Scribing Updates Coming in PTS v10.0.3

ZOS_GinaBruno

Hi everyone,

We've seen some recent concerns about the length of the chase for Scribing, particularly regarding the Script chase for alts. We’d like to give a little insight into how we approached this process, the changes we’re planning based on your feedback, and more transparency on some of the 'relief valves' we have built into the system.

In short, we’re aiming for a system that players can access and make meaningful abilities very early on into the process while providing an engaging longer-term chase. We especially loved the concept that when a player receives a new script they might be encouraged to return to the Scholarium to try out new combinations. We were also trying to be thoughtful of both the initial chase and those who play on multiple characters. This is why we built in safeguards such as only requiring the 'Second Era of Scribing' tutorial quest to be completed to access all of the quest rewards, and provided a quarter of the existing scripts either as part of those quest rewards from Chronicler Firandil, and through the Mages Guild chase. Additionally, this is why Grimoires are purchasable at a great discount on all additional alt characters and don't need additional requirements if you already have knowledge of them.

After reading through your feedback, we realized repeating the Class Script chase across multiple characters was unnecessarily lengthy, so we’ll be making the following changes to better align with Grimoires.

• As you achieve Class Script Scraps, you’ll immediately consume them to advance the achievement. Once you have enough to complete the achievement, Class Script Scraps will no longer drop. When you consume your final Class Script Scrap, you will receive the achievement and the Class Mastery Script for the character you are currently on.
• When playing an alt character after completing the Class Mastery Achievement, you will be able to purchase the Class Mastery Script from Chronicler Firandil.

Additionally, to support going back and trying new combinations when acquiring new Scripts, we’ll be increasing the drop rate for Ink on basepop monsters, as well as added support for Plentiful Harvest to award bonus Luminous Ink. We’re also decreasing the cost of Scripts for Chronicler Firandil and Filer Ool, both in initial and discounted alt price. All these changes will be in next week’s PTS patch, along with some adjustments to Scribing skills.

Finally, we wanted to provide some visibility into other elements already in-game that are intended to release some pressure on the Script chase, both on your initial and alt characters:

• Free Scripts from the initial quests are also available on Chronicler Firandil for easy alt acquisition
• Easy to grab Scripts from the Mages Guild locations
• Guaranteed Script drop during first daily for each type of Script (Focus, Signature and Affix) and a 25% chance for repeated dailies in that category
• At least 6 different Scripts on the Scribing vendors per week
  • 3 on Chronicler Firandil and 3 on Filer Ool, plus significant discounts if you already have knowledge of a Script on another character
• No duplicate Scripts until you have received all on that character
  • These are tradeable to other characters on your account
• All players, regardless of Gold Road ownership, have a very small chance to receive Scripts via world drops, which are unbound and tradeable

We hope this provides some insight into the system and gives you an idea of the adjustments coming down the line. We appreciate all the feedback thus far – keep it coming!

Treeshka

Allowing players to be able to acquire unbound scripts is a nice way. So people who has gold or do not have time they can just buy it.

AntonShan

All players, regardless of Gold Road ownership, have a very small chance to receive Scripts via world drops, which are unbound and tradeable

a very small chance

I am getting Anniversary Grind Event flashbacks right now

LunaFlora

this sounds better than before ^_^

schindler

Thanks for the communication and transparency on drops via daily rewards!

RiverBrian

Question, what is basepop monsters? I've never heard that term

skinnycheeks

RiverBrian wrote: »

Question, what is basepop monsters? I've never heard that term

non boss enemies. "base population" usually referred to by us as trash lol

tsaescishoeshiner

Thanks for the changes!

Does anyone know which drop unlocks are account-wide? Like will Ink and scripts drop on alts once one character has finished certain quests, or does each character have to do certain quests to have a chance to farm them?

Also shoutout to saying "chase" instead of "grind" lol. Let's hope that's how it feels!

CP5

Since people were mentioning how poor the ink drop rates on pts were, hopefully they'll be better now, because I know from years of gaming experience, I'd rather hoard a valuable resource and never use it, then spend it to try things out, then later needing more of said resource to revert the changes if they didn't turn out well. If the intent is to excite people when getting a new script, they need enough ink to actually use it with, so I am interested to see what the results will look like.

runa_gate

As someone who has 20 characters with Scrying leveled to 10 for Keen Eye for Treasure Chests 2, I am not afraid to grind things for alts. Even so I was quite disheartened to imagine doing that quest so many times.

My profound thanks for this change. Seriously. I was going to do it anyway, but I really, really wasn't looking forward to it and am so, so excited for Scribing.

opaj

My character fantasy in a situation like this is to have one hardcore mage who does all of the scribing and distributes completed grimoires to my other characters (one of whom has an actual no-magic policy, full stop).

I wasn't thrilled with the original implementation, but this does seem like a step in the right direction. Thank you.

ZhuJiuyin

Are the changes to Class Mastery Script also included in this update?

DK and Arca's Class Mastery Script seem to be better (or more versatile) than other classes, and Templar's Class Mastery Script is the only one that has to pay an extra price (snaring). Sorc's pet script can only give a very pitiful amount of healing, and no-pet script limits the ranged style. Warden scribing is the only one with a cooldown time.
Most Class Mastery Scripts need to be adjusted.

code65536

• As you achieve Class Script Scraps, you’ll immediately consume them to advance the achievement. Once you have enough to complete the achievement, Class Script Scraps will no longer drop. When you consume your final Class Script Scrap, you will receive the achievement and the Class Mastery Script for the character you are currently on.
• When playing an alt character after completing the Class Mastery Achievement, you will be able to purchase the Class Mastery Script from Chronicler Firandil.

So, as I understand this, there is an account-wide achievement for consuming X number of scraps (50?) to unlock the Class Mastery achievement, and once this achievement is unlocked, all characters, regardless of class, can purchase their Class Mastery script?

So, effectively, you're saying that Class Mastery doesn't care about the player's class? I could complete the achievement using a single class/character, and it would be the same as if I had completed it using a combination of multiple classes/characters.

If I'm understanding this correctly, then I feel like that this is a missed opportunity. Instead of a single generic Class Mastery achievement, you should have 7 different achievements. A character who consumes a scrap will advance the achievement for their class. You'd need to reduce the number of scraps needed per class, of course, but it would avoid that weirdness of "Why did my NB just unlock Class Mastery for my DK?"

ZhuJiuyin

"have a very small chance"
A magic spell, you know, just to make you feel PTSD on PTS. Just one more D can bring bad memories.

Turtle_Bot

@ZOS_GinaBruno Thank you for communicating this change with us.

The system sounds much more worthwhile to engage with now with what has been described here regarding acquisition rates/methods for scripts/grimoires, especially for alts.

I just have one slight concern and that is with the drop rate of the Luminous Ink material that is required to make the skills (up to 3 each time). You have stated that:

Additionally, to support going back and trying new combinations when acquiring new Scripts, we’ll be increasing the drop rate for Ink on basepop monsters, as well as added support for Plentiful Harvest to award bonus Luminous Ink.

From what I could tell (and from the testing others had done/posted), the drop rates of ink (before this change) were extremely low (lower than even potent nirncrux). As such, I'm hoping that the drop rates for Luminous Ink have been increased drastically to a more suitable amount given how much of it will be used (especially as more options are added to the scribing system in the future and players will undoubtedly want to try those out as well) or a slightly more reliable source of it is considered for implementation in the future.
This is important because unlike scripts/grimoires, Ink is a consumable that vanishes upon use and will be required in the hundreds, if not the thousands, by each individual who wants to fully delve into and engage with the scribing system to its full potential.

Hopefully this concern for Ink drop rates has been considered when adjusting the drop rates, but once again, thanks for communicating this with us and these changes are definitely very welcome.

Chufu

This is great, especially when having multiple alts. I quite like the changes. Personally I was hoping to have this account-bound as well as achievements, but guess it still gives you something to do with your alts if you have the time or to purchase it if you haven't, so sounds like a good improvement.

Jsmalls

Hey any planned changes as far as balance points brought up in multiple threads for these another. Wield soul and Soul Burst in particular with their oblivion damage execute scaling seem a bit out of line when compared to other abilities we currently have in the game.

LonePirate

These changes are good; but unless the bug is fixed that prevents legacy characters from learning and using the rewarded or purchased scripts, it doesn’t really matter how much they cost or how long it takes to earn them.

Jaraal

RiverBrian wrote: »

Question, what is basepop monsters? I've never heard that term

skinnycheeks wrote: »

non boss enemies. "base population" usually referred to by us as trash lol

Dang it! I thought we were going to be getting Funko Pop monsters or something.

So I guess instead we will be shouting, "All your basepop are belong to us! Somebody set up us the trash!"