Max level writs now pointless/non-cost-effective - is this an oversight?

Truewavesound

While the top level writs now only require items made using the top level mat (Rubedite etc), the surveys rewarded from them (the main reward afaic) are still half populated with the old materials, voidstone etc, which is entirely useless now. This makes the effort and materials put into doing writs at max level more or less pointless, as you have a high chance of making a loss on the cost of materials. Surely this is an oversight.

Soleya

I posted this on the PTS when the Update was first put up. Tier 11 writs are a major loss to do.

Just did all 3 writs on the PTS.

40 Rubedite used, 39 Ancestor Silk Used, 36 Ruby Ash used.

Got 2 trait stones, 3 white junk items for decon (each giving back 2 mats), and 1 woodworker survey.

The survey had 4 Ruby Ash node and 3 Nightwood nodes. Giving me 30 Ruby Ash (refined gave me 26 sanded ruby ash and nothing else).

So in all net loss of
38 Rubedite
37 Ancestor Silk
8 Ruby Ash

For the gain of 2 trait stones.

Every writ will lose you materials, even if you got a survey EVERY time. And you currently get them occasionally.

Before you could make out better over time, since you gain cp 90-140 materials much faster (de-conning gives multiples back)

If CP160 gear didn't require 120-150 materials, the writs might be worth doing for the chance at yellow tempers. But using 1/3rd of a new piece of gear worth of materials just for a writ that will most likely be a massive loss isn't worth it.

GilGalad

@ZOS_GinaBruno pls look at the crafting survey reports.

Truewavesound

If the surveys were pure top level mats then this would make sense. It feels like an oversight, probably something that nobody at ZOS has even considered (again).

disintegr8

If they only consume top level materials, then that is the only material they should be returning

Ashtaris

This was mentioned on the PTS and either Jessica or Gina said they would look into changing it, but it never happened. Now there is no reason to have the lower level mats for the Wrothgar surveys.

One addition I do like is the furrier traps for the Rubedo. I was worrying about having a big imbalance in obtaining Rubedo vs. Ancestor silk.

damtotb16_ESO

Truewavesound wrote: »

While the top level writs now only require items made using the top level mat (Rubedite etc), the surveys rewarded from them (the main reward afaic) are still half populated with the old materials, voidstone etc, which is entirely useless now. This makes the effort and materials put into doing writs at max level more or less pointless, as you have a high chance of making a loss on the cost of materials. Surely this is an oversight.

History repeats itself, instead of focusing to fix lag in cyrodiil let's break what was fine.
Guess they will revert the change in time but at the moment it's useless to do crafting writs

BenevolentBowd

When One-Tamriel arrives later this year with its overabundance of top-tier materials available for harvesting, it makes sense to make this change.

However, the equipment rewards, in their present form, are "a kick in the stones": 664g, 1 Intricate / Ornate item, 1 trait item, and a rare chance for a Glass Motif Fragment/ Repair Kit / Survey map that leads to nodes that contain a mix of top-tier and the ones below it.

As it stands now, the opportunity cost of the mats (make more selling as material or crafted goods) have more value than the value of the writ rewards. Unless you have a hoard of mats and looking for source of inspiration points, I wouldn't recommend doing the equipment writs.

Jofish

I stopped doing the level 9 writs many months ago for the same reason... was better off vending the mats

Truewavesound

Jofish wrote: »

I stopped doing the level 9 writs many months ago for the same reason... was better off vending the mats

For the last 6 months (ish) I have been making 30-50k gold a day from doing max level writs on most of my characters. They have been a huge source of profit for a while but are now broken due to the rewards dropping below the cost of doing them again.

Truewavesound

For everyone's info, Gina has confirmed "We're working on getting this fixed in an incremental patch so only top tier mats will drop."

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/3227378/#Comment_3227378

I wonder how long it will take to get this fixed.

boundsy88

if we have to use only these mats for writs then they need to make 160cp items not need 120+ materials to make them. its complete BS. i use to be able to save up my ancestor silk just from writs alone to make a full 5 piece set in a couple of weeks worth of writs, and now im gonna have to buy more each week just to do writs. zos u seriously never think things through. on top of this the price of these mats in traders are going to double in price now, maybe even triple.

Mike0987

Either way, pointless doing them when you do 15 writs a day on 3 characters and only get white junk to deconstruct. You never leave the city... and given the junk I get I've decided to just not log in for the disappointment when the RNG has a tight grip around my neck.

cazlonb16_ESO

This is about the third time this exact change happened after some major patch...No, I'm not trolling you.

The other times it was reversed, it is up to anyone's guess what ZOS will do this time around.

Truewavesound

cazlonb16_ESO wrote: »

This is about the third time this exact change happened after some major patch...No, I'm not trolling you.

The other times it was reversed, it is up to anyone's guess what ZOS will do this time around.

It seems someone is unable to read 3 posts above.

NBrookus

Yep, going to stop doing writs. Not worth it until they fix it.

It had also sent the price of rubedite soaring - I had to buy two stacks to craft some new gear yesterday and it was painful.

Nestor

I did my last Tier 10 Equipment Writs this morning until this is fixed. Also, I may not do anymore after this if the return on materials is a net loss based on the Survey results.

wayfarerx

Yeah I'm off equipment writs for the time being as well. I have a good stockpile of ruby mats but I don't want to burn them all just for a chance at a few gold tempers and a couple glass motif fragments I don't need.

cazlonb16_ESO

Truewavesound wrote: »

cazlonb16_ESO wrote: »

This is about the third time this exact change happened after some major patch...No, I'm not trolling you.

The other times it was reversed, it is up to anyone's guess what ZOS will do this time around.

It seems someone is unable to read 3 posts above.

Gina saying something on the forums and said thing happening in game are two different and often enough entirely unrelated things. E.g. we're still waiting for the runspeed unnerf and it likely won't happen anytime soon, if ever.

Vangy

Yep GG writs. I have 8 toons who do all 6 dailies a day. Did it over the past 3 days and boy oh boy...... I now in total have a net loss of around;

1. about 50 ore per toon --> 400 ore gone
2. around 40 ash per toon --> 320 wood gone
3. around 40 silk per toon --> 320 silk gone

And gained a meagre --> 660*8*3 gold for it --> about 16k. I did get 1 wax, 1 temper so --> 16k + 6.5k + 4k --> 26.5k

The wax and temper is rng so I cant include that all the time... So worst case scenario would be me losing all that materials for a meagre 16k gold..... I could have saved far more time by just selling the materials instead........

My advice over the past few days experience is STOP doing equipment dailies. They are not worth it and will sink your reserves of v15 mats.

Lolssi

Aren't writs there to help you level crafting? I don't see why they should be profitable. I stopped doing them as soon as I maxed the craft out. I know you can make profit but I have better things to do with my time than repetables.

Nestor

Lolssi wrote: »

Aren't writs there to help you level crafting? I don't see why they should be profitable. I stopped doing them as soon as I maxed the craft out. I know you can make profit but I have better things to do with my time than repetables.

Yes and No.

You can only do them once a day, so the Inspiration you get, while a nice amount, is limited to once a day. You can get more Inspiration faster deconning mob loot from a public dungeon, and you can do that all day long. Basically, you can level crafting to 50 in one day deconning mob loot. It will take years just doing writs. For example, I have 4 low level mules doing provisioning writs. They only make foods or drinks needed for the writs, and nothing else. So, their craft leveling is soley writ based. The one I checked this morning, as i had to make something for his writ, was at L33 in Provisioning, and he did some grinding on the skill to get to the next tier of writs. For the record, this character has done about a 100 Provisioning Writs.

So, yes they level your crafting, but if you rely on just writs, it will be a year or two before you max out crafting just doing writs.

I_killed_Vivec

They obviously thought about writs, removing the use of lower level material, adding the traps, changing the required numbers of items, so I assume it was intentional.

Shame they didn't give it more thought.

Unsent.Soul

I_killed_Vivec wrote: »

They obviously thought about writs, removing the use of lower level material, adding the traps, changing the required numbers of items, so I assume it was intentional.

Shame they didn't give it more thought.

Do you read?

Acharnor

I have also concluded it is not worth my while at present to do equipment writs. Too many mats required, factor in not always getting a survey and getting lower level mats as well as only getting one mat from decon and you will quickly run out of mats!!! I am carrying on with enchanting writs b/c you only make one glyph - awesome.

NikaTheCat

They changed it in the last incremental patch

Clothier, Blacksmith, and Woodworker Surveys in Wrothgar no longer contain a mixture of CP 90-140 and CP 150-160 nodes, and now contain exclusively CP 150-160 nodes.

Banana

Bring back the chance of a nirn drop during the survey would be nice.

Lord_Draevan

Anyone else notice a huge drop in Surveys for Blacksmithing/Clothing/Woodworking? I used to get at least 1 every day, since the last patch I've barely gotten any. Went 3 days without getting one, then got 1 (Blacksmithing), then went another 3 days without getting any, then got another 1 (Clothing). Did ZOS nerf the drop rate?

ikza

Lord_Draevan wrote: »

Anyone else notice a huge drop in Surveys for Blacksmithing/Clothing/Woodworking? I used to get at least 1 every day, since the last patch I've barely gotten any. Went 3 days without getting one, then got 1 (Blacksmithing), then went another 3 days without getting any, then got another 1 (Clothing). Did ZOS nerf the drop rate?

6 Toon only for writs, hardly can get one survey now. Writ is pointless now.

Can we get back to the old writ system?

newtinmpls

Tier 11?!?!?

wayfarerx

Lord_Draevan wrote: »

Anyone else notice a huge drop in Surveys for Blacksmithing/Clothing/Woodworking? I used to get at least 1 every day, since the last patch I've barely gotten any. Went 3 days without getting one, then got 1 (Blacksmithing), then went another 3 days without getting any, then got another 1 (Clothing). Did ZOS nerf the drop rate?

I just started doing writs again this weekend, I did them all on five characters and ended up with around 15 or so surveys in all. I did all the writs this morning on just one character and got two surveys.