Or at least some other way to make it suck less

might actually add this as the grind for dimensional shards is quite boring and time consuming.

Added a recursive recipe -> you can craft more shards with alchemistry after obtaining some from a RFTools Dimension.

but wouldn't that remove the need of all the RFTools Dimensions Quests if you can simply craft them?

Also suggested was just enabling them like default in the nether and end, which wouldn't be too bad... so that the player has at least some shards accumulated, but not all they'll ever need

then you can just place down a RFTools Builder and let it mine the shards and you still have no need to make a dimension. sure it takes a bit longer but you still won't have to do any RFTools Dimensions stuff.

A recursive recipe where one shard + chemistry = more shards. This would keep the initial hurdle of mining for a cluster, and then alchemistry is involved in making further acquisition self-sufficient.

Dedicated skyblock style dim with orbs of shard ore? Would make it a mild challenge, make the dimlet a reward for a quest maybe?