Last Thesis drops during Mayhem?

decaffeinated · August 7

Has ANYONE gotten a Lost Thesis drop? I know the write-up said it would be a rare drop, but TTC's website still shows ZERO for sale. And I haven't been able to find any.

This is the one recipe i'm missing and really sad ZOS doesn't seem to care that we haven't been able to get it for... years at this point.

SeaGtGruff · August 7

Do you mean the "Lost Imperial Notes"? Does it change into "Recipe: Colovian War Torte" when you pick it up? I just got one of those recipes yesterday or the day before from one of my Pelinal crates, so I can confirm that it's dropping.

GeneralGrundmann · August 7

That is for the +50%-AP torte.

The TO asked for the rarest recipe, the lost thesis, to create the +150%-AP torte.

GeneralGrundmann · August 7

decaffeinated wrote: »

Has ANYONE gotten a Lost Thesis drop? I know the write-up said it would be a rare drop, but TTC's website still shows ZERO for sale. And I haven't been able to find any.

This is the one recipe i'm missing and really sad ZOS doesn't seem to care that we haven't been able to get it for... years at this point.

"Colovian War Torte

As mentioned above, each Pelinal's Boon Box has an *extremely rare chance* to drop items related to the Colovian War Torte, including the base recipe, Chef Arquitius's Torte Dissertation, or Chef Arquitius's Lost Thesis. *The dissertation and thesis are even more rarely seen than the recipe (consider them a jackpot).* These in turn can be combined and consumed to give you the ability to craft the base Colovian War Torte, the Molten War Torte, or the White-Gold War Torte at a cookfire.

Colovian War Torte
Grants a 50% boost to Alliance Point gains for 30 minutes
Molten War Torte
Combine a Colovian War Torte recipe with the Arquitius's Dissertation to make the Molten War Torte recipe (which you can then consume to learn how to craft it)
Grants a 100% boost to Alliance Point gains for 30 minutes
White-Gold War Torte
Combine a Molten War Torte recipe with the Chef Arquitius's Lost Thesis to make the White-Gold War Torte recipe (which you can then consume to learn how to craft it)
Grants a 150% boost to Alliance Point gains for 30 minutes

Phew! Note that these items have long been available from various PvP-specific sources, but for the Whitestrake’s Mayhem event, you can now also get them from Boon Boxes. *As stated numerous times above, they’re extremely rare, so good luck!*

Moving forward, any and all new event rewards are included in Boon Boxes, ensuring you can earn the latest and greatest no matter what PvP mode you enjoy most."

https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/70253

They even repeated it, extremely rare chance.

decaffeinated · August 7

It's been a "natural Aetheric Cipher drop" chance in BGs for the past 5? 6? years.

There was supposed to be SOME chance of getting the piece this event. Looks like that's a bust too.

Natural Aetheric Cipher drops are one of if not THE rarest drop in game. Almost all of the ones you see for sale drop during Jubilee. In 10+ years of daily play, I've gotten a NATURAL Cipher drop exactly once, and it was on a new lvl 20 toon.

freespirit · August 7

I just looked on TTC for PC-EU there was a Lost Thesis listed, last seen 10 hours ago......

Get ready to cry very loudly!!!

It was listed for 50,000.

Edit to add:- I did ofc check to see if it was still there!

DenverRalphy · August 7

freespirit wrote: »

I just looked on TTC for PC-EU there was a Lost Thesis listed, last seen 10 hours ago......

Get ready to cry very loudly!!!

It was listed for 50,000.

Edit to add:- I did ofc check to see if it was still there!

LOL! The mob that will now flock to all the guild trader kiosks hoping for this to happen again will be crazy.

decaffeinated · August 7

freespirit wrote: »

I just looked on TTC for PC-EU there was a Lost Thesis listed, last seen 10 hours ago......

Get ready to cry very loudly!!!

It was listed for 50,000.

Edit to add:- I did ofc check to see if it was still there!

Honestly not surprised. When Aetherial Dust was added to the game it mostly dropped for newbs. Who asked what to sell it for in zone and sold it for 1k because they thought 1k was a lot of gold.

Not joking at all.

Harv3st · August 8

At this rate, the drop rate is absurd. I'm doing battlegrounds intensively since 4v4v4 days and have never seen it drop for long-time pvpers, nor from the event box farm.

Cipher's "drops-from-all-mobs" vs. only battlegrounds resource is a huge difference. Only a part of the players do pvp regularly.

I was excited like many to see a chance, but even if quite rare, was expecting a further drop rate to see at least a few listings on the market.

SeaGtGruff · August 8

Okay, now I feel dumb, because I got the first recipe in a Pelinal's coffer, banked it (since my main already knows it), and then out of habit I let one of my alts learn it-- whereas I should have let my main upgrade it to the next level recipe to learn. D'oh!

GeneralGrundmann · August 8

decaffeinated wrote: »

It's been a "natural Aetheric Cipher drop" chance in BGs for the past 5? 6? years.

There was supposed to be SOME chance of getting the piece this event. Looks like that's a bust too.

Natural Aetheric Cipher drops are one of if not THE rarest drop in game. Almost all of the ones you see for sale drop during Jubilee. In 10+ years of daily play, I've gotten a NATURAL Cipher drop exactly once, and it was on a new lvl 20 toon.

Ah, no, Aetheric Ciphers, based on my personal anecdotal experience, are almost "easy" to get. I got three of these just playing, and harvesting, through all three base game campaigns.

Lost thesis, I played roundabout 10.000 BGs so far, befor and after the change to the conditions to get one lost thesis drop, and ofc, no luck.

If ZOS says: "extremely rare", they mean it!

GeneralGrundmann · August 8

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

Okay, now I feel dumb, because I got the first recipe in a Pelinal's coffer, banked it (since my main already knows it), and then out of habit I let one of my alts learn it-- whereas I should have let my main upgrade it to the next level recipe to learn. D'oh!

Happens!

Deserrick · August 8

GeneralGrundmann wrote: »

the change to the conditions to get one lost thesis drop

What was the change?

SeaGtGruff · August 8

I lucked out. I was mistaken about which server I got the Recipe on, and still had it in the bank on my primary server after all, along with the necessary thesis (purchased at a discount a few years ago during Zenithar event), so I was able to upgrade the Recipe and learn it. Now I just need the one the OP was asking about.

Luneca · August 8

Good luck, 100 boxes haven't obtained even 1 Coldfire Ballista. I think that says enough about the drop chances.

GeneralGrundmann · August 8

Deserrick wrote: »

GeneralGrundmann wrote: »

the change to the conditions to get one lost thesis drop

What was the change?

From Update 44:

"There are also new mailers for 2 sided battlegrounds, which also contain improved rewards, broken into competitive and standard:

*Winning a competitive battleground* will award the following:
1 PvP item set in purple quality, either a new battleground exclusive set or a still current Rewards for the Worthy set.
Battlegrounds style item
3 soul gems
A white transmutation geode.es
A guaranteed battleground style page.
*A very low chance at Chef Arquitius's Lost Thesis.*

A standard win will award the following:
1 PvP item set in item set in variable quality determined by performance, either a new battleground exclusive set or a still current Rewards for the Worthy set.
Battlegrounds style item
1 soul gem
A white transmutation geode.
A chance at a battleground style page.
*An extremely low chance at Chef Arquitius's Lost Thesis.*

Any loss will award the following:
1 PvP item set in item set in variable quality determined by performance, either a new battleground exclusive set or a still current Rewards for the Worthy set.
1 soul gem.

Style pages awarded by battleground mailers are limited to one per day. This is separate from the daily quest and other sources that award style pages.

*We have increased the chances of obtaining Chef Arquitius's Lost Thesis. However, it is still rare to acquire.*"

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/667797/pc-mac-patch-notes-v10-02-5-update-44

Fischblut · August 8

I dream of getting that recipe cause I'm not reaching Grand Overlord rank without it (unless Alliance rank will become account-wide at some point, so I can at least play alts whom I enjoy much more than my main pvp character)

I can't keep buying fancy tortes each time I do Battlegrounds or let alone Cyrodiil adventures - their costs are too insane if I want to permanently have the 150% buff.

And yes, I cried inside when I saw 50 000 gold listing price on that screenshot :'( Absolutely wild.

GeneralGrundmann · August 8

@Fischblut
You will eventually reach Grand Overlord, it just takes a little more time.

I am aiming for veterancy level 100 at the moment with only +50% war tortes and slowly I crawl towards alliance rank 40 as a positive side effect.

Deserrick · August 8

GeneralGrundmann wrote: »

Deserrick wrote: »

GeneralGrundmann wrote: »

the change to the conditions to get one lost thesis drop

What was the change?

From Update 44:

"There are also new mailers for 2 sided battlegrounds, which also contain improved rewards, broken into competitive and standard:

*Winning a competitive battleground* will award the following:
1 PvP item set in purple quality, either a new battleground exclusive set or a still current Rewards for the Worthy set.
Battlegrounds style item
3 soul gems
A white transmutation geode.es
A guaranteed battleground style page.
*A very low chance at Chef Arquitius's Lost Thesis.*

A standard win will award the following:
1 PvP item set in item set in variable quality determined by performance, either a new battleground exclusive set or a still current Rewards for the Worthy set.
Battlegrounds style item
1 soul gem
A white transmutation geode.
A chance at a battleground style page.
*An extremely low chance at Chef Arquitius's Lost Thesis.*

Any loss will award the following:
1 PvP item set in item set in variable quality determined by performance, either a new battleground exclusive set or a still current Rewards for the Worthy set.
1 soul gem.

Style pages awarded by battleground mailers are limited to one per day. This is separate from the daily quest and other sources that award style pages.

*We have increased the chances of obtaining Chef Arquitius's Lost Thesis. However, it is still rare to acquire.*"

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/667797/pc-mac-patch-notes-v10-02-5-update-44

Oh. When you wrote there was a change to the conditions, I wasn't thinking about the conditions for receiving the mails, I thought you meant conditions as in whether having/knowing the previous recipe levels is a condition for getting the thesis to drop. It looks as though that rumor is still not confirmed or denied.

GeneralGrundmann · August 8

Ah, sorry if my wording wasn't clear.

Concerning the rumors: I know personally one player first-hand who just started pvp, didn't know even a single torte recipe and got the lost thesis during his first ten battlegrounds.

If knowing the other recipes would increase the drop rate of the thesis, I would believe that ZOS mentioned that somewhere.

Still, I am also a little superstitious. My main PvP character knows both recipes and always has a molten war torte recipe in his inventory. So far with no success but you never know...

Treeshka · August 8

This recipe is extremely rare for no reason. Countless of boxes are being farmed everyday by player base and how many dropped? Now then compare it to Aetheric Cipher?

SeaGtGruff · August 8

GeneralGrundmann wrote: »

@Fischblut
You will eventually reach Grand Overlord, it just takes a little more time.

I am aiming for veterancy level 100 at the moment with only +50% war tortes and slowly I crawl towards alliance rank 40 as a positive side effect.

I finally hit Alliance War Rank 41 last night on my PCNA main.

As long as I've been playing ESO, the game will probably be sunset long before I'm able to reach Alliance War Rank 50.

SwordOfSagas · August 8

I've only seen 2 people on Xbox selling one in person before this event, first was a new player who was asking for 2 million, by the time I told them it's worth a lot more they already sold it. Second was a guild mate who sold it for 40 million lol.

reazea · August 9

I have this recipe and can make the higher level AP foods. But it's a totally mute point. Before you get disappointed you can't make the 100% or 150% AP boost foods take a look at how much it costs to make them. You'll see right away that you'll never be making them, so no need for the recipes to begin with. Only the basic 50% boost Colovian War Torte is worth making.

Colovian War Torte (50% Boost)Effect: Grants a 50% AP boost for 30 minutes (pauses when logged off).Recipe Location: Found rarely as a green-glowing book in Cyrodiil or bought from guild traders.Ingredients: Flour, Carrots, Frost Mirriam, Honey, and Cyrodiil Citrus (earned from Cyrodiil town daily quests).

Molten War Torte (100% Boost)Effect: Grants a 100% AP boost for 30 minutes.Recipe Location: Combine a Colovian War Torte recipe scroll with Chef Arquitius's Torte Dissertation (purchased from Tel Var General Merchants for 500,000 Tel Var stones).Ingredients: 1 Colovian War Torte plus Rubyblossom Extract (bought from Tel Var Merchants for 100,000 Tel Var stones).

White-Gold War Torte (150% Boost)Effect: Grants a 150% AP boost for 30 minutes.Recipe Location: Combine a Molten War Torte recipe with Chef Arquitius's Lost Thesis (rare drop from winning Battlegrounds).Ingredients: 1 Molten War Torte plus Mourning Dew (very rare drop from harvesting crafting nodes in Cyrodiil).

Harv3st · August 9

I think for some people, it's for collector purposes rather than actively using it if they obtain a recipe.

I also remember buying a lot of 150% tortes for the grand overlord grind. Even if rare, mourning dew drops should not be that bad - farming on cyrodiil rather than overland and getting it as a bonus drop should cover it

For PC-NA, one of my guildies has also gotten this drop from an event box.

Fischblut · August 9

From Update 44:

"There are also new mailers for 2 sided battlegrounds, which also contain improved rewards, broken into competitive and standard:

*Winning a competitive battleground* will award the following:
1 PvP item set in purple quality, either a new battleground exclusive set or a still current Rewards for the Worthy set.
Battlegrounds style item
3 soul gems
A white transmutation geode.es
A guaranteed battleground style page.
*A very low chance at Chef Arquitius's Lost Thesis.*

Thanks for providing these notes! But I still don't understand where exactly this item can come from

I collected all style pages many years ago so I get none in any reward mails... And by the wording the only reward type that matches the description is "One day at a time!" purple box from winning daily battleground (one time per day per character). For me it has green transmutation geode bundle (10 geodes), 5 soul gems, 1 Militant Ordinator style stone, purple set item.

Mails for winning BG (unlimited times per character) named "A champion's prize!" contains 1-2 soul gems, 1 style stone, purple set item.

Thesis can drop from both of these sources, or only from daily purple box?

I have this recipe and can make the higher level AP foods. But it's a totally mute point. Before you get disappointed you can't make the 100% or 150% AP boost foods take a look at how much it costs to make them. You'll see right away that you'll never be making them, so no need for the recipes to begin with. Only the basic 50% boost Colovian War Torte is worth making.

Even if a person buys 1 Mourning Dew from guild trader, they can make 4 foods from that. The price becomes reasonable

At the moment I have to spend between 35 000 and 46 000 gold for just 1 torte

And the queue into battleground can take 10 minutes - let alone some nasty "team mates" or enemies who drag the match if they see they are on the losing side :'( It wastes lot of time under such expensive buff. I wish the torte/scroll PvP buffs were frozen in PvE and only counted down when in PvP zones!

Concerning the rumors: I know personally one player first-hand who just started pvp, didn't know even a single torte recipe and got the lost thesis during his first ten battlegrounds.

If knowing the other recipes would increase the drop rate of the thesis, I would believe that ZOS mentioned that somewhere.

Thank you so much for confirming this

My main PvP character (who is the highest PvP rank, making it unwise to change to other PvP character now) knows no recipes for the PvP buff, so it's a relief!

Also, I've found this info today, look at this - if the sales data is correct, people who learned 50% and 100% recipes would never sell the 150% fragment for 250 000 gold or even for 1 million gold :O And the 50 000 gold sale was mentioned in this thread already, ye

GeneralGrundmann wrote: »

@Fischblut
You will eventually reach Grand Overlord, it just takes a little more time.

I am aiming for veterancy level 100 at the moment with only +50% war tortes and slowly I crawl towards alliance rank 40 as a positive side effect.

Thank you for encouragement

But the way I play, is not very efficient. Over many characters I have more AP earned than it would be needed for just 1 Grand Overlord - but I made a mistake of having fun with multiple builds and classes over the years, instead of doing PvP on only one character who is so boring to play now

Just yesterday after many hours of playing my main PvP character I changed character to the one who is more fun to play and earned ~300 000 AP for her Alliance Rank. But then I stopped because it was not getting me closer to my goal - that character is 15 ranks behind of my main

I really wish for account-wide alliance rank precisely cause of this...

As for Veterancy system, I also used this event to max it out with those nasty expensive tortes; at least it was done perfectly, cause all my characters could contribute to the rank progress

Dalsinthus · August 9

Treeshka wrote: »

This recipe is extremely rare for no reason. Countless of boxes are being farmed everyday by player base and how many dropped? Now then compare it to Aetheric Cipher?

While I agree with you, I think we can guess the reason. They likely don’t want a crafted buff to be able to compete with buying 150% scrolls in the crown store.

Even if the recipe was readily obtained, the ingredients are rare enough that the buff food wouldn’t be common.

I just want it as a collector to finish out my recipe collection.

GeneralGrundmann · August 9

@Fischblut

This is the most recent thread (July 2025) I know of concerning the exact source of the lost thesis, it even has a screenshot as proof:

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/681155/chef-arquitiuss-lost-thesis

"It dropped from the odd bal mail you get not any coffer. Just in the mail its self."

decaffeinated · August 9

GeneralGrundmann wrote: »

Ah, sorry if my wording wasn't clear.

Concerning the rumors: I know personally one player first-hand who just started pvp, didn't know even a single torte recipe and got the lost thesis during his first ten battlegrounds.

If knowing the other recipes would increase the drop rate of the thesis, I would believe that ZOS mentioned that somewhere.

Still, I am also a little superstitious. My main PvP character knows both recipes and always has a molten war torte recipe in his inventory. So far with no success but you never know...

"harvesting" implies you got Aetherial DUST. Which is totally different. Aetheric CIPHERS only drop from NPC enemies.

Adrastus · August 9

thats it everybody.
both na and eu servers got their 1 lost thesis drop per server

we won't hear or even know the next drop till next year or so or maybe never

Fischblut · 12:45AM

GeneralGrundmann wrote: »

@Fischblut

This is the most recent thread (July 2025) I know of concerning the exact source of the lost thesis, it even has a screenshot as proof:

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/681155/chef-arquitiuss-lost-thesis

"It dropped from the odd bal mail you get not any coffer. Just in the mail its self."

Thank you very much, this is great!

Also, I see two Thesis items listed within 5 past hours on EU now, 110 millions and 255 millions. I didn't check if they are still available cause I won't buy, but that's a tiny increase in a drop rate I think