Forums » Crafting and Gathering

Modify dropped items and stat comparison to group/raid drops

    • 200 posts
    November 2, 2016 1:32 PM PDT

    Modifying dropped items:

    I'd love to see the capability to upgrade (and possible damage the stats if you critically fail or are underskilled) every drop in game with a specific element or tradeskill based on the item.  Reforging, reworking or adding to armor,  re-enforcing weapons with more spikes or stronger materials..etc..  This would allow someones skill to be showcased and be a true benefit in game. 

    This would rely on a lot, specifically the idea that gear is or isn't bound to a character or account.  However, if there is bound gear....could we have a Tradeskill container that essentially has both avatars crafting the item... (The person the item is bound to is holding it into the flame, or onto the sewing bench, while the artisan does their work....it is important to remind the ogres to take it off first).

    Group/Raid items vs Crafted items

    Is there going to be anyway for a crafter to make items on the same level as raid/group drops at the current level/expac?   Not everyone is going to be in that uber guild, nor have the time to be, but if they can focus their time and resources enough to make an item on the same caliber level, it should come at a hefty cost imo.  So lets assume it takes 24 people 2 hours of raiding to get an item...would it be fair to let 1 person spend 48 hours to obtain an equivalent or nearly equivalent item? 


    This post was edited by Warben at November 2, 2016 1:35 PM PDT
    • 2138 posts
    November 22, 2016 6:49 AM PST

    I have an oblique thought that came out of your post that touched on what i perceived to be a specific MMO dynamic.

    I will try to break it down in steps to help identify where I see the intersting dynamic.

    1. Raid items are uber.   

    2. Crafted items (historically) are sub-uber.

    3. Twinking happens, but should not be considered a game dynamic. (purists do not twink, they earn- see 1. above)

    4. craft-related reward quests results are uber (possibly BiS for end game).

     

    2 & 4 dynamic: all that effort and only one thing, but what a thing it is!

    1 & 3 dynamic: excess is given to members/guildies or sold to "gear up" for next raid or next event to survive.

    2 & 3 dynamic: no one at this level wants my stuff.

    1 & 2 dynamic: no raids, no PuG's, farming and crafting is end choice that gets boring fast.best to wait for the next raid.   

     it's the 2 & 3 piece I see as intersting because what do crafters- under current systems do? they either sell it for a pittance to NPC merchants, or to the public IF they can sell it,  or give it away to newbies IF there are newbies available to give it to.

    The avoidance of having the crafted item "go to waste" is a thing. I recall when I was practicing tailoring in EQ, chasing down newbie monks shouting at them to stop to give them a full set of Wu's, free. I would take the time to travel to Freeport/Cabilis/qeynos just to see if there were any I could give it away too during non-prime time hours. 

    So interestingly the dynamic is: twinking is frowned upon to the purist raider but twinking with crafted armors is fulfilling in a social aspect. I believe a purist would see no issue in twinking an alt or younger player with crafted armors 

    I like how it is handled in Fallout 4 where everything is useable, or able to be broken down and re-assembled.

     1 & 2 dynamic: I think upwards (5 ruined pelts into 1 High Quality pelt) and downwards (Fine pelt raked down to 2 ruined pelts, 2 Fine pelts to 1 High Quality pelt) funtionality would also be helpfull in generating the high end items if none are available at the current level. i.e. 5 ice silks sewn for 1 frost silk, normally only dropped by monsters in zone that is +10 to my level- but will allow me to take a chance at crafting a high end robe that would be sub-par to raid drops, slightly lower than group drops but much better than what I have.The reward is: the  ability to twink myself with crafted armors. Which satisfys reason for taking up crafting outside of the one, rare and obscure crafting related quest for the one raid-equivalent item.

    I think the current baking and brewing mechanics are good, because although not "uber" per se there is nothing else out there that is better than crafted or brewed foods. Therefore making crafted/brewed food a nice little boost- high end raiders only eat crafted/brewed foods, the value is there.

    Maybe the key to the dynamic is consumability, or changed for less mats dropped but more successes with combines, or skil ups obtained through tome reading or spell scroll memorizing instead of repetative combines.