Solstice: Treasure Map Leads and lootable "Rewards" – Sources, RNG, bugs

MoonPile · April 30

Treasure map leads – everyone hates these, but here we are again.

By now I understand I won't be able to unlock some of these to buy for at least 1-2 years, due to two levels of RNG and expensive map prices as a result.

I assume the rationale might've been that these are "trophy" pieces and it makes sense to have only one / a few to display, like "wow look at this treasure I found". But the reality is that housing builders use multiples of these things. So if you have an idea for a cool Argonian stone structure or involving multiple Apocryphal pools or mirrors, or Moons-Blessed Ceremonial Pools... forget it. Hope you're still interested in that idea 2 years later! Or, for the map leads, I guess you can spend tens of millions of gold. The implementation and actual gameplay are at odds: housers are still going to spend a ton of time (and crowns, frankly) in this game regardless; the building is our fun and what takes forever anyway. Making these items inaccessible only sours the whole experience. Often times, I get SO SICK of farming a piece I need that I never go back to that zone/delve/whatever again. Whereas, if I know something has a reasonable drop chance (e.g. Ayleid Sculpture, Grand Tree, Shrine to Dibella, and a few others I use a lot: https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Antiquity_Furnishings), I actually do go back to that zone and use a map, loot containers, pick some flowers, etc! Because I know it'll be a rewarding use of my time. I even took alt accounts! (Which is to say: if the goal is to keep us playing, better drop rates on useful items do a better job of it than horrible RNG.)

Anyway, sources:

I've had several pieces of the big Crocodile skeleton drop easily from farming nodes overland; the skull will probably be this zone's Ayelid Tree (no complaints, it's a cool piece). Sadly, I assume the awesome Solstice Bismuth, Large Tower (which is the only one that gives off the scattered light effect) and the Stone-Nest Totems are map leads.

Treasure Maps:
If any of these also drop from another source, LMK!

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Solstice_Bismuth,_Large_Tower – confirmed: maps ✔
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Stone-Nest_Totem,_Geometric – confirmed: maps ✔
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Stone-Nest_Totem,_Behemoth – confirmed: maps ✔
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Stone-Nest_Totem,_Iguana – confirmed: maps ✔
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Stone-Nest_Totem,_Massive_Skull – confirmed: maps ✔

Overland / nodes:

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Solstice_Giant_Crocodile_Skull – confirmed: ALL – nodes, maps, enemies, etc. ✔
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Solstice_Giant_Crocodile_Ribs – confirmed: maps ✔ + other?
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Solstice_Giant_Crocodile_Tail – confirmed: maps ✔ + other?

Another problem, even if you do unlock them: for the past 2 years, some antiquities have been missing from their zone's vendors:

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/677582/antiquities-are-missing-from-their-vendors-for-2-3-years
https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/8305883#Comment_8305883
https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/8305882#Comment_8305882
https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/8305873#Comment_8305873 – so old that the thread got closed, but the bug persists.

"Rewards" lootables:
Plants, fruits meant to drop from nodes and looting / stealing, according to the patch notes. I've had ZERO drop from nodes, Idk if it's currently not working? I really hope these aren't like some of the Vvardenfell plants which may as well be non-existent. (*cough*) That's very UN-rewarding.

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/8303807/#Comment_8303807

Other Loot Confirmed (Non-Leads):
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Meadow_Study_Painting,_Unfinished – confirmed: treasure chest from maps ✔
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Tide-Born_Totem,_Tall – furnishing plan from Antiquities bonus loot
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Tide-Born_Totem,_Medium – furnishing plan from Antiquities bonus loot

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MoonPile · April 30

If you know of sources for those new Solstice leads or had any "rewards" drop, please let us know!

ESO_player123 · May 1

Ugh, I would hate the drop rate of those wonderful plants to be like for the ones in Vvardenfell.

MoonPile · May 6

TIL each location's Treasure Hunter's parcel only gives you 3 maps - not infinite containers like others?

This is very silly. I was hoping to find out for sure if these antiquities come from maps, but there's no way with RNG being what it is, in only 3 maps.

I did get one right away though: Stone-Nest Totem, Iguana
Maybe they're weighted EDIT: They're definitely weighted; 3/3 maps dropped leads - see OP. So at least you can make multiple tester toons and find out that way.

MoonPile · May 12

Just found this screenshot I took on Live recently. This is exactly why the "rewards" plants not dropping is disappointing.

Sure, maybe rewarding for one person who manages to find one, once every few years? Idk, I don't find this fun.

MoonPile · June 11

Update from Live: the harvesting drop rates seem pretty OK!
I haven't been able to get any Fanik Goc (my favorite) (Edit: I did get one so far!), but I see a few on TTC already and I have found other things. Could be better, but I'm glad to see these are not like Vvardenfell numbers at least

The treasure maps though... nobody's a fan. The other day someone asked what happened to those Argonian stone pillars they saw from PTS pictures and will they be in a future update. Map drop rates are so bad, they might as well be 2 updates away

Erorah · July 7

Speaking of Drop Rate on Live:

So far, I have yet to find anything of note from the Algae Sacks.. Still just a few gems and Ta...
ZERO Furnishing Plans.
ZERO Seafood drops - with or without CP, food or Sharp.

I have 1 Solstice Shell, Fossilized Turritella... and over 700 or 800 fish. (I am not fileting them so I can see how long it takes!)
I have turned off all but 'decrease time' CP so that I do not skew the 'fish'.

My Kingdom for SEAFOOD!

MoonPile · July 24

Another Live update:

Plant and bismuth drop rates are still OK, though RNG is RNG.
(E.g., I got several Bismuth drops in a row ~ a month ago; zero since)

Maps: Terrible as usual.

I was hopeful while unlocking the first round of furnishings (1/3 codex): those actually dropped well (lead every 1-3 maps) and appeared to be curated! But as we all know by now, the 2nd (especially) and 3rd leads drop rates for any antiquity / source are often bad.

I was going to save the rest of my Solstice maps for the next Treasure/Fishing event, but it may be far off. So I decided to experiment on the 2/3 unlocks when I found maps cheaply:

In the past couple of days I used 8 Solstice maps and got... Nothing. If I sold or flipped them instead, currently they'd easily go for ~50k/map on PC NA, so that's ~ a quarter to half a million gold loss.

So it's like I said in the OP:

1. To unlock an item 3/3 to buy multiple, we'd either need to spend (tens of) millions of gold or wait 1-2 years after release.
2. Still can't buy some anyway: https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/677582/antiquities-are-missing-from-their-vendors-for-2-3-years

Because of that, I've given up on a number of build ideas (like this: https://moonpile.tumblr.com/post/789726568315502592/overgrown-ruins) and I know others have as well

.

erebus_79_ESO · July 24

I've been complaining about the algae packs since the first week. Over 1000 fish...Nothing, no furnishing plans! I'm supposed to be able to collect 4 plans from fishing?! How? I'm tired and want to do more than just fish. It's really discouraging to put so much time into it and get no furnishing plan. Getting a "coral, sun" or seashell does not make up for it. I also have not filleted to see how long it takes.

Erorah · July 24

I STILL have not looted a single plan from Fishing. Nor a single new furnishing save that one shell. I have looted 92 of the algae bags so far.