I use the boom boom boom mass gather and can fill a bearer in a very short time.
We understood this issue and complained about it; or I did, while the age of sorcery was on test. It was my opinion at the time the entire head hunter thing through game level/materials balance out the window. made boss fights for keys a waste of time. And did not miss having to fight crows folk for good tools.
But most all that goes bye bye in chapter 2. Well 90% of it.
Not sure how you get them, but ran paste a big bloodcrystal farm the other day
8 T3 animal trainers full of blood crystal rocknoses.