West Weald Treasure Map Leads are Bugged

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Asdara
Asdara
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I need to address what feels like a major issue with lead farming, specifically with West Weald treasure maps during the Pan-Tamriel Celebration event. The event was supposed to double the drop rates for treasure map leads, but my experience, and the reports of many others, suggest that something is seriously wrong.

I personally saved 84 (5 alts + 8 chest + bank x 6 maps 1-6) West Weald treasure maps specifically for this event, spending millions of gold to prepare.
During the event, I used all of them, and despite the supposed increase in drop rates, I didn’t receive a single purple lead.

This isn’t just bad RNG.

This kind of outcome is beyond normal probabilities (virtually 168 maps with event bonus) and suggests that the x2 drop rate isn’t functioning correctly on lead.

I’ve also spoken with other players on Discord and forums who report the exact same issue.
They’re seeing no leads from these maps.
The system feels broken, and it’s making the entire process of farming leads during this event a frustrating and pointless exercise.

This situation is unacceptable. Events like the Pan-Tamriel Celebration are meant to encourage engagement and reward players for their efforts. Instead, what I and others have experienced has been a complete waste of time, resources, and in-game currency. It’s disheartening to spend so much effort only to be met with nothing, even during an event specifically designed to improve drop rates.

ZOS, I’m asking for an immediate investigation into whether the x2 drop rate for treasure map leads was applied correctly. If it wasn’t, this needs to be addressed, and players who participated in good faith should be compensated. Transparency is essential here, as this kind of issue affects not only the enjoyment of the game but also player trust in the systems you implement.

The RNG grind in ESO is already challenging, but this experience has been demoralizing to the point where it’s actively discouraging engagement. Please acknowledge this issue and take action to resolve it. Players deserve better than this.

Imagine a game with stackable maps, furniture bag, decon furniture
  • Ingenon
    Ingenon
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    What is the published drop rate for purple leads from West Weald maps?

    Without knowing the drop rate, you cannot calculate if what happened to you is "likely". For example, if the drop rate is 1 out of 100 (1%), I looked up the math, and I think it is the following: 0.99^(84*2) = 0.19. Which (I think) means there is a 19% chance that you would dig up 84 West Weald treasure maps during this event and get no purple leads. Or about one in five players that dig up 84 treasure maps would not get a purple lead.

    Personally, I dislike drops based only on RNG. Especially when ZOS says it is a rare drop, which I would think is like 1%. Because I think that the math says you get results like the above, where you try lots of times, and get nothing. I think the RNG should be combined with a counter, so that after you try some number of times you are guaranteed to get the drop.

    And I just finished digging up the three pre-purchase West Weald treasure maps and six West Weald treasure maps that I had stored. What purple leads are you trying to get? I have new purple antiquity leads for Ayleid Lens Array Reassembled, Ayleid Sculpture Grand Tree, and Ayleid Window Large from digging up those nine maps.

    (added notes about my results from doing nine West Weald maps)
    Edited by Ingenon on January 28, 2025 6:18PM
  • katanagirl1
    katanagirl1
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    I got a few leads initially but haven’t got another in a long time. I also ask for someone to look at the lead drop rate for West Weald. I am getting lots of leads for other zones like Telvanni Peninsula. I have 5 Mushroom Books now. These maps are expensive and just throwing away gold is not a good way to enjoy the event.

    @ZOS_Kevin please look into this
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  • DinoZavr
    DinoZavr
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    Ingenon wrote: »
    What is the published drop rate for purple leads from West Weald maps?
    There is no officially published drop rate, but there are players, theirs statistics and words of mouth
    Ingenon wrote: »
    Personally, I dislike drops based only on RNG. Especially when ZOS says it is a rare drop, which I would think is like 1%.
    in my humble experience leads rare drop is 1:16 .. 1:30 or 3% .. 5% and i did a lot of treasure maps
    (non-rare or common rate is about 1:8)

    the issue is that West Weald leads drop rate differs (it is noticeably lower) from the drop rate in other zones, so we compare not the absolute, but relative figures, and (of course, it may be wrong, but, please, tell me why?) players expect leads drop rate to be uniform between zones.
    (though there are horrible examples of skin lead drop rate from Galen Treasure Map I, which is like 1:50 reported by many players)

    TL/DR; West Weald compared to other zones in terms of leads drop rate differs. i would also like to know if this is intended, or just bugged?

    edit: typos
    Edited by DinoZavr on January 28, 2025 10:22PM
    PC EU
  • katanagirl1
    katanagirl1
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    Perhaps there is some lengthy cooldown for lead drops that was in place before the event that is keeping us from getting leads. I got a purple Ayleid lens lead and a window lead and of course the ubiquitous large tree lead fairly quick, but for the last 8-10 maps in a row I got nothing. In other zones I am getting a lead for about every 2-3 maps.

    This is not any better than I was getting before the event.

    Also, if someone could remove that large Ayleid tree from the treasure maps that would be great. I have 12 of them since they drop from everything, but I only have one window, one lens, one simple tree, and one complex tree. The large tree drops from just about every other source in the zone and dilutes the chances of getting anything else from a treasure map.

    EDIT: clarification
    Edited by katanagirl1 on January 29, 2025 12:48AM
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  • code65536
    code65536
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    @Asdara I'm curious, were you at 1 codex or 0 codex for those leads?
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  • Alanar
    Alanar
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    I noticed this as well. I seemed to get boosted lead drop rates for the antiquities with 0 codex, but I'm getting almost 0% drop rates for the antiquities with 1 codex. Definitely behaving differently than all of the other zones with treasure map antiquity leads.
  • Horny_Poney
    Horny_Poney
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    Very low drop rate after the first codex is a known thing.
    So the problem is: near zero drop rate x 2 = still near zero drop rate.
  • Asdara
    Asdara
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    code65536 wrote: »
    @Asdara I'm curious, were you at 1 codex or 0 codex for those leads?

    Mostly on 1 for the codex, but everything prior to the event.
    Spent counteless maps before just to get to that point so i hoped the event would change things up
    Alanar wrote: »
    I noticed this as well. I seemed to get boosted lead drop rates for the antiquities with 0 codex, but I'm getting almost 0% drop rates for the antiquities with 1 codex. Definitely behaving differently than all of the other zones with treasure map antiquity leads.

    Absolutely, also as others have mentioned i get let from other maps/zone every 2/3 maps
    Its only the west weald maps that's been outrageously low
    Imagine a game with stackable maps, furniture bag, decon furniture
  • Ingenon
    Ingenon
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    Thanks everyone for the explanations! I see from another thread that the OP apparently is codex farming, which I think means that they have the leads for all the purple antiquities in West Weald, and they are trying to get the leads again, like nine times. Which is not something I do in ESO. I will dig up an antiquity if I get the lead for it and I have never done it before. Otherwise, I tend to let leads "expire" if I have already dug them up once. So far I have not found a use for multiple copies of Ayleid Sculpture, Grand Tree, for example.
  • Anmei
    Anmei
    Soul Shriven
    Me and many people in my guild made the same experience. Drop chance seems to be even lower than before the event. I regret now buying treasure maps
  • code65536
    code65536
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    Asdara wrote: »

    Mostly on 1 for the codex, but everything prior to the event.
    Spent counteless maps before just to get to that point so i hoped the event would change things up

    I don't think the problem is with the event; it is doubling as intended. But as someone earlier in the thread said, doubling zero is still zero. The problem is the non-existent drop rate after the first codex (has anyone ever gotten a second codex on those?), which the event just helps highlight.
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  • Asdara
    Asdara
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    Also, if someone could remove that large Ayleid tree from the treasure maps that would be great. I have 12 of them since they drop from everything, but I only have one window, one lens, one simple tree, and one complex tree. The large tree drops from just about every other source in the zone and dilutes the chances of getting anything else from a treasure map.

    THIS TREE, its the real issue, its taking 90% of the lead drop table, its insane i have like 15 of them... and it was before the event
    So if you dig that lead, you get it again and again.
    If you ignore it, you get nothing for the next 200 maps
    theres clearly an issue here

    @ZOS_Kevin can you confirm this has been passed to the dev?
    Imagine a game with stackable maps, furniture bag, decon furniture
  • ZOS_Kevin
    ZOS_Kevin
    Community Manager
    @Asdara, could you let us know what platform you play on? We have the team checking this out, so this info would be helpful.
    Community Manager for ZeniMax Online Studio and Elder Scrolls OnlineDev Tracker | Service Alerts | ESO Twitter
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  • pcombs323
    pcombs323
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    @ZOS_Kevin im on Ps NA and the West Weald. Treasure maps are not dropping leads for me and several other people I e talked to. One person said they did 500 West Weald Treasure maps and not a single lead and the same goes for other dlc treasure maps the drop rate is really low. Lower than usual without an e event
  • ApoAlaia
    ApoAlaia
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    I had the same experience with Telvanni Peninsula/Apocrypha.

    I am at 1 Codex on the Apocryphal Well; I was hoping to at least make it to two during the event so I 'stored' maps on alts and mail for this purpose, in the ballpark of 40. I would have acquired more but the whole 'unique and not stacking' makes it way too inconvenient and excessive inconvenience causes my inner monologue to come up with rather uncomfortable questions.

    But I digress, the only lead I got from those was for the stained window which I did not dig out because it would have lead to just more stained windows and I've already dug out like 25.

    I am inclined to believe that @Horny_Poney is on the right track, the odds are so abysmal that x2 makes nary a difference.

  • davidtk
    davidtk
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    Can confirm, Necrom and West Weald treasure maps are bugged PC-EU. No lead drops no better drops. @ZOS_Kevin maybe even worse loot than outside the event.
    Edited by davidtk on January 29, 2025 9:01PM
    Really sorry for my english
  • BahometZ
    BahometZ
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    The 2nd codex drop rate is an abomination of game design.
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  • Sharktoes
    Sharktoes
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    I would like to add in my experience.

    I had saved all my (and my friends) West Weald maps from the Gold Road event back in September. I had a total of just over 100 West Weald maps (I think the count was 112, but I'm not 100% sure on the number), and a few other for zones that I didn't have the complete 3 of 3 (which I'd like, so I could buy what I wanted furniture lead wise from the Achievement Vendor).

    Once I had found 3 of a furnishing lead, I did not bother digging more of that particular lead ... save accidentally digging up that really annoying tree lead.

    My results are as follows:

    h4b6wpv93tag.png

    I also experienced dozens of maps in a row where there was no lead. It was very discouraging, honestly. The RNG around the leads dropping from treasure maps is one of the worst implementations in the game. It feels as though the sole purpose is to inflate gameplay time, at the expense of the user's experience - an experience I've felt for quite some time with this game.

    I will continue to play minimally or not at all.
  • Anmei
    Anmei
    Soul Shriven
    code65536 wrote: »

    I don't think the problem is with the event; it is doubling as intended. But as someone earlier in the thread said, doubling zero is still zero. The problem is the non-existent drop rate after the first codex (has anyone ever gotten a second codex on those?), which the event just helps highlight.

    I'm still missing some of the leads, so the codex is still 0. They also dont drop. But got one lead now which I had found already, so codex 2. So I guess thats not the problem. Drop chance is just ridiculously low and it seems its not increased by event too.
    Edited by Anmei on January 29, 2025 11:14PM
  • katanagirl1
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    Also want to mention that the lead for the Ayleid Blacksmithing Station is not dropping for me either. It is not from a treasure map, though. I have spent many hours farming world bosses during the event and haven’t got the second codex lead there either. I had the first one before the event.
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  • allochthons
    allochthons
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    I bought a ton of west weald, telvanni and apocrypha maps as soon as I heard about this event, and my drop rate on all three has been pretty miserable. I did finally manage to get a second Apocrypha Well, but the leads in those three zones have been extremely hard to get during this event. Much, much harder than I expected. Extremely frustrating.

    It's especially weird compared to the leads in base game zones that are dropping like flies during this event. I just did 5 treasure maps, in 5 different zones, and 4 dropped leads, 2 of them dropped double leads. So the math was changed in the base game zones, but not in DLC, maybe? Like fishing?
    Edited by allochthons on January 29, 2025 11:52PM
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  • Asdara
    Asdara
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    ZOS_Kevin wrote: »
    @Asdara, could you let us know what platform you play on? We have the team checking this out, so this info would be helpful.

    Pc EU
    Imagine a game with stackable maps, furniture bag, decon furniture
  • BetweenMidgets
    BetweenMidgets
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    From a previous comment I've left on how I believe leads are done. (from here: https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/8031327/#Comment_8031327 )

    "Dig them up. It has no effect on what will drop for you.

    I bought 300 maps and documented my drops, because like you, I was curious.

    How I thought it would work: I could get the leads and just hold them, and then it would be removed from the RNG list and I would receive a different lead that I may desire more. (I wanted 3 of each so I could but the items outright from the vendor.)

    Reality: It appears that the leads list is not curated. What I mean is this appears to be the process by which you can obtain a lead (though I am going to break this apart pretty granularly but potentially some of these steps are all in one. This will work for us for illustration purposes, though).
    FIRST, you dig up your map.
    SECOND, you get your RNG roll. Did you RNG bless you with a lead? If yes, the third step is visible.
    THIRD, it rolls to see what lead you get. If you already have that lead in your list you will simply not see a lead at all.

    I went 42 maps without getting a lead, when I had the "easy" leads just chilling in my queue.

    I absolutely know this is not what you wanted to hear, it really sucks.

    It is COMPLETELY possible I am wrong, and maybe in those 42 maps the chance rate was just SO LOW that it never procced in that time. I doubt it, but I'm open to being wrong, I would truly welcome it, really."
    PC-NA
  • salander7
    salander7
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    I had circa 40 maps from Telvanni and West Weald previous to the event, and I've wasted around 2M gold in 60 west weald maps and 5 Telvanni Peninsula maps during this event.
    All in all, 3 leads in Telvanni Peninsula, and 7 leads in West Weald.

    I wouldn't be surprised if they were bugged, I thought I was just having the <snipped> RNG.
    However I don't see a possible fix, at this point market prices are already awful (anything under 30k for a WW map is a huge bargain right now, a week before the event they could be found for 10k), so unless guaranteed leads in this event become a thing I don't think I'll spend any more. Wasting gold and not get a single thing feels like garbage.
    Idk, furnishing leads in archive more often? Leads in some vendors in DLC zones after you've gotten the first one? Beats me.

    <snipped for Cursing and Profanity>
    Edited by ZOS_Hadeostry on January 30, 2025 8:29PM
    Main: Dragonknight Tank.

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  • BetweenMidgets
    BetweenMidgets
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    salander7 wrote: »
    However I don't see a possible fix, at this point market prices are already awful (anything under 30k for a WW map is a huge bargain right now, a week before the event they could be found for 10k), so unless guaranteed leads in this event become a thing I don't think I'll spend any more.

    With the layers of RNG around this, or the leads from High Isle that have style pages in them, the leads should absolutely be curated. I think it highly unlikely ZoS will implement that.... would be too considerate.
    PC-NA
  • ZOS_Kevin
    ZOS_Kevin
    Community Manager
    Just wanted to follow up here. Our teams are still looking into this. We tested on PC and leads are dropping, specifically with West Weald treasure maps on the live server. So we are not seeing an issue there. Still investigating.
    Community Manager for ZeniMax Online Studio and Elder Scrolls OnlineDev Tracker | Service Alerts | ESO Twitter
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  • allochthons
    allochthons
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    @ZOS_Kevin Thanks for checking.
    I think this is a similar case to the first time the Replica Barbas/Ul'vor/Staff of Worms etc style pages were dropping. This event was advertised partially as a higher drop rate for rare antiquity leads. But as has been said, Anything times Zero is still Zero.

    A bunch of us hoarded maps for months, bought hundreds, did the inventory tricks necessary to actually do that. For extremely little gain. Every time this kind of thing happens, my enthusiasm for ESO drops just a bit lower.
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  • Asdara
    Asdara
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    ZOS_Kevin wrote: »
    Just wanted to follow up here. Our teams are still looking into this. We tested on PC and leads are dropping, specifically with West Weald treasure maps on the live server. So we are not seeing an issue there. Still investigating.

    Be sure to not be at 0 in codex, the issue seems to be after getting the first lead, and especially during the event
    Imagine a game with stackable maps, furniture bag, decon furniture
  • katanagirl1
    katanagirl1
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    I’ve bought a few cheaper maps but I’m holding onto them until we hear something. I can’t stand seeing one more map without a lead.
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  • Asdara
    Asdara
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    I’ve bought a few cheaper maps but I’m holding onto them until we hear something. I can’t stand seeing one more map without a lead.

    lol same, i got 40 new maps for ww, but i'm not moving a finger until i hear a change
    Imagine a game with stackable maps, furniture bag, decon furniture
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