Survey rewards from writs low drop rates

neueregel · April 2015

Since 1.6, the drop rates of surveys as a reward for the crafting writs have severely been reduced. I have three players that are maxed in all six crafting skills and I do the crafting writs on them every day in craglorn in part to hopefully receive a survey in upper crag that might yield some nirncurx mats. The drop rate on survey rewards, meaning receiving them as part of the reward for the writ, has been reduced greatly since 1.6. For instance, today I completed 18 writs for the three players. I only received one survey rewards... and it was alchemy. I have this happen often where two of my three players do not get any survey at all from the writs, and then the third player might get one or two. I have not received a nirn mat in over two weeks from the surveys (first getting the correct upper crag survey, then harvesting the nodes) from three players in over 2 weeks now. This is only part of it, the end goal of getting nirn mats. The other things is that doing all these writ quest requires almost 3 100 stacks of mats a day (I know we now have 200 stacks... just noting the amount we need each day).That is 900 mats a day for 3 players to complete these quests. With little to no surveys being received in the writ rewards, you end up being very lopsided in the mats used, verses recovered. I never expected a 1:1 ratio, but what the current state is at it is laughable.

Ourorboros · April 2015

You'd have better luck with the same amount of time just farming for nirncrux. Plus, you'll have plenty of mats to do writs. My results as about the same as yours for writs, but I only do them for one toon. I agree that one of the main goals for doing writs as max crafter is the chance for nirncrux. But ZO$ has made the odds incredible difficult. First, you have to be lucky enough to get an equipment survey. Then, you still only have a chance at nirncrux for surveys in Upper Craglorn. And then, you still only have a slight chance of nirncrux from Upper surveys. IMO either all Craglorm equipment surveys should have a chance at nirncrux, or all the surveys should be in Upper Craglorn. I get a lot more nirncrux from farming.

neueregel · April 2015

I agree that you get more from farming nodes. But that doesnt negate that we should also get some decent reward for doing these writ quests. I dont have time to sit and farm nodes all day. I spend about 45 min on these writs, then my other time is spent pvp or leveling up alts in other zones. I am not saying I should get tons of surveys, or even nirn mats every day, I am just pointing out that rather dismal drop on these survey rewards in general.

painsworth01 · April 2015

I agree with OP. I have all crafters maxed. I have quit doing writs for the most part ... except provisioner writs. The "juice is not worth the squeeze."

TheRealDoc · April 2015

Writ rewards do feel pretty underwhelming currently. I do all 6 crafts on one character every day and I rarely break even. once I get to 50 on the last 3 I'll stop doing them.

It does feel like there's been a stealth nerf and a little more fun is being sucked out of the game

Ourorboros · April 2015

I feel the same as the rest: writs are barely worth doing, surveys are too rare. But there is a wide chasm between wanting something and getting it. In particular, posting in this forum with any hope of a change to the game has about the same chance as getting a glass of water on the surface of the sun.

neueregel · April 2015

Ourorboros wrote: »

I feel the same as the rest: writs are barely worth doing, surveys are too rare. But there is a wide chasm between wanting something and getting it. In particular, posting in this forum with any hope of a change to the game has about the same chance as getting a glass of water on the surface of the sun.

I am posting more out of frustration and conformation from others. I am certainly aware that it will fall on deaf ears with the makers of the game...

Valymer · April 2015

I had a woodworking survey map and a blacksmithing survey map today, and they happened to be literally right next to each other in Upper Craglorn.

Great, I thought, I can knock them both out at the same time.

I get to the woodworking spot and I see a bunch of nightwood and other nodes to harvest, so I start picking them up. But the instant I harvest the second woodworking node, all the rest of them disappear.

I walked over to the blacksmithing survey map area and all of those nodes were fine. But I think that your character can only spawn a maximum of one area at a time, so if you get too close and trigger the other one if poofs all of the first nodes.

Annoying, to say the least...but honestly, nothing about this game surprises me anymore.