An Idea for Jewelry Refining

Gundug

Considering the very low drop rates for all jewelry upgrade materials, I have thought of a possible improvement to the system. I suggest every refinement should guarantee a drop of of one of the upgrade grains. I believe a 70% chance of receiving a green Terne grain would be fair. Failing that, a 70% chance of receiving a blue Iridium grain. Failing a drop of either of the two lesser types, a 70% chance of dropping a purple Zircon grain. If all other types fail to drop, then a gold Chromium grain would drop.

This would increase the drops of the lesser grains dramatically, allowing easy upgrade to at least blue level, and hopefully increase the Zircon drops to a more reasonable level. I’m not a math brain, however, so let me know if this would be a poor drop distribution.

Please discuss, and let me know your own opinion on the upgrade situation and how it can be improved.

redspecter23

They could also get rid of the grains system completely as that would reduce confusion about the system and bring it in line with the other 3 crafts.

Maybe also add a hireling like the other 3 crafts.

It's over a year old at this point. The artificial scarcity thing has more than run its course.

Gundug

I agree a hireling would make sense. I always felt the craft was a bit rushed, not having that feature. I wouldn’t be against eliminating the grains system either, although it seems ZOS is set on that. I’m looking for some simple tweaks that would make it significantly more rewarding.

Royaji

I think you are trying to ask for solution for something that isn't a problem from ZOS's standpoint. Jewelry crafting is supposed to be expensive. If they wanted it to be cheaper, grains wouldn't have been a thing.

rsantijw13

i turn a profit with the current system so I am happy with it. just got to keep up on the prices

Gundug

I believe ZOS does know jewelry crafting has issues. They made the early adjustments of reducing the required upgrade tempers by half, and increasing the value of the master writs massively. We still have the problems of accumulating masses of impossible to solve jewelry craft master writs due to acute material shortages. I have around 100 of them sitting in my bank, and that’s after destroying or listing 2/3 of them for sale.

I have never been against gold tempers being very rare, since gold jewelry in the rest of the game is fairly hard to come by, but crafted purple being at the level it is does not relate at all to how common purple jewelry is elsewhere. It’s unfortunate that ZOS increased the value of epic writs so high, and there are so many in circulation, since it now discourages them from backpedaling and just setting the drop rate of the purple grains to a reasonable level.

Jayne_Doe

I agree that ZOS recognizes there are still issues with the system. According to PTS patch notes, they are adding superior quality master writs, with them being the most common to drop, and making epic quality writs rarer and legendary super rare. They also increased the values of the epic and legendary writs "significantly." So, I assume that blue quality master writs will be worth roughly what the purple ones are right now, with purple being increased to around the same as legendary now and legendary being worth more. This is a guess, since I haven't been able to do any testing.

One of their questions on the feedback thread for this change - yes, they even included a specific thread for this - is essentially "Do you think you'll complete more master writs now?"

So, they know that most players aren't really doing purple master writs or gold ones for that matter. I'm not doing any of the purples, but I do sell them so some players are doing them. I'd rather save the zircons for use in legendary writs when I get one of those that is worth doing. For me, only the swift ones are worth doing. Even with having to spend 20 vouchers, the value is quite a bit higher than triune or harmony or bloodthirsty.

Getting chromium grains is really not that hard, since they drop from daily jewelry crafting writs. The bottleneck is zircon. I'm not getting enough of those to make doing any JC master writ worth it unless I'm doing a very high-value legendary one. Getting blue ones to complete will be much easier and hopefully they will be worth what purple ones are right now.

tmbrinks

Jayne_Doe wrote: »

I agree that ZOS recognizes there are still issues with the system. According to PTS patch notes, they are adding superior quality master writs, with them being the most common to drop, and making epic quality writs rarer and legendary super rare. They also increased the values of the epic and legendary writs "significantly." So, I assume that blue quality master writs will be worth roughly what the purple ones are right now, with purple being increased to around the same as legendary now and legendary being worth more. This is a guess, since I haven't been able to do any testing.

One of their questions on the feedback thread for this change - yes, they even included a specific thread for this - is essentially "Do you think you'll complete more master writs now?"

So, they know that most players aren't really doing purple master writs or gold ones for that matter. I'm not doing any of the purples, but I do sell them so some players are doing them. I'd rather save the zircons for use in legendary writs when I get one of those that is worth doing. For me, only the swift ones are worth doing. Even with having to spend 20 vouchers, the value is quite a bit higher than triune or harmony or bloodthirsty.

Getting chromium grains is really not that hard, since they drop from daily jewelry crafting writs. The bottleneck is zircon. I'm not getting enough of those to make doing any JC master writ worth it unless I'm doing a very high-value legendary one. Getting blue ones to complete will be much easier and hopefully they will be worth what purple ones are right now.

I got one to drop on PTS. It's a 9-trait, rare trait (swift), blue... worth 30 vouchers. So they are lower, and with it being swift, the trait stone costs 20 vouchers, so it's not worth doing. An infused ring would be worth the same vouchers (assuming they use the same formula as live), that one, however, would be worth doing at PC/NA prices

Gundug

I’m actually encouraged by the change at least. Current master writs are now garbage, however. There is no longer a good reason to save any of them if the changes go live as stated.

ghastley

Jayne_Doe wrote: »

Getting chromium grains is really not that hard, since they drop from daily jewelry crafting writs. The bottleneck is zircon. I'm not getting enough of those to make doing any JC master writ worth it unless I'm doing a very high-value legendary one. Getting blue ones to complete will be much easier and hopefully they will be worth what purple ones are right now.

With all kinds of Master writs, I find the purple level is the one I run out of most quickly. They get used by both Epic and Legendary, but don't drop at an appropriate rate. It looks like the drop rates were calculated as if the top temper was the ONLY one you'd use, rather than having to improve the item all the way up, one level at a time.