Guild Wars 2

What is the best way to obtain these important materials in 2014, now with less karma gain?

Fractals is the only other current alternative, I believe.

You can also use laurels to buy them, but that’s inefficient.

Karma is still the best way to get them. You get Karma for so many things, it’s hard to ever run out.

Just guest to a server with an open temple of Balthazaar and start clicking.

Fractals, basically, which will be more or less depending on your personal reward level. The higher your level, the more karma you will receive for doing a fractal level(s) below that.

For instance, my PRL is 30 and running a 19 will reward around 8k karma (base, plus 15% amulet infusion, plus 5% account-wide, plus foods or banners; buffs will be different for you), as well as 79 Fractal Relics, and a Pristine Relic which can be converted into 15 regular relics (94 total).

Given that the vendor sells Shards for 15 relics each, a single level 19 run could earn me 10 Shards (with a fair amount of leftovers for the next time).

(94 relics / 15 = 6. …) + (>10k karma / 2100 = 4. …).