The sorry state of provisioning ingredients

Valymer · October 2014

Why is provisioning the only skill that my VR main cannot train by himself?

Why should I have to level up an alt just so I can access the ingredients I need to raise my main's provisioning?

From what I read, it hasn't always been like this. There is absolutely no reason why I should be looting mudcrab meat from barrels in Auridon while my level 3 mule loots pork from the exact same barrels. NEITHER of which will help me level my provisioning higher than its current level.

Are there plans to fix this? I cannot believe that it is intentional, so it must be an oversight or a bug. The ingredients that can be found in a zone should be dependent on the level of the zone (like clothing, blacksmithing, and woodworking materials) or completely random throughout all zones.

I shouldn't be locked out of content just because I leveled my character.

Would like to see this fixed in Update 5.

AlexDougherty · October 2014

If the zone is a Veteran area for that character then you will get vet level ingredients.

What you need to do is go back to the area that drops the ingredients for the highest level recipe you can craft. Once you can craft the level 20 recipes provisioning is the easiest craft t level. It's jus tgetting to the point you can make level 20 recipes (and finding the recipes too, I was almost out of the area before I found a level 20 recipe on one alt).

Nestor · October 2014

If you want leveled ingredients, just go back to the leveling zones for your Alliance. Move through those zones farming as your provisioning levels. BTW, you can get provisioning to 50 quite fast with zone 3 ingredients. So you don't have to do the farm progression past that. Unless you want to farm higher level mats for recipes.

Low level mats do show up in the VR zones, just sporadically. Loot the sacks and bags for those.

KenCleanAirSystem · October 2014

If you have a bit of gold Provisioning is a snap to level. I went from somewhere around Provision lvl 10 to Provisioning lvl 50 in about half a day when my main was around VR2 or thereabouts. If you neglected to learn low level recipes on your way through the 1-50 content it may be a little tougher because you may have to hunt down some lower level recipes at Guild vendors, but between Guild vendors and NPC Grocers you can easily purchase enough ingredients to level Provisioning as fast as you want to.

If you insist on farming ingredients and recipes it is going to take a lot longer. The loot tables for provisioning are quite strange, and though you can go back to early zones and get some low level ingredients, the containers will yield a huge variety of low as well as high level ingredients, so usable drops will be much fewer and farther between. Also, because of the way the loot tables work at the moment for Provisioning, you simply will not see low level recipes drop when playing a high level character no matter where you are farming ... the only source for those is Guild vendors or low level alts.

Valymer · October 2014

I guess I don't understand the system then.

The ingredients from the highest recipe that I have (can't train up Recipe Improvement until 20 skill) should be from Auridon. Indeed, other posts that I have read noted that they didn't find the ingredient for this particular recipe when searching Auridon at level 10, nor at level 11, but as soon as they hit level 12 they found it all over the place.

Running around the various cities of the zone with my VR main and looting hundreds and hundreds of barrels, crates, sacks, etc. only yielded veteran-rank ingredients. The same ingredients that I loot in Craglorn.

Doing the same thing with my level 3 alt that I rolled up just to do this got me things like pork and aged meat, which are only used for recipes which give me very, very little exp.

Why am I finding ingredients for veteran-level recipes in a starting zone?

How am I supposed to get the ingredients for this recipe? Where do I go to find them? No matter what zone I go to, I am looting the same ingredients.

This is inconsistent with how the other crafting skills work. If I go to Grahtwood, I don't loot void bloom from nodes. I find spidersilk there, just as I did when I was progressing through that zone.

I just looted VR 6 light armor pants from a sack in Vulkhel Guard. Do you see what I am saying? Maybe I am still not explaining myself correctly.

Valymer · October 2014

Reading some other threads, it seems that waiting to level provisioning until later has basically screwed me into constantly checking the guild traders and hoping that a level 15 recipe finally appears, then after that sitting in newbie zones and spamming zone chat until someone sells me enough of the ingredients so I can finally skill up to 20 and use some different recipes.

Wouldn't be so bad if we had a centralized auction house system, but I honestly don't feel like running around checking dozens of guild traders all throughout Tamriel every couple of hours--using an unsearchable interface to wade through pages of listings--hoping that what I need is there. I think I'll pass for now, maybe when they rework the system it will be worth it to level but I have guildies with 50 skill and purple recipes, so...yeah.

Daenerys · October 2014

@Valymer provisionioning revamp is coming, we just don't know when http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/119265/provisioning-revamp/p1

now what the revamp plans to do, has me a bit concerned as I've stockpiled a lot that will probably go stale, and spent ~20k on purple recipes that may disappear. we also don't know if that crafted food will go away, so is it better to horde, or craft everything now, or do nothing?

Valymer · October 2014

Daenerys wrote: »

@Valymer provisionioning revamp is coming, we just don't know when http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/119265/provisioning-revamp/p1

now what the revamp plans to do, has me a bit concerned as I've stockpiled a lot that will probably go stale, and spent ~20k on purple recipes that may disappear. we also don't know if that crafted food will go away, so is it better to horde, or craft everything now, or do nothing?

Thanks for the link, I had heard about some of these changes and basically I have the same questions as you. What if leveling provisioning is even harder after the changes (although the proposed system does sound 1000% better)? In that case I should just soldier through the current leveling process or I might regret not doing it. And what about all this crap that I have in the bank? It will be worthless or "stale" under the new system? Hard to say, I mean that system could be 2015 for all we know, or even never.

The system could definitely use an overhaul, but for right now I would certainly be pleased if I could level this skill up without having to rely on other people. You know, like every other crafting skill in the game.

KenCleanAirSystem · October 2014

From the sound of what they have said so far, it seems we are going to get VR10 recipes before there is a complete overhaul. Or maybe they will come at the same time, but my interpretation is that the VR10 recipes will be first. They have said that known recipes will be converted to the new system when it comes though, not sure about foods/drinks and ingredients that may be left over from the old system.

The way the system works now though, it really is pretty simple to level to 50, even after you are already into VR content. All you need is a recipe from each level and gold to buy an ingredient from guild vendor and an ingredient from a grocer (just about every recipe has one ingredient that can be bought from a grocer). All it takes is a little time and some gold.

Valymer · October 2014

KenCleanAirSystem wrote: »

From the sound of what they have said so far, it seems we are going to get VR10 recipes before there is a complete overhaul. Or maybe they will come at the same time, but my interpretation is that the VR10 recipes will be first. They have said that known recipes will be converted to the new system when it comes though, not sure about foods/drinks and ingredients that may be left over from the old system.

The way the system works now though, it really is pretty simple to level to 50, even after you are already into VR content. All you need is a recipe from each level and gold to buy an ingredient from guild vendor and an ingredient from a grocer (just about every recipe has one ingredient that can be bought from a grocer). All it takes is a little time and some gold.

And if the guild vendors don't sell the ingredient you need (the thirty or so I just checked didn't)? Sit in a starting zone and spam zone chat for hours, hoping to get lucky? No thanks, I will wait for the changes and see what happens. Like I said, I can get food made by friends easily so this is one headache that doesn't appeal to me much.

You can defend the system all you want, but you can't deny the fact that this is the ONLY skill in the game that cannot be trained to max level solo (if you wait until VR). That should tell you something right there. Not to mention, the staff member in that post linked above mentioned doing away with tiering altogether, so it is unlikely that the current system was desired or intended.

KenCleanAirSystem · October 2014

I'm not trying to dispute, defend, or argue. Just trying to help.

I learned every recipe I found from lvl 1 to VR before I spent any time trying to train provisioning, so that may be why I found it easy to level when I decided to. Or I got lucky finding the low level ingredients in guild stores.

Valymer · October 2014

Nah, you got lucky finding them. I do see some low-level mats but they aren't the ones I need.

I also learned every single recipe I found from the very beginning and I was still missing a ton, apparently. Especially the level 15 ones.

Anyways, it's all good I can work on fishing or something instead lol.

Daenerys · October 2014

@Valymer what lvl are you? I will try to help, but I did lvl it to 50 when I was like lvl 10. I am a hoarder and like to loot all the things, but I find recipes in nightstands, dressers, trunks, those types of containers. but for the mats, those are in sacks, crates, bag containers. when i'm going through vet zones I find both vet mats, and the mat lvl of the zone i'm in. so for example, if you are max lvl, you should be able to go to your last zone and get the lvl 40-50 mats me thinks. hope that helps

edit: couldn't agree more about needing a global AH so we didn't have to go to these lengths to find the mats we need!

Ourorboros · October 2014

Without doubt, provisioning loot is seriously messed up, especially compared to all the other crafts. I got lucky and leveled just before the drops got nerfed. If you hadn't found it, here is a thread that may offer some tips for you:
http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/128510/leveling-provisioning-on-a-vr12-character

Valymer · October 2014

Daenerys wrote: »

@Valymer what lvl are you? I will try to help, but I did lvl it to 50 when I was like lvl 10. I am a hoarder and like to loot all the things, but I find recipes in nightstands, dressers, trunks, those types of containers. but for the mats, those are in sacks, crates, bag containers. when i'm going through vet zones I find both vet mats, and the mat lvl of the zone i'm in. so for example, if you are max lvl, you should be able to go to your last zone and get the lvl 40-50 mats me thinks. hope that helps

edit: couldn't agree more about needing a global AH so we didn't have to go to these lengths to find the mats we need!

I'm VR6 at the moment...just ran through all of Davon's Watch (a veteran zone for me) and all I got was stuff like honeycomb, beef, etc.

Daenerys · October 2014

@Valymer what provisioning lvl are you stuck at? I guess I lucked out by lvling it so early, but would be happy to send you some mats if I have em

provisioning has always been problematic and won't be addressed till the revamp

http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/92606/provisioning-materials-in-vr-areas

WraithAzraiel · October 2014

They're reworking the entire provisioning system.

Patience, my homie. We're all here suffering with you.

Solidarity!

Valymer · October 2014

I'm 13 provisioning right now. I found a recipe finally, but it uses mutton flank.

If I can just get it up to 20, I think I have a chance...it's these lower levels that are horrible. I just really, really don't understand why the system is set up to punish people who don't feel like leveling provisioning from the beginning. Things are supposed to get EASIER as you gain levels, not harder.

Valymer · October 2014

WraithAzraiel wrote: »

They're reworking the entire provisioning system.

Patience, my homie. We're all here suffering with you.

Solidarity!

Yeah, I mean if worse comes to worse I can hold off. It's just a little frustrating to see many new things coming soon (VR10 recipes for example) when this really fundamental problem has existed for several months now, at least from what I can tell by forum post dates.

If the new system really does allow food and drink effects to stack, it will all be worth it I guess...

Tarukmockto · October 2014

Valymer wrote: »

Nah, you got lucky finding them. I do see some low-level mats but they aren't the ones I need.
I also learned every single recipe I found from the very beginning and I was still missing a ton, apparently. Especially the level 15 ones.
Anyways, it's all good I can work on fishing or something instead lol.

@Valymer, I'm a recipe collector and I've got just over 300 of the 352 recipes in the game. You are quite correct in that there is a problem with the drop tables for lvl 10-15 recipes. Some of them are more rare than the elusive purples.

The best bet is to push through making stacks of lvl 5 recipes until you can put the next skill point into the next lvl recipes and then crank out stacks of lvl 20-30 recipes. It will take no time to hit 50 once you get past where you are currently stuck.

It'll be very difficult to get though this stage of Provisioning by yourself. Good Luck!

Valymer · October 2014

Tarukmockto wrote: »

Valymer wrote: »

Nah, you got lucky finding them. I do see some low-level mats but they aren't the ones I need.
I also learned every single recipe I found from the very beginning and I was still missing a ton, apparently. Especially the level 15 ones.
Anyways, it's all good I can work on fishing or something instead lol.

@Valymer, I'm a recipe collector and I've got just over 300 of the 352 recipes in the game. You are quite correct in that there is a problem with the drop tables for lvl 10-15 recipes. Some of them are more rare than the elusive purples.

The best bet is to push through making stacks of lvl 5 recipes until you can put the next skill point into the next lvl recipes and then crank out stacks of lvl 20-30 recipes. It will take no time to hit 50 once you get past where you are currently stuck.

It'll be very difficult to get though this stage of Provisioning by yourself. Good Luck!

You are probably right, but the amount of pork that I would have to farm with my lvl 3 mule is soul-crushingly huge. I only get 500 exp per combine for those level 5 recipes. There are so many interesting things that I still have left to do that I don't know if I could grind this provisioning out right now...but I am considering it at least.

Nestor · October 2014

Valymer wrote: »

You are probably right, but the amount of pork that I would have to farm with my lvl 3 mule is soul-crushingly huge. I only get 500 exp per combine for those level 5 recipes. There are so many interesting things that I still have left to do that I don't know if I could grind this provisioning out right now...but I am considering it at least.

I have a stack of pork (I think or it could be another low level meat) at one of my guild vendors. Also, I have a few L10 to L15 recipes and find them all the time. Send me a message in game and I can help you with this.

I_killed_Vivec · October 2014

I left provisioning until I reached level VR 10. This was a big mistake. I could only find level 1 or level 5/6 recipes, and level 1 or level 5/6 ingredients, so I ended up with a ton of beef and honeycomb without the ability to use them. Location didn't make a difference - no matter which zone I was in I didn't find any level 2/3 ingredients.

I eventually leveled up using pork and aged meat recipes - this took a very long time. I also managed to find a couple of level 2 and 3 recipes at the guild stores, but these used venison and crawdad as ingredients.

So then I spent an age killing every deer I found and checking every water hyacinth and nirnroot for crawdads.

The good news is that level 2 and 3 recipes give much, much more experience than level 1, so leveling up is fairly quick - if you can find the ingredients.

The better news is that when I finally did level up to be able to use beef and honeycomb then I leveled up to 50 in no time - and the process had taken so long I'd already collected all the ingredients I needed and read most of the recipes.

Tiresome, but not as bad as enchanting!