite upgrade, which is 350 (!) manapearls for the last one (and thus fully useless since for only 9000 residuum which is 1/2 a week of a M+ chest you get better).When they make the grinds that ridiculous, most players will give up and leave. I really don't understand the dev thinking here. Not only are they "working" just the 2% willing to do it, they are making that 2% do *exactly* the worst things - they want to raid or M+, not grind.
Love the swarmer.