Kutas from Hireling

nathan_bri

I understand that you want to moderate the influx of high-quality materials, so have moved their economic injection from Hirelings to the Writs and Refinements. However, from my testing, it seems like the Kuta drop rate was over-nerfed. I have several characters each with 40+ in Enchanting who receive two emails a day. I've seen two Kutas in two weeks. That's a "drop rate" of about one Kuta per 100 or so Enchanting emails. Any chance you could boost that to perhaps one in 50?

Nestor

Its' just RNG not being nice to you. As far as I can tell, they have not nerfed the drop rates on Kutas on Hirelings. Yet. That comes in 1.6. My Enchanter Hirleing just gave me a Kuta last night and another one this morning. I have received a total of 4 of them since this weekend, on one hireling.

I Have myself gone about two weeks without getting a Kuta, but right before and right after, I would get one every other day, if not more often. And, I only have one Hireling for Enchanting.

However if you hate the drop rates now, just wait until 1.6. It may not even make sense to have Hirelings anymore.

Rosveen

Are you talking about live or PTS?

nathan_bri

Nestor wrote: »

Its' just RNG not being nice to you. As far as I can tell, they have not nerfed the drop rates on Kutas on Hirelings. Yet. That comes in 1.6. My Enchanter Hirleing just gave me a Kuta last night and another one this morning. I have received a total of 4 of them since this weekend, on one hireling.

I Have myself gone about two weeks without getting a Kuta, but right before and right after, I would get one every other day, if not more often. And, I only have one Hireling for Enchanting.

However if you hate the drop rates now, just wait until 1.6. It may not even make sense to have Hirelings anymore.

The problem with the theory here is that, up until a couple weeks ago, I was getting 1-2 Kutas a day out of 12 hireling emails. Then, suddenly, just around the time the patch notes for 1.6 first hit, they stopped coming... perhaps just a few days after. It's like they already implemented some things from the patch notes server-side, at least when it came to a few things. I think this is one of them.

Keep in mind that I am now receiving 16 mailings a day on Enchanters with 40+ skill. Five of the eight are Master Enchanters. There has definitely been some sort of nerf in live, probably commensurate with what was planned for 1.6. To see this sudden of a drop is so statistically improbable as to be considered nearly impossible.

nathan_bri

Rosveen wrote: »

Are you talking about live or PTS?

Live.

DeLindsay

It has not changed on Live yet. On PTS for 1.6 and 1.6.1 Kuta was nerfed into oblivion where out of roughly 288 Hirelings we saw 2 Kuta total. 1.6.2 ZoS ninja buffed the drop rate a little bit and we started seeing 2-4 Kuta per 96 Hirelings (6 days on PTS, twice per day for 8 Characters). Still not as high as Live but certainly better than the first nerf pass. Right now on PTS from 1.6 > 1.6.4 we're seeing a global drop rate for Kuta of ~2.2%, from all sources. Aspect nodes are ~1.4%, including Survey nodes. The highest chance on PTS is from the Enchanting Coffer after turning in your daily Writ, to the tone of ~2 per 48 Writs. Moral of the story is once 1.6 hits expect roughly this:

• 8 Hirelings/twice daily: 1-4 Kuta/week
• 8 Enchanting Writs daily: 2-3 Kuta/week
• Farming Aspect nodes: I wish you luck

nathan_bri

DeLindsay wrote: »

It has not changed on Live yet. On PTS for 1.6 and 1.6.1 Kuta was nerfed into oblivion where out of roughly 288 Hirelings we saw 2 Kuta total. 1.6.2 ZoS ninja buffed the drop rate a little bit and we started seeing 2-4 Kuta per 96 Hirelings (6 days on PTS, twice per day for 8 Characters). Still not as high as Live but certainly better than the first nerf pass. Right now on PTS from 1.6 > 1.6.4 we're seeing a global drop rate for Kuta of ~2.2%, from all sources. Aspect nodes are ~1.4%, including Survey nodes. The highest chance on PTS is from the Enchanting Coffer after turning in your daily Writ, to the tone of ~2 per 48 Writs. Moral of the story is once 1.6 hits expect roughly this:

• 8 Hirelings/twice daily: 1-4 Kuta/week
• 8 Enchanting Writs daily: 2-3 Kuta/week
• Farming Aspect nodes: I wish you luck

I would be quite happy with 1-4 Kutas/week from Hirelings over what I am seeing now, which dropped precipitously from 1-2 a day to 1 per week on *live*. I may or may not do the writs. They are tedious and feel like the Garrison stuff in Warlords of Draenor. I can only put up with so much repeated tedium. I may do them on the three remaining characters whose Enchanting is still not 50, though, just to keep leveling them.

Nestor

nathan_bri wrote: »

The problem with the theory here is that, up until a couple weeks ago, I was getting 1-2 Kutas a day out of 12 hireling emails. Then, suddenly, just around the time the patch notes for 1.6 first hit, they stopped coming...

Same thing happened to me, around the time of 1.6 to the PTS, all my hirelings stopped giving me tempers, and my enchanter stopped giving me any Kutas (in fact, I was not even getting Aspect stones for most of that time). It went on for about a week or so. But they all came back strong and for a while I was even getting way more than normal.

Rosveen

This is interesting. I noticed the same thing recently, but I attributed it to RNG. Whatever it was, it passed, I just got a bunch of gold tempers and a Kuta today for example.

Inco

Got a KUTA last night myself and 2 sets of Clothing Gold (name I forget) yesterday on two toons for 4 total.

I really don't think the 1.6 nerf is needed, but unlikely to see that change.

P3ZZL3

Yeah, 2 Deughwax this morning for my clothier.
Yet 5 days ago, she deconstructed 800 +/- void bloom and didn't get one gold

I_killed_Vivec

nathan_bri wrote: »

I would be quite happy with 1-4 Kutas/week from Hirelings over what I am seeing now, which dropped precipitously from 1-2 a day to 1 per week on *live*. I may or may not do the writs. They are tedious and feel like the Garrison stuff in Warlords of Draenor. I can only put up with so much repeated tedium. I may do them on the three remaining characters whose Enchanting is still not 50, though, just to keep leveling them.

I went for over two months without a single kuta on my master enchanter, 2 mails a day.

Overall I think I average one kuta every 40 mails or so.

You aren't seeing a nerf, you're seeing RNG.

Just like I won't be seeing a buff if I get a kuta tonight - even though I've already received one this month!

nathan_bri

Very interesting. Just received 2 Kutas, one from last night's mailings and one from this morning's. It's as if someone at ZeniMax was reading this and then changed something.

I too went for a short while without seeing anything in the way of gold tempers as well, then, like magic, they began appearing again.

My guess is they are tinkering with numbers on the servers on an ongoing basis, perhaps to gauge feedback like this or perhaps in response to overall item counts held by all players.

One could attribute it to the RNG, and I did for a while. However, over a certain number of samples, you should not see the results drop so precipitously. At some point, you have to wonder if there was number tinkering.

Inco

It would be nice to see a ZOS post on the drop rates so all the speculation could end.

Changes in 1.6 have people up and arms. IF they increased the deconstruction drop ratios to compensate for the hireling nerf then it would make sense.

Right now I'm considering removing points from hirelings if the nerf is as bad as those reporting and using for other items.

DeLindsay

Inco wrote: »

It would be nice to see a ZOS post on the drop rates so all the speculation could end.

Changes in 1.6 have people up and arms. IF they increased the deconstruction drop ratios to compensate for the hireling nerf then it would make sense.

Right now I'm considering removing points from hirelings if the nerf is as bad as those reporting and using for other items.

ZoS will never post anything stat/drop rate related nor give us proper ways to test things because if they did we'd be able to prove that certain abilities they say they fixed still don't work and things like that. That's why you have idiots like me who spent tens of hours farming Aspect nodes to find the drop rate for them to be 1.4%. There were several of us that did the Enchanting Writs over the 1.6 PTS patches (both NA and EU) and found those to be the highest drop rate of Kuta, but still only between 3-4%. I'm pretty sure ZoS watched one of our PTS thread because in 1.6 and 1.6.1 the Kuta drop rate from Hirelings was almost non-existent, then all the sudden in 1.6.2 it was decent (not as good as now, but not nothing either). But ofc they didn't say anything about it to save face for realizing they over nerfed Hirelings. That's the problem with ZoS, they can't just balance a thing in the middle, it has to be one extreme or the other.

Now, Legendary Tempers got ninja nerfed harder in 1.6.2 from Hirelings. Both Kuta and Legendary Tempers have roughly the same drop rate on PTS 1.6.2+ for Hirelings now, which is 1-4/week for all 8 Characters with all 3/3 Hirelings checked twice daily. Good luck to anyone post 1.6 who isn't great at making Gold in ESO trying to get enough Legendary Tempers and Kuta to JUST finish out 1 set of gear, let alone a set for DPS/Healing/Tanking/PvP like many of us have... Oh wait, we'll have a Crown Store soon, I'd be willing to wager that all the nerfs are so they can add Legendary Tempers and Kuta to the Crown Store under the guise of a "convenience". I can almost guarantee that the XP nerfs all over Tamriel are to justify XP potions in the Crown Store, having them add Legendary Tempers and Kuta isn't much of a stretch then.

stefan.gustavsonb16_ESO

nathan_bri wrote: »

One could attribute it to the RNG, and I did for a while. However, over a certain number of samples, you should not see the results drop so precipitously. At some point, you have to wonder if there was number tinkering.

The people running the servers can clearly adjust the drop rates for some items over time, and it is only to be expected that they do this if they see some supposedly "rare" items pile up on many people's accounts, or if the sale price of certain items changes rapidly.

What's more, the drop rate for loot is not necessarily goverened by a simple RNG roll. There could also be some governing "luck" stat that is hidden but goes up and down over time for your character, and where Imperial characters might possibly have a slight advantage. (The tooltip for the Imperial race does hint at something to that effect.)

Having found no purple motifs for months, I found four in one spot over the course of two days, and now again I find none in that spot. That was very likely either a "stroke of luck" that was coded to happen for me at that time, or the developers making the purple motifs less rare for everyone for a short time.

And of course, I am a sample of one, so anything I have experienced may be a freak accident. I really wouldn't know.

Tarukmockto

I nearly fainted last weekend when I opened a Heavy Sack and scored 2 x Kuta! Talk about your freak accidents! It was amazing.

I_killed_Vivec

On a related note, I haven't had a nirn drop in ages.

I wonder if ZOS are tweaking the numbers to control the economy before the release of 1.6.

ZOS_JessicaFolsom

When we introduced crafting writs and surveys in Update 5, we adjusted the drop rates for gold-quality crafting boosters and runestones (such as Kuta), and purple-quality crafting ingredients. You have a higher chance of obtaining these items from completing crafting writs and surveys than from hirelings. So, for Kuta runestones, you can still get them from hireling mails, but your best source is to complete top-tier Enchanting writs and surveys.

Garbrac

If you're talking Live, you have some serious RNG issues. I've gotten a Kuta everyday for the past week.

Ezareth

This topic again. There is a bug with Kutas abs enchanting. You need to have points into aspect extraction to get kutas from hirelings. You won't receive any without points in it. 3/3 will get you the most. I have 3 l50 enchanters with 3/3 aspect extraction and I still get 3-4 kuta a week from those alone. All my other hirelings have no aspect extraction despite having 3/3 hirelings and have never given me a kuta.

If your drop rate changed you probably respecced and didn't put the points back in....or its just a streak of bad luck.

DeLindsay

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

When we introduced crafting writs and surveys in Update 5, we adjusted the drop rates for gold-quality crafting boosters and runestones (such as Kuta), and purple-quality crafting ingredients. You have a higher chance of obtaining these items from completing crafting writs and surveys than from hirelings. So, for Kuta runestones, you can still get them from hireling mails, but your best source is to complete top-tier Enchanting writs and surveys.

Just so the Players are clear on this statement. The Aspect nodes from the Survey report do NOT give you a higher chance at Kuta than open world nodes. I've thoroughly tested it on PTS and Live. You DO get a much better chance at Kuta from the Enchanting Coffer that you get when you turn in the Writs (on PTS), on Live I've never once received a Kuta from the Coffer. Don't let ZoS's slick words fool you. They are pushing everyone to do the Writs, of which most hate doing the Crafting versions because it's far too many mats. If they dropped it to crafting 2-3 pcs instead of 6 then it'd be more reasonable.

ThePonzzz

I have received a total of 1 dual aspect runestone being kuta in all of my enchanting surveys. I have never received any runestones in any actual writ item reward. I also haven't gotten much in terms of kuta from a hireling in the last 2 weeks, but I was getting 1 a day from hirelings before then. RNG there I assume.

But I generally have to give up 1 aspect rune node if I get Craglorn Survery III due to those wasps. At VR8, I can't take them out, and can rarely get anyone to help me, even bribing them with half of what I get.

Rosveen

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom, I've been doing enchanting writs nearly every day and never once got a Kuta from the coffer - or from a survey, but I have rubbish lucks with surveys, so I'm not surprised. On the other hand, I regularly receive Kutas from hirelings. Are you sure you're not talking about Update 6? The one where hirelings are supposed to be nerfed, but refining and writs improved (refining actually isn't, as tested on the PTS)?

ThePonzzz

I'm with @Rosveen here. I have never once received a single enchanting runestone from a coffer. I usually get a single green glyph and a few soul gems. I get a survey rarely, and I have only received 1 dual kuta, ever. Hireling is DEFINITELY better than surveys in the live games.

ZOS_JessicaFolsom

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

When we introduced crafting writs and surveys in Update 5, we adjusted the drop rates for gold-quality crafting boosters and runestones (such as Kuta), and purple-quality crafting ingredients. You have a higher chance of obtaining these items from completing crafting writs and surveys than from hirelings. So, for Kuta runestones, you can still get them from hireling mails, but your best source is to complete top-tier Enchanting writs and surveys.

Small correction: This change is with Update 6. Sorry for any confusion, folks!

LonePirate

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

When we introduced crafting writs and surveys in Update 5, we adjusted the drop rates for gold-quality crafting boosters and runestones (such as Kuta), and purple-quality crafting ingredients. You have a higher chance of obtaining these items from completing crafting writs and surveys than from hirelings. So, for Kuta runestones, you can still get them from hireling mails, but your best source is to complete top-tier Enchanting writs and surveys.

My level 50 Master Enchanter has been completing the top tier Enchanting Writ almost every day except for a small handful of days since Update 5 went live back in early November. I have never received a Kuta from the writ reward (I don't think they were included as writ rewards until Update 6). Even the glyphs I receive max out as green quality Splendid glyphs instead of gold quality Monumental glyphs.

As for the surveys I have received, I have never harvested Kuta from the Dual Aspect Runes that appear at the Enchanting survey location amidst the wasps' nest in northern Craglorn. There is only the one survey in Craglorn prior to Update 6. Maybe others have harvested Kuta stones from the Craglorn survey; but I certainly have not.

I hope these issues have been corrected in Update 6 because apart from the gold and the soul gems, the Enchanting Writ rewards are awful on the live server at present.

nathan_bri

In addition to the 2 Kutas I received again on 2/25 I just received 3 more in two sets of mailings, two last night and one this morning. There's definitely some tweaking of numbers on the server end. This is not merely RNG stuff. Whoever dialed the Kuta rate back up, even if only temporarily, thanks.

nathan_bri

ezareth_ESO wrote: »

This topic again. There is a bug with Kutas abs enchanting. You need to have points into aspect extraction to get kutas from hirelings. You won't receive any without points in it. 3/3 will get you the most. I have 3 l50 enchanters with 3/3 aspect extraction and I still get 3-4 kuta a week from those alone. All my other hirelings have no aspect extraction despite having 3/3 hirelings and have never given me a kuta.

If your drop rate changed you probably respecced and didn't put the points back in....or its just a streak of bad luck.

I only put 3/3 into Extraction when actually leveling Enchanting to 40, which I have done eight times now. I was getting a consistent flow of Kutas before the 1.6 announcement with 0/3 in Extraction on every character. I was power-leveling characters in just a few hours then would reset the points back out of Extraction. I just received three Kutas in the last 24 hours with 0/3 in Extraction on every character... again.

nathan_bri

ezareth_ESO wrote: »

This topic again. There is a bug with Kutas abs enchanting. You need to have points into aspect extraction to get kutas from hirelings. You won't receive any without points in it. 3/3 will get you the most. I have 3 l50 enchanters with 3/3 aspect extraction and I still get 3-4 kuta a week from those alone. All my other hirelings have no aspect extraction despite having 3/3 hirelings and have never given me a kuta.

If your drop rate changed you probably respecced and didn't put the points back in....or its just a streak of bad luck.

I am starting to believe you. As a test, I put 3/3 into Extraction on one toon. None of the others received Kutas, but this one did twice in a row.

Islyn

This is the one hireling they should not nerf.