Are fractals the only way
The next best place to get rares would be COF path 1 or Orr. I get rares quite often form normal Orr mobs and occasionally an exotic. Lots of events go on there all the time.
I find that Orr has become quite bad for loot, even with full MF gear on, as for CoF path 1, DR seems to take a heavy hit, so it’s not like you can exactly farm it, unless you are going for Flame legion Charr Carvings, and nothing else…
As for FotM, I find it is always good for loot, no type of DR in any way. from my expeirance, i would say that Fractals is pretty much the only way to get good loot now… lets just hope ANet don’t spoil Fractals… like they did with the loot in Orr.
If you just want rares – your best bet is the world events.
Orr is good for farming. Heavy moldy bags sell for a good amount and opening them gives you lots of t5/t6 mats which also sell for a good amount or you can use them to craft your own rares/exotics (plus ancient wood and ori nodes there).
I rarely do FoTM, although good loot does drop there, it is by no means the only way to acquire loot.
Fractals are pretty awful for making any profit unless you actually form a farming group to kill mobs in places like the dredge fractal. You can’t even sell exotic drops from Fractals.
Also agree, l HATE Fotm yet aside from the now boring grind to get laurels it is still the only way to get ascended items.