Crafting traits research priority list

barduck

Hello,

Not sure if this was discussed before. If so, please direct me to the relevant thread.

Since the growth of trait research time in ESO is exponential, with the last trait for each type taking up to 32 days (base, without skills). I wanted to give some thought on how to prioritize research for these traits.

Surely, not all traits are created equal and there are probably traits that give better bang for the buck for given role and function. I assume that eventually there will be a general consensus of better traits. Like, "for max DPS use X trait", "for best tanking use Y trait".

I don't have the numbers or the exact formulas. So I am looking for some feedback from players with higher theory-crafting skills. I started by dividing the traits into groups based on functionality. Along with my initial (and probably wrong) thoughts on each group. I hope to get some feedback from the community to help fill the blanks. Ultimately, I want to come up with a prioritized list of traits in order of importance and/or popularity.

Armor Traits

These two may be useful at lower levels. When you are higher up they will become less used. "Training" may be later used if you want to train a new armor skill from scratch:
Exploration: (Garnet) Increases Exploration Experience by a %
Training: (Carnelian) Increases Weapon skill line experience of this armor type by a %.

These will increase your survivability, I assume that one of these gives better return for investment for a tank:
Impenetrable: (Diamond) Increases Critical Resistance by a %
Reinforced: (Sardonyx) Increases Armor Value by a %

These two increase another effect. One of these is probably a better choice over the other and it is possible that using a more specific trait is better altogether:
Divines: (Sapphire) Increases Mundus Stone effects by a %
Infused: (Bloodstone) Increases Armor Enchantment by a %

Not sure how much this is useful, probably more PvP centric?
Well-fitted: (Almadine) Reduces the cost of Sprinting by a %

This one will only save you gold. I suspect this will become less of an issue later on. Of all the traits, this looks like the least important to me:
Sturdy: (Quartz) Reduce Armor decay by a % when defeated

Weapon Traits

These three increase DPS, there is probably a better/worse choice among these:
Precise: (Ruby) Increases weapon and Spell Critical by a %
Sharpened: (Fire Opal) Increases Weapon and Spell Penetration by a %
Weighted: (Citrine) Increases weapon attack speed by a %

For a pure tank, this will be a good choice?
Defending: (Turquoise) Increases total Armor and Spell Resistance by a %

Not useful when all desired skills are already at max:
Training: (Carnelian) Increases Weapon skill line experience of this weapons type by a %.

Depends on the enchantment, but other more specialized traits might be a better choice:
Infused: (Jade) Increases weapon enchantment effect by a %

I am not sure I fully understand what it does, which weapon enchantments have cooldown?
Powered: (Chyolite) Reduces the cooldown of weapon enchantments by a %

This is just a gold saver, probably less useful than the others:
Charged: (Amethyst) Increases Enchantment charges by a %

Sorpaijen_ESO

Honestly, I'm just researching whatever traits I can find. At level 12 or so, crafting skill also in that range, I have researched two to three traits on every piece of commonly-dropped gear (just now starting to research belts, no helms or shoulders found with traits yet)...

I have an alt that is (reluctantly) holding all my to-be-researched gear so that I don't accidentally deconstruct it from the bank or MY inventory. Whenever my research window opens, I have that alt drop some pieces in the bank and I then start researching those.

The traits themselves are all well and good, I suppose, but I was mainly looking to unlock X number of traits so that I could create Set armor. There's an early set armor that only requires two traits on a given item to create the Set version of that item, and that's what I was going for while researching.

Now that I'm up to the ~two days research level already, I might have to start prioritizing which Trait I want to research over other Traits... I know I'd LIKE to have the Exploration Traits ASAP just so that I can make an "explorer's set" of gear for me and my alts to use as they level up ---- already "missed" some bonus xp by exploring without that Trait on a set of gear.

Sihnfahl

barduck wrote: »

These will increase your survivability, I assume that one of these gives better return for investment for a tank:
Impenetrable: (Diamond) Increases Critical Resistance by a %

This is also a PvP stat, to avoid the damage spikes. Course, if you're in Cyrodiil at a keep, you're going to end up probably not caring about the crits just from the number of opponents.

Reinforced: (Sardonyx) Increases Armor Value by a %

Useful at low level, but as folks get higher, they start hitting the soft cap thanks to passives.

Divines: (Sapphire) Increases Mundus Stone effects by a %

Not as useful thanks to the limitation of the Stones.

Infused: (Bloodstone) Increases Armor Enchantment by a %

Good for those high quality enchants.

Not sure how much this is useful, probably more PvP centric?
Well-fitted: (Almadine) Reduces the cost of Sprinting by a %

Mostly, because that's the one time you'll be concerned about sprinting into a fight and having stam. If you're in the world, you can always wait for a stam regen since you have the luxury.


Weapon Traits

Precise: (Ruby) Increases weapon and Spell Critical by a %

Spike damage. Some skills benefit from critting.

Sharpened: (Fire Opal) Increases Weapon and Spell Penetration by a %

Armor penetration.

Weighted: (Citrine) Increases weapon attack speed by a %

Good for those slower weapons and a steady DPS

For a pure tank, this will be a good choice?
Defending: (Turquoise) Increases total Armor and Spell Resistance by a %

Until they hit the soft caps.

I am not sure I fully understand what it does, which weapon enchantments have cooldown?
Powered: (Chyolite) Reduces the cooldown of weapon enchantments by a %

There's one that triggers a damage shield. I also figure that the 'reduction over y time' ones have a cooldown to avoid chaining.

AbraCadabra

@Sihnfahl‌

Just curious about what you mean by limitation of the stones regarding the Divines trait.

Sihnfahl

"AbraCadabra wrote: »

Just curious about what you mean by limitation of the stones regarding the Divines trait.

I see it as a limitation as to swap out the benefit, you have to do a bit of travel.

Depending on the bonus you seek, you may actually be better off with a secondary set of gear with larger returns.