Alchemy Hireling

Refuse2GrowUp

I am sure this isn't an original idea. None-the-less...

Get rid of Snake Blood! It is a useless, garbage passive that no one uses (if they understand it correctly, which unfortunately isn't the case as I still meet many players who think it protects them from poison type damage or mitigates from poisons in PvP).

Please replace it with an alchemy hireling which delivers raw mats.

And while your at it:
1) Please make all potions we craft green (text labeling, i.e. green vs white) so that they are more readily recognized from the rubbish ones you pick up.
2) Please rename crafted Tri-pot potions of health to something other than 'potion of health' as daily alchemy writs consume our expensive tri-pots for a pot of health writ.

That is all. Thank you~

BruhItsOver9000

I agree.

BigBragg

Yes, please.

Unsent.Soul

Yea!

Lysette

Refuse2GrowUp wrote: »

I am sure this isn't an original idea. None-the-less...

Get rid of Snake Blood! It is a useless, garbage passive that no one uses (if they understand it correctly, which unfortunately isn't the case as I still meet many players who think it protects them from poison type damage or mitigates from poisons in PvP).

Please replace it with an alchemy hireling which delivers raw mats.

And while your at it:
1) Please make all potions we craft green (text labeling, i.e. green vs white) so that they are more readily recognized from the rubbish ones you pick up.
2) Please rename crafted Tri-pot potions of health to something other than 'potion of health' as daily alchemy writs consume our expensive tri-pots for a pot of health writ.

That is all. Thank you~

Argh, thank you for this information, I always wondered where a tri-pot potion from me went - I made it a bit before I did my writ and I had afterwards the normal potion in my inventory but the tri-pot was gone - now I finally know.

KochDerDamonen

Certainly single, double and triple affect crafted potions could be green, blue and purple. I don't think writs take upgraded items so that would work.

I do want names for aesthetic/sorting purposes though. Essence of Universal Restoration?

As for the passive/hireling, absolutely agree!

magnusthorek

Make this a poll and this will probably be the only one with 100% of upvotes.

I totally agree!

Carbonised

Rename tripots - yes.

Make craftable potions have green, blue and purple colours depending on strength/quality/number of effects - yes.

Alchemy hireling instead of snakeblood (but please don't make it deliver poison ingredients) - yes.

And also, could we please get the crafter's name on potions/poisons and foods/drinks, just like it is already shown on gear and enchants? No reason those alchemists and provisioners should feel left out.

PS4_ZeColmeia

Make snakeblood apply to poisons from other players and it's worth while

nine9six

I'm in.

Refuse2GrowUp

PS4_ZeColmeia wrote: »

Make snakeblood apply to poisons from other players and it's worth while

Devs said specifically that they would not do that...that it would be too easy to counter poisons with only a single passive.

Morimizo

Carbonised wrote: »

Rename tripots - yes.

Make craftable potions have green, blue and purple colours depending on strength/quality/number of effects - yes.

Alchemy hireling instead of snakeblood (but please don't make it deliver poison ingredients) - yes.

And also, could we please get the crafter's name on potions/poisons and foods/drinks, just like it is already shown on gear and enchants? No reason those alchemists and provisioners should feel left out.

Maybe they fired the person in charge of alchemy back in alpha or something? These things should be standard, and are ridiculous oversights.

Completely agree with OP.

Nestor

I am not sure if we need an Alchemy Hireling or not. But something needs to be done with Snakeblood, and its just as good a replacement as anything else. Unless they want to add a poison resistance. However, everyone would have that, so what difference would that really make?

However the Tripots need to be named something else. xxx of Rejuvenation gets my vote.

Mettaricana

Yes yes yes! !!

bebynnag

100% agree with OP

Toc de Malsvi

Indeed, long over due.

I thought about making a post about this a couple times but was too lazy and thought that someone for sure already had.

In any event, with only getting 1-2 materials from nodes, alchemy not having a hireling is ridiculous. Of all the crafting lines that could use a hireling alchemy has to be at the top.

STEVIL

Imo Remains Silent is a de facto alchemy hireling if you have the DB dlc.

Also every cgaracter at any level harvests the main consumables for alchemy and they dont level out so thats a huge difference between hireling for say cloth and smith and even provisioning where you need the recipes and some ingredients are more frequent at high lvl recipes. Waters and fats are ubiquitous.

So a lot of care to prevent overbalance would need to be taken - not just "here have free columbine"

Ankael07

Refuse2GrowUp wrote: »

PS4_ZeColmeia wrote: »

Make snakeblood apply to poisons from other players and it's worth while

Devs said specifically that they would not do that...that it would be too easy to counter poisons with only a single passive.

Just like how a single poison can counter your resource pool or ultimate cost with 60% increase

bebynnag

STEVIL wrote: »

Imo Remains Silent is a de facto alchemy hireling if you have the DB dlc.

Also every cgaracter at any level harvests the main consumables for alchemy and they dont level out so thats a huge difference between hireling for say cloth and smith and even provisioning where you need the recipes and some ingredients are more frequent at high lvl recipes. Waters and fats are ubiquitous.

So a lot of care to prevent overbalance would need to be taken - not just "here have free columbine"

i agree balance would be needed but not just with columbine, some previously 'crap' ingredients can now make rather lethal poisons. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

pod88kk

Just put 1 point into keen eye, get off your damn horse once in a while and have a walk around, enjoy the beautiful vistas this game has to off while you're having a look around for mats. It won't take long to fill up on reagents.

Toc de Malsvi

STEVIL wrote: »

Imo Remains Silent is a de facto alchemy hireling if you have the DB dlc.

Also every cgaracter at any level----(CAN)

---

harvests the main consumables for alchemy and they dont level out so thats a huge difference between hireling for say cloth and smith and even provisioning where you need the recipes and some ingredients are more frequent at high lvl recipes. Waters and fats are ubiquitous.

So a lot of care to prevent overbalance would need to be taken - not just "here have free columbine"

There is a very significant difference that you are overlooking.

You do not need to ever harvest anything else for crafting in the game, besides perhaps provisioning. Up until DB you couldn't get Alchemy mats off of kills, and even now its terrible, the hireling provides more than enough provisioning materials for everything you will never need to pick up provisioning again.

The other crafting hirelings do not, but they do provide some materials. Alchemy is ridiculously out of line with the rest of the crafting lines in this regard. It has the lowest amount per node and no hireling to help ease that income.

The fact that you can pick up end game mats on low level characters is not actually a complete advantage. This also entails that low level characters will want to buy the same materials that end game characters will want to buy thus introducing more scarcity. The advantage of being able to pick up end game materials at low levels is lost upon reaching maximum level.

ajwest927

Yes get rid of snake blood

Carl-lan

I pretty much agree with everything you said. Well done!

STEVIL

pod88kk wrote: »

Just put 1 point into keen eye, get off your damn horse once in a while and have a walk around, enjoy the beautiful vistas this game has to off while you're having a look around for mats. It won't take long to fill up on reagents.

Yup

every character even newbies i have gets one keen eye alchemy asap.
Simply because the ingredients found on Stros mkai help at cp160 and beyond. that is not even close to being true in the same magnitude as other crafts.

STEVIL

Toc de Malsvi wrote: »

STEVIL wrote: »

Imo Remains Silent is a de facto alchemy hireling if you have the DB dlc.

Also every cgaracter at any level----(CAN)

---

harvests the main consumables for alchemy and they dont level out so thats a huge difference between hireling for say cloth and smith and even provisioning where you need the recipes and some ingredients are more frequent at high lvl recipes. Waters and fats are ubiquitous.

So a lot of care to prevent overbalance would need to be taken - not just "here have free columbine"

There is a very significant difference that you are overlooking.

You do not need to ever harvest anything else for crafting in the game, besides perhaps provisioning. Up until DB you couldn't get Alchemy mats off of kills, and even now its terrible, the hireling provides more than enough provisioning materials for everything you will never need to pick up provisioning again.

The other crafting hirelings do not, but they do provide some materials. Alchemy is ridiculously out of line with the rest of the crafting lines in this regard. It has the lowest amount per node and no hireling to help ease that income.

The fact that you can pick up end game mats on low level characters is not actually a complete advantage. This also entails that low level characters will want to buy the same materials that end game characters will want to buy thus introducing more scarcity. The advantage of being able to pick up end game materials at low levels is lost upon reaching maximum level.

Sorry but our experiences vary... bigly in fact.

I do crafting for my own characters and for sell and for giveaway.

I have three master enchanters, three master provisoners, two master clothiers, one master alchemist, one master smith, one master woodworker... all used to do writs until up-11 kind of screwed things so not so much until a patch or two in. All that can have hirelings.

I have SOLD more alchemy items i have crafted than any other craft except provisioning when i count selling to the npc vendors. hands down, not even close.

I have keen eye on every character for alchemy because the mats are always useful. I have keen eye on most other crafts but mostly only on the ones they know. Exception is runestones where, again, many are useful at all levels so... most characters have keen eye runes.

I make most all my gear except for stuff you cannot craft.

I have NEVER bought an alchemical ingredient... never not once. I have on occasion bought some mid-tier lower-tier waters after starting newbies because i had sold or run out of the waters for their levels.

I have plenty of times needed to buy or chose to buy other crafting stuff - mats for crafting armor, cloth, leathers, wood for staves metals fort weapons - etc. Dont think i ever bought provisioning ingredients but did buy recipes.

In my experience harvesting keeps most things sufficiently stocked but if i had to go with which one is best stocked, alchemy is first or at least second best.

The prolific and usable at all levels nature of alchemy mats was done with knowledge they did not have a hireling or vice versa more likely. its not an oversight or a flaw they dont have one and its not imbalancing that they dont.

As for the "disadvantge" of having their main mats usable at any level - i gotta say - lets go ask players of leatherworkers, smiths and woodworkers if they would like all their mats to be useful at most every level crafting and see how many yell "no it will cost us on the high end" shall we?

Refuse2GrowUp

@pod88kk @STEVIL

I hear what you both are saying, but do keep in mind that play styles vary.

Background: I have 10 min-maxed toons. I have an 11th that is now CP160 but needs to unlock some PvP skills, max undaunted, and finish crafting certs. The other 10 toons are maxed on alchemy, provisioning, clothing, woodworking, and blacksmithing. Ten toons do clothing, blacksmithing, and enchanting writs daily, while three of those also do alchemy writs, and only one does woodworking writs.

My play style: I spend almost all of my game time doing hardcore raids. And any toon that I take into a trial, or even dungeons for that matter, will be running end-game pots (spell or wpn dmg/crit or tri-pots if on my tank) 100% of the time. In a evening of playing, I can go thru a stack of potions easily. That is not cheap, and you cannot say that about any other artisan skill.

When I am not in raids or helping guildies grind dungeons, I am in PvP. And most of the time in PvP I will run end-game crafted pots, tho sometimes I do decide to be cheap and run basic pots. Again, it is easy to go thru a stack of pots in a gaming session. I do not use poisons as I think they are a cheesy way to win a fight and wish they were not in the game for PvP (note I mention PvP because i do run poisons of vulnerability on my tank in PvE, and have them equipped 100% of the time).

Alchemy economy: Yes, you can run around and pick-up flowers, even on low level toons. However, check traders, alchemy mats are usually the most expensive items selling. Hell, stacks of rubedo leather (since everyone is going stam now-a-days) goes for about 30k. Stacks of 50 of popular alchemy mats, such as corn flower, lady smock, mountain flower, columbine, etc, avg around 20k, but can be found for upwards of 100k. That exceeds all but legendary crafting mats; and maybe grain solvents.

The issues: So, you are right in that every one can run around and pick-up mats for themselves. In fact, I do. I will pick-up any mat I see unless in PvP - I'm not going to be the guy that gets ganked picking daisies. But even picking up every mat, it is not enough to keep up with MY demand. I have buddies that will log in two or more hours before our raids to simply run loops in Cold Harbor to be able to have enough mats to craft pots for our raids. That is absurd that two or more hours of game time each evening must be devoted to simply gardening prior to a raid.

Now, I concede that our supply demand might exceed that of many other players. But, I know most of my PvP buddies would agree that there is simply no way to keep up with supply demand if they spend most of their time in PvP...even if they did stop to pick flowers in the middle of fights.

I will also concede that, with the exception of Nightshade, poison mats are easy to come by. Not really the issue tho.

So, ask yourselves why alchemy mats are pound-for-pound the most expensive mats in traders? It is because, unlike every other artisan craftable, alchemy is the hardest to keep stocked. And consequently, with the exception of legendary mats, it is really the one mat that you simply do not get thru regular game play (and by this I mean that in the sewers and in dungeons/trials you get to loot bodies for gear that can be deconstructed for mats, to include for poisons) yet flowers to have to walk around the open world and pick them up. Furthermore, and quite unfortunately, any time I look to community pages for a good deal on bulk alchemy mats, it has ALWAYS been a low level (between lvl 9-11) player (and every time has been an individual speaking Chinese) who end up meeting me for the trade - so my speculation is that many of these with large stockpiles of alchemy mats on the markets are gold sellers.

And in comparison to clothing, blacksmithing, and woodworking, simply playing the game and doing writs/surveys will easily give most players the requisite mats, to include gold mats, to craft the three or four sets most players will craft each DLC. I do daily writs on ten toons, soon to be eleven, and do not worry about running out of mats doing so, and the only mat I have had to buy or trade for was rubedo leathers as they are harder to come by, but even this has been recognized by the devs and has been (partly) addressed by adding leather nodes to surveys.

Conclusion: I do not know if comments saying an alchemy hireling isn't necessary is simply an off-the-hip comment not thought out, trolling, in accordance with your own playtyle that may not have the same demand that many PvP or end-game raiders do, or simply to defend your share of a lucrative selling market? I do know however that an alchemy hireling or an adjustment to how many flowers are given per node is required to support many of our play styles. I am tired of investing all of my gold into potions for raids or running in circles for hours collecting flowers. There is nothing more tedious to me, to support my play style...and this coming from a guy that has maxed undaunted, fighters guild, mages guild, PvP skill lines, crafting skill lines, etc, on ten toons.

*** Note: I am on PS4 NA; our economy may not mirror the economy of other platforms or servers.

silvermistktralasub17_ESO

Wow, though I don't craft as many potions as most people do (hence I end up selling a lot of excess alchemy ingredients), I'd never thought that they were all that scarce. Admittedly, I have 5 characters doing top level alchemy writs every day...with several characters starting off their writ working in coldharbour, I actually usually get some 21-25 nirnroot a day, far more than the 15 probably needed for the writs. And that's not even counting the ones that I get as rewards for some of those writs. I tend to sell alchemy ingredients about once a week. Admittedly, I also end up getting the vast majority of those sold within a single day's worth of trading, and I think the most expensive I get is like 5K for a stack of about 100 of something, though I haven't paid too much attention, just letting MM set my prices according to what it knows from my guild. I am on NA PC, if that makes any difference. I have been rather happy those days I log on in the evening to find that whoever my first character I pick up is finds about 70k gold from various sales, though it's not always that much. Still, I know I'm selling a heck of a lot when I do it, so I'm surprised to hear people saying that it's hard to get ingredients. I'm not even trying, most of the time, and I collect a lot of them.

ElfFromSpace

Yes, yes and yes. The naming of poisons and potions is horrible. And a hireling, yes please!

ajwest927

also each potion and poison should have their own name just like food and drink

lardvader

100% agree - great suggestions!

xilfxlegion

have they ever mentioned why alchemy is the only one without a hireling ?