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Unpopular opinion: scrying is awful.

FantasticFreddie
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Completely anti-social. Sure, some leads are in group content, but the scrying and excavation? Solo mini game, worse than some candy crush knock off you downloaded in 2012.
So slow to level up.
Just about ALL of the stuff you dig up via green and blue leads are boring little treasures. ALL you can do with this stuff is vendor sell it. Why not add something, anything useful or interesting at these levels?
A year into the release, and I am finally on a trial team that really wants people to have a couple of the mythic items.
I'm probably not going to end up getting them, because I dislike every single step of the process.
  • Sylvermynx
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    Well, I don't do the mythics at all, no use for them. But I love scrying and excavation. Of course, I also love the psijic quest line....

    Antiquities is a lot more fun than writs!
  • FantasticFreddie
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    Sylvermynx wrote: »
    Well, I don't do the mythics at all, no use for them. But I love scrying and excavation. Of course, I also love the psijic quest line....

    Antiquities is a lot more fun than writs!

    I mean if I was on console no way I would do writs either.
  • Sylvermynx
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    Well, I'm actually on pc - two accounts on both megaservers and a LOT of characters....
  • FantasticFreddie
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    Sylvermynx wrote: »
    Well, I'm actually on pc - two accounts on both megaservers and a LOT of characters....

    Do you not use lazy writ crafter? I only do writs when I remember and feel like it, but use the addon to make it pretty painless.
  • oldbobdude
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    I haven't tried "scrying" yet. I will eventually though. I assume there is a way to make gold in there somewhere right?
    Edited by oldbobdude on June 8, 2021 10:42PM
  • kargen27
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    There are many aspects of the game that are solo activities. Crafting, pickpocketing, looting and others are all done solo.

    Gold is useful and all those little trinkets you dig up can be sold.
    and then the parrot said, "must be the water mines green too."
  • priestnall.andrewrwb17_ESO
    Once you’ve maxed it out (with the numerous passives) even the most difficult leads can be done with 5-6 button presses. That’s too easy and mind numbingly boring.
  • Reverb
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    oldbobdude wrote: »
    I haven't tried "scrying" yet. I will eventually though. I assume there is a way to make gold in there somewhere right?

    Surprisingly no. Everything you excavate is bound except the motifs, and those don’t sell for much compared to other motifs that are easier to get.
    Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you. ~Friedrich Nietzsche
  • FantasticFreddie
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    It's soul numbing.
  • Red_Feather
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    Freddie, it's cool that you don't like it. But I think it is fun and very different from the other stuff. I take my time with it now and won't force myself to do it. It does suck when you get a lead with an expiry and it's too high a level. Very hard to not give in to the pressure to grind level it up when that happens.

    BTW, mythic items are a trap. They are designed to look like BiS and pressure people into doing something tedious for days or weeks to get the leads. And then once enough people have the item and are using it, it is nerfed to no longer be attractive. This is not opinion, it is fact. It is designed to be that way which is not right. Ignore all of it. It is hard to ignore mythics, but I learned over time with willpower and patience.
    Edited by Red_Feather on June 8, 2021 11:49PM
  • Vhale
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    Just about ALL of the stuff you dig up via green and blue leads are boring little treasures. ALL you can do with this stuff is vendor sell it. Why not add something, anything useful or interesting at these levels?

    This is why a couple new players I brought in like it. Crafting mats they tend to horde. Armor gets deconed or researched. But scrying is cash and free housing stuff, both of which they are in short supply. But not hard to do while they run around questing. The barrier to entry is low. They about lost their minds when they got their first purple leads to vendor.
    The Ska'vyn Exchange
    Savage Blade
    Vhale Sirothe -Templar - Grand Master Crafter - Daggerfall
  • Alurria
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    Piece of advice don't do it if you don't like it, it's that simple.
  • GreenHere
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    I find Antiquities to be a fun distraction overall, and I like the system well enough.

    Except for the fact that whatever goober who designed the Scrying minigame felt it necessary to flash bright-ass lights in my eyes multiple times during every attempt.

    That person deserves a high five... in the face... with a pie!
  • Starlight_Whisper
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    😂 not unpopular opinion,
  • VaranisArano
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    I like the scrying minigame, but dislike excavation. I can only grind my Antiquities skill line in small doses because otherwise I lose the will to keep playing.
  • DarcyMardin
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    I didn’t expect to like it, but I do. Especially with the passives that make it easy.
  • xeNNNNN
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    Completely anti-social. Sure, some leads are in group content, but the scrying and excavation? Solo mini game, worse than some candy crush knock off you downloaded in 2012.
    So slow to level up.
    Just about ALL of the stuff you dig up via green and blue leads are boring little treasures. ALL you can do with this stuff is vendor sell it. Why not add something, anything useful or interesting at these levels?
    A year into the release, and I am finally on a trial team that really wants people to have a couple of the mythic items.
    I'm probably not going to end up getting them, because I dislike every single step of the process.

    Got to contest the opinion that its slow to level up here, if you go from region to region doing all the freebies quickly you can power through the ranks for scrying same with excavation.

    Antiquities from what I can tell from getting my mains to 10, is its a primary source of unique furnishing, Mythic item acquisition and a gold farm for players who aren't traders.

    Honestly, while I understand the frustration with mythics. You only need to get your scrying to 7 and then you can scry all mythics. Getitng to 7 isn't slow tbh, 7-10 however can be a slight chore. Best way to do it is to just slap some music on.

    The only thing I can say is maybe its just not intended for you. I actually enjoy running around picking these things up, with all the other things I do in game I really dont have time to be a committed trader so its a nice trickle of gold even though it is objectively far far less than I would get trading.
    Edited by xeNNNNN on June 9, 2021 1:16AM
    Ah, e-communities - the "pinnacle" of the internet............yeah, right.
  • Alinhbo_Tyaka
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    I like Antiquities for the same reason I liked archeology in WoW. It gives me a low key method to play the game and relax. I also like fishing for the same reason. Even though many leads have a timed life it is long enough that I don't feel pushed to complete them and can keep them in reserve for those days I don't want to quest, fight or run dailies.

    I can understand not everyone will like to so Antiquities but I don't believe ZOS expected every player to do them. Much like not every player likes participating in housing, trials, PvP, etc. I recognize that some trials/dungeon groups will require team members to obtain certain mythic items but that is the price a player pays if they want to run with one of those groups. In fact it is pretty standard practice in the more competitive groups across all MMOs.
  • bridgetrose
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    Vhale wrote: »
    Just about ALL of the stuff you dig up via green and blue leads are boring little treasures. ALL you can do with this stuff is vendor sell it. Why not add something, anything useful or interesting at these levels?

    This is why a couple new players I brought in like it. Crafting mats they tend to horde. Armor gets deconed or researched. But scrying is cash and free housing stuff, both of which they are in short supply. But not hard to do while they run around questing. The barrier to entry is low. They about lost their minds when they got their first purple leads to vendor.

    This is me in a nutshell and I've only been playing about 3 months.
  • Soraka
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    It's not for me. I used to be really confused and hate it, but now that I've leveled it up I'm practiced enough that it's just meh. I do the leads from time to time, but I definitely don't grind it.
  • Sylvermynx
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    Sylvermynx wrote: »
    Well, I'm actually on pc - two accounts on both megaservers and a LOT of characters....

    Do you not use lazy writ crafter? I only do writs when I remember and feel like it, but use the addon to make it pretty painless.

    Oh yes - it's just that after three years of crafting on as many as 60 characters a day, even with LWC it's not much fun any more. I like to be out in the world doing leads, finding chests, farming mats. Lots more fun.
    oldbobdude wrote: »
    I haven't tried "scrying" yet. I will eventually though. I assume there is a way to make gold in there somewhere right?

    Yes, but not through guild traders. The green lead antiquity in every zone is worth 250 gold, and the blue lead you get after excavating the green lead gives you an antiquity worth 1k gold; the first time you do the green lead and blue lead in each zone, you get a purple lead, which when dug gives you an antiquity worth 5k gold. After you've done all the green, blue, and purple leads one time for each zone on the map, you get an orange lead for an item worth 100k gold when dug - but it's available only once per account. Those all sell to normal NPC vendors.

    After that, you can dig the green and blue leads in each zone as often as you like for the same amount of gold. Not a lot, and not as much as doing writs, but for me a lot more fun at this point.
    Edited by Sylvermynx on June 9, 2021 1:45AM
  • Golden_Cat
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    Unpopular opinion: I love scrying due to little stories from each relic, they reveal Tamriel's history and culture much more than the Nord who lost his pants over there.
  • Kalik_Gold
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    VERY - haven't done mythics because of it.
    Main: (PvP & PvE)
    Ras Kalik a Redguard Templar, the Vestige

    PvP:
    Aurik Siet'ka a Redguard Necromancer
    Cacique the Sage of Ius a Redguard Warden
    Jux Blackheart a Redguard Nightblade
    Goliath of Hammerfell a Redguard Dragonknight
    Kaotik Von Dae'mon a Redguard* Sorcerer

    PvP: (Specialty)
    Tyrus Septim an Imperial Lycan Sorcerer
    Tsar af-Bomba a Redguard Vampiric Nightblade
    Movárth Piquine a Nord Vampiric Necromancer
    Uri Ice-Heart the Twin a Nord Vampiric Warden

    PvE:
    Cinan Tharn an Imperial Dragonknight
    Bates Vesuius of Dawnstar an Imperial Dragonknight
    Herzog Zwei the Genesis an Akavari* Templar
    Tav'i at-Shinji a Redguard** Warden
    Lucky Hunch the Gambler - a Redguard Nightblade

    Leveling...
    Zenovia at-Tura a Redguard** Sorcerer
    Yesi af-Kalik a Redguard Templar
    Voa a Priest of Sep a Redguard* Necromancer
    ======
    Passives of another race used. (RP)
    *Breton
    **Imperial




    __________________________Backstories:_________________________

    Ras Kalik the Vestige, a renown Redguard warrior; He has been blessed to save Tamriel from Molag Bal’s destructive Planemeld while reuniting the Five Companions. His further accomplishments after defeating Molag Bal, has been to stop the destruction of Morrowind, the Clockwork City, return order to the isle of Summerset and create a new king in Wrothgar and a queen in Elsywer. These events have made him a living legend and continue to lead him into new adventures throughout Tamriel, as well as into the hearts of many ladies including the Elf Queen, Aryenn. Over many years of adventurous travels, Ras Kalik had become a loner, until he re-visited his homeland of Alik'r.

    Alik'r and it's cities were overrun by the undead Ra-Netu and therefore he made an allegiance with Alik'r's own Ash'abah tribe. These Ash'abah with his help, cleansed the city of Sentinel in Alik'r desert and it's surrounding areas of the undead brought to life by the Withered Hand. After rescuing Sentinel from the undead zombies, King Fahara’jad’s personal bodyguard the Goliath of Hammerfell, who was given this name by Imperials in the region; was asked to assist the tribe after learning of the defeat of the Withered Hand to the Ash'abah. Kalik promised Goliath he would task him with fighting living enemies on the battlefield if he so desired. Goliath being a Yokudan warrior wields a massive sword in respect to the Ansei, a gift given by the Imperial, Cinan Tharn. Not many soldiers are able to wield double two handed weapons, but Goliath loves to get up and personal in a fight, so he also carries a giant maul, both weapons laced with magical flames.

    Jux Blackheart is a master thief that masquerades as a Bard at the Sisters of the Sands inn, with his younger sidekick Lucky Hunch for pilfering and gambling during this time. Jux was known to infiltrate any towns bank vault he came across and even delved into Ayelid ruins without detection. Kalik can vividly recall the night he met the famed thief. Jux found himself rummaging thru a slightly inebriated Kalik’s pocket for too long, on a full-mooned night and because of his greed and the glimmer of his golden armor in the moonlight. He lost his left pinky fingertip as a lesson! But in return, he gained a new friend, as it was his first time since a child being caught red-handed...

    Upon arrival back in the Alik'r after many moons of adventuring, Ras Kalik ventures to Bergama. Visiting The Winking Jackal, he runs into Jux Blackheart, who introduces him to the coin game Crowns vs Forebearers (Heads vs Tails) and Golden Dwemer (RBG).... Jux constantly takes gold from the unfortunate thru theft or gambling, his biggest gambling victim is actually his partner in crime known as Lucky Hunch the Gambler. Lucky doesn't mind losing any gold coins to Jux... as Jux saved him from Altmer slavers in Summerset, by stealing a key and sending him on a boat to the mainland years prior. Lucky spent years in slavery with Khajiits in Summerset and picked up the art of subterfuge, using illusion magic disguises and stealing there.

    Kaotik Von’Daemon an outcast, and a half-caste between a Breton mother and a Redguard father. Kaotik become a pariah due to his conjuration of Daedra pets. He was taught healing magic during his childhood years by his Breton mother. His father due to Redguard customs exiled him from the desert, sending him by wagon caravan to be a soldier in the war in Cyrodiil. He happened to meet Kalik while traveling from Alik'r, during this long caravan ride the caravan he was in was ambushed in Bangkorai by a group of bandits. Kalik by chance was also traveling thru this area on his Auridon Warhorse (which was bestowed to him by his friend, Darien Gautier). During this ambush, Kalik was able to rescue five hostages from the bandits. Kaotik was the first rescued, and Ras Kalik also recruited him to be in the Ash'abah tribe. These core Ash'abah tribesmen may never be seen together in travel as they partake in their own adventures but they always know what each other is doing; as they frequent a hideout in northern Bankorai. Their hideout an old Orc castle ruin, is kept watch by Nuzhimeh and she passes messages written between them, and frequently they also enjoy her company and her bed.

    The other men rescued were a Dunmer banker, an Imperial mercenary and two other soldiers, an Imperial and a Breton Knight, stating proudly he was an Akavir descendent. One of the Imperials, Cinan, claimed to be related to Abnur Tharn the Battlemage of the Imperial Elder Council (One of Ras Kalik's mentors in the Five Companions). Cinan Tharn was really Abnur's drunkard treasure hunting illegitimate son. He was caught smuggling artifacts out of the Ayleid ruins in Cyrodiil and the elder of the two Imperials was Tyrus Septim a retired Imperial navy battle-mage (now a Lycan mercenary living in the city of Rimmen) and guard to the Tharn family. As much as Abnur Tharn hated his half-sister Euraxia, he dislikes his bas†ard son Cinan more. Tyrus now a ruffian and privateer had been paid by Abnur Tharn to watch over Cinan as much as possible. Cinan Tharn a drunkard, loves to drink at least a quarter barrel of Nord mead before he raids various delves and dungeons for relics to sell on the black market. Cinan also plans to one day, run an illegal gambling ring... which he thinks will net him more gold for his wares.

    The Dunmer captive shackled to the Imperials looked familiar to Kalik from his time in Morrowind.... and he recognized him as Tythis Andromo a House Telvanni slave-owner and banker from Vvardenfell. During a rough interrogation to Tythis, Ras Kalik learnt why the bandits accosted him. The racist Dunmer was providing slaves as soldiers for the Three Banner War. The bandits were trying to negotiate a lucrative ransom for Andromo and the Imperials.... Kalik did not need any of this gold and he could never set Tythis free as he did with the two Imperial soldiers. His past involvement with slavery and war crimes, made Kalik's blood boil. He chose not to execute Tythis, as he figured the worse punishment for this former rich and opulent slave owner, is to now be an imprisoned servant for Ras Kalik and the tribe.

    Herzog Zwei the Genesis a reknown Imperial/Akavirri battle-mage. His roots going back to Akavir through his mother’s bloodline. (His mother is descended from the Akaviri, through Versidue-Shae, and his Imperial father met her in Hakoshae, while traveling) Herzog earned the nickname "the Genesis" from his father as a child, as he was his mother's first born child, and last, as she tragically died in child-birth.

    Herzog was seeking to purchase an artifact from Cinan Tharn, before their capture and was meeting Tyrus while in Rimmen, who introduced him to Cinan. This artifact being the Ayelid artifact; the sword Sinweaver. After their rescue and the exchange of gold to Cinan for the sword he decided to slip away before Ras Kalik could question who he was, and why the Akavir descendant really wanted that sword. Herzog was headed to Nagastani — An Ayleid ruin in eastern Cyrodiil. He had read in scrolls that the Sword would give him magical powers to meet his mothers spirit, if he performed an Ayleid ritual at an old shrine hidden there. Equipped with the artifact sword, he was off to start his own adventure but Ras Kalik, did indeed notice the sword however and instead sent a letter to Jux Blackheart (whom also was interested in Ayleid treasures), to attempt to find Herzog and acquire the sword. (*Azani Blackheart in Elder Scroll's Oblivion is Jux's descendant some 747 years later)

    And so the Redguard, Imperial and Akaviri men parted ways ... While Ras Kalik went off to Elsweyr to encounter the latest threat to Tamriel, with Abnur Tharn and Sai Sahan - - DRAGONS!! Little did Ras Kalik know a few people were awaiting him in Senchal besides Sai. A necromancer survived his attack on the Withered Hand, while in Alik'r. The necromancer known as Auriek Siet'ka is also following him to the land of the Khajiits and Cacique the Sage of Ius a Shaman mystic who has become attuned spiritually with Tu'whacca (a Redguard God) and Ius (the Animal God), after being burned severely by the escaped dragons in Elsywer, is awaiting his arrival also. Aurik is a soldier of the Daggerfall Covenant that was introduced to necromancy while in the military, even though this magicka art is not spoken of openly by most of the Military leaders. He came to Alik'r and worked with the Withered Hand before Ras Kalik intervened on their plans. After the defeat of the Withered Hand, he aligned with the Worm Cult, and is constantly adapting and perfecting his necromantic arts.

    After his journey to Rimmen, Kalik heads south to Senchal, in the southern regions of Elyswer. This new adventure will also put him on a path to meet a strange Redguard man. The stranger which was infected with an untreated Peyrite disease and also was the exiled from the Order of the New Moon cult, due to his sickness. He originally joined the cult to worship Laatvulon, the green dragon, mistakenly thinking it was the Daedric prince Peyrite. This confused and suffering cultist is known as Tsar al-Bomba and he is on a path to spread the disease. He was originally infected in Orccrest while recruiting members there. Can Ras Kalik and the shaman Cacique cure this poor soul, only time will tell. Little does Tsar al-Bomba know, that his infection is tied to Vampirism, and eventually the desire for blood will take over his mind. Senchal also offers Kalik his latest love interest... Aeliah. Whom he fondly led thru battles with the Dragonguard.

    After the trek thru the heat, tropical and desert climate of Northern and Southern Elyswer, Ras Kalik heads north to the cold mountain range of Skyrim. His companion friend Lyris beckons for him with a letter sent by crow...

    Movárth Piquine - a former vampire hunter (now infected), within the Fighter's Guild (and a secretive necromancer) was in Skyrim working with the Morthaal Guard. On a patrol mission he was caught in Frewien's ice curse outside of Morthaal with the frozen undead. Movárth's vampiric infection kept him from becoming an undead minion to the curse. He was able to use necromantic ice-magic to encase himself safely until he was freed with Freiwen, when the Vestige Ras Kalik broke the curse.

    Uri Ice-Heart - brother of Urfon Ice-Heart. The twin sons of Atli and Oljourn Ice-Heart. The Ice-Heart family are originally from Markarth but now reside on the Jerall Mountain range near Cyrodiil, with their younger sister Araki. The twins had joined the Winterborn Reachmen while living in Markarth. Urfon pushed west to Orsinium with the Winterborn Clan, leaving his family behind. Uri stayed behind with his parents and sister to live in the family cabin for safety, avoiding the Vampire plague infiltrating the Reach. After news reaches him and he hears of Urfon's death... Uri leaves and heads home and is seeking vengeance. Meanwhile, his sister has also moved on to Windhelm to join the Fighter's guild. He will visit his sister, once before going to seek vengeance and she will craft him armor mixed with ice, called Stalhrim armor. Uri fearing death, after his brother's passing, falls victim to the convincing talk of Movárth at a Nordic tavern, and will also becomes a vampire.

    {time moves forward through the hour-glass}
    PS5/NA - Ras Kalik a Redguard Templar - Daggerfall Covenant • 1550+ Champion

  • MercilessnVexed
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    I don't do any of the scrying/antiquities silliness. Waste of time and extraordinarily frustrating. Having left WoW to move to ESO a few years ago, for me scrying/antiquities are like a knockoff of WoW archaeology. Meh. Just. Meh. No I don't think so. I understand other people enjoy it so I wouldn't remove it from the game, but I won't participate in it.
  • oldbobdude
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    Sylvermynx wrote: »
    oldbobdude wrote: »
    I haven't tried "scrying" yet. I will eventually though. I assume there is a way to make gold in there somewhere right?

    Yes, but not through guild traders. The green lead antiquity in every zone is worth 250 gold, and the blue lead you get after excavating the green lead gives you an antiquity worth 1k gold; the first time you do the green lead and blue lead in each zone, you get a purple lead, which when dug gives you an antiquity worth 5k gold. After you've done all the green, blue, and purple leads one time for each zone on the map, you get an orange lead for an item worth 100k gold when dug - but it's available only once per account. Those all sell to normal NPC vendors.

    After that, you can dig the green and blue leads in each zone as often as you like for the same amount of gold. Not a lot, and not as much as doing writs, but for me a lot more fun at this point.

    Gotcha. Are the antiquities the same "color" as the lead used to excavate them? Do you have an option to decon a purple for mats instead of selling to a vendor?
  • twev
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    I'm not terribly interested in mythics.
    As said above, they're a grind, and just waiting to be nerfed.

    otoh, i'd be happy if the pool of furnishings was larger from excavating. Maybe toss in a large truckload of diagrams and plans....
    The problem with society these days is that no one drinks from the skulls of their enemies anymore.

    PC/NA, i7 with 32 gigs of ram, nVME cards and an nVidea 1060 over fiber.
    I don't play through Steam, ever.
  • GreenHere
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    oldbobdude wrote: »
    Sylvermynx wrote: »
    oldbobdude wrote: »
    I haven't tried "scrying" yet. I will eventually though. I assume there is a way to make gold in there somewhere right?

    Yes, but not through guild traders. The green lead antiquity in every zone is worth 250 gold, and the blue lead you get after excavating the green lead gives you an antiquity worth 1k gold; the first time you do the green lead and blue lead in each zone, you get a purple lead, which when dug gives you an antiquity worth 5k gold. After you've done all the green, blue, and purple leads one time for each zone on the map, you get an orange lead for an item worth 100k gold when dug - but it's available only once per account. Those all sell to normal NPC vendors.

    After that, you can dig the green and blue leads in each zone as often as you like for the same amount of gold. Not a lot, and not as much as doing writs, but for me a lot more fun at this point.

    Are the antiquities the same "color" as the lead used to excavate them?

    Yep. You scry and excavate a blue lead, you'll be dusting off and pocketing a blue Treasure.
    oldbobdude wrote: »
    Sylvermynx wrote: »
    oldbobdude wrote: »
    I haven't tried "scrying" yet. I will eventually though. I assume there is a way to make gold in there somewhere right?

    Yes, but not through guild traders. The green lead antiquity in every zone is worth 250 gold, and the blue lead you get after excavating the green lead gives you an antiquity worth 1k gold; the first time you do the green lead and blue lead in each zone, you get a purple lead, which when dug gives you an antiquity worth 5k gold. After you've done all the green, blue, and purple leads one time for each zone on the map, you get an orange lead for an item worth 100k gold when dug - but it's available only once per account. Those all sell to normal NPC vendors.

    After that, you can dig the green and blue leads in each zone as often as you like for the same amount of gold. Not a lot, and not as much as doing writs, but for me a lot more fun at this point.

    Do you have an option to decon a purple for mats instead of selling to a vendor?

    Nope, not that I'm aware of. The things you dig up are almost exclusively Treasures (which can only be sold to merchants, or hoarded for personal collection's sake), Ancestral Motifs (which can be sold to merchants or other players, but do not decon into anything), and the smattering of Furniture items (which cannot be deconstructed in any way I know of -- only destroyed, which yields nothing).
  • Dropstitch
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    I really like antiquities as a concept.

    The mini-game is too easy so essentially just becomes a pointless time sink/barrier. Either just make the location appear on the map and remove the pointless mini-games (both scrying and excavating), or design a mini-game in a way that is fun and challenging.

    tbh, I would not particularly want the latter because I can't see a way in which these mini-games would still be fun after the tenth time. You could perhaps even introduce a skill that by-passes the mini-games at level 10 (or whatever the max level is).

    As a note, I would not want the antiquity to instantly appear in the inventory in place of the lead, because some people have no interest in them, so the travel/dig mechanic should remain and does have value in terms of immersion.
    Edited by Dropstitch on June 9, 2021 8:25AM
  • SammyKhajit
    SammyKhajit
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    The whole bright light flash is what stops Sammy from doing antiquities. Sudden migraine is not worth it.
  • GreenHere
    GreenHere
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    The whole bright light flash is what stops Sammy from doing antiquities. Sudden migraine is not worth it.

    At least when the flashes appear is entirely predictable and (aside from the inability to disable them) 100% in the user's control -- which is something worth knowing if you want to do Antiquities despite them. To avoid them is fairly simple:

    Go to the zone you need for a lead, and then hit the button to bring up the Scry minigame screen BUT --
    IMMEDIATELY do whatever your preferred method for blocking light in your eyes is. This first flash happens shortly after you press the button to initiate the Scry. Meaning it's easy to avoid by pressing the button then quickly slapping on ye olde trusty welder's helmet or whatever.

    Then you can do the minigame normally, but pay attention to when you're about to reach that 6th vortex (or whatever it's called), which completes the Srcy. The moment you do that, the second (and final) bright flash is on the way after a very short animation. So just look for the bright residual flash you can still see through your closed eyelids, I guess.

    And that's it. You can now feel free to Antiquitize your play sessions safely (more or less).


    *I'm not in-game atm, so it's possible I misremembered things a bit. Pretty sure there's only the two flashes, but the real takeaway is that the flashes are predictable and depend on the player to trigger them. So if you can get past the annoyance of having to avoid the flashes in the first place, it's not like Antiquities are totally closed off to us players who dislike the bright vfx in our faces.
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