Bloodstone Glorification?

[Scythera]

Soooo... how do I ask this without being bashed. I mean, I really don't care. And if someone could simply explain to me the answer to my query, it will all be okay. :)

Bloodstone? So... Let me get this straight. I ransacked both chests a total of four times each, on two different toons. So, that is about 7-8 loots for each toon, with the 7 day timer to reset chest (I was told the length) So, 7-8 x4 = 28-32 EACH, over the course of a month.
And what gets me, is that people tell me that they have been grinding for months and years with so many different toons etc. etc. etc. (Exagerated? Wouldn't surprise me if not.)
Well, I finally got one, from a guildy. (Though I was new to the guild. So still slightly pricey. For me that is.) For about 200k plat and a +2 Str tome.
Here's my question.

For what? I have, honestly, seen almost no use for the Bloodstone. +6 x3 (Greataxe) to Critical Damage with +6 to confirm. Okay, 18 dmg. Just... Epic? -.- As well, +6 to ... confirm? So far, it is a level 15 Great Axe Fighter Kensei. Now, I have been playing for three years. 15 level 20's total. On five different servers. I will admit, I play mostly casters, whether divine or arcane. But the sever my Melee DPS is on right now has most likely not seen such Dmg Output at such a low-Non TR level. (Excuse me for tooting my own horn. But with the equipment grinded for.... that statement has been tested in Shrouds with 20's, HoX, PvP etc. But I mean nothing bad about it. :D)
If one takes simple feats, which I think are required to some extent by full-20 Kensei Fighter, + the enhancements available, does one really need confirmation throughout Non-Epic content? (I can understand Epic content, but that is beside the point right now) Sure, maybe in PvP, where you will occasionally have an AC Tank who knows what it is doing, but....

So. I may seem to have made up my mind about this oh-so-treasured Bloodstone. But in truth, I simply HAVEN'T seen the big deal. I am far from close minded, and very willing to accept comments and explanations. Because right now, despite it sitting on a bar with my other switchable trinkets, I would rather keep my "Voice-Mantle" combo for the TS bonus.

***This is NOT a controvercial post. I am NOT bashing anything. I am simply disgruntled about all this grinding and such, and am looking for rhyme or reason as to why people would do this. "I" don't see the reason. I am not mocking others. So please, do not come in here with bane on your lips.

Thankyou for your time. And I look forward to your responses.

[werk]

I felt the same as you do but about carnifex, and wop rapiers, and a host of other things that helpful folks tried to suggest...until I got my hands on them and saw for myself.
First-hand information is really all that matters anyway, especially with regard to personal opinion.

[Phidius]

If you are participating in the DPS race, every little bit is worth grinding for.

+6 added to your critical damage before multipliers are included means 18 extra damage on a khopsesh.

That's an average of 18*4/20 = 72/20 = 3.6 extra damage (hit on a 2 or better).

A +4 Str tome only adds 2.

[Dandonk]

I hate the bloodstone grind. I've managed to do a few hundred runs out there, but haven't seen one yet (gotten other semi-decent stuff, but that's not the point here).

What the big deal is? Well, the extra 6 crit damage (before multiplier), as you mention yourself. On a khopesh with imp crit/keen, that's 4 (crit range) x 3 (crit multiplier) x 6 = 72 extra damage over 20 hits, on average, so 3.6 damage extra per attack. Not too shabby, I think.
The great axe has much worse crit potential, so will benefit less from it.
(Note: only applies to zero fort targets. Apply fort as needed - making it somewhat less useful at higher levels)

The confirmation bonus should never be needed.

[CrimsonEagle]

Have been ransacking those chests for years now. Only bloodstone that I have was given to me. It is really messed up....but anyhow......it does add to damage....if you get one it is nice to have, not a necessity, but nice.

As a side note I have pulled dozens of dusk hearts. Hand those out like candy. Always get the initial rush of seeing it in the chest, then the crushing disappointment/disgust when I mouse over it and realize that I once again got screwed.

[Scythera]

Think the site just went down for maintenance....

[Zenako]

Its a simple metric. All characters can take pretty much the same feats and enhancements based on build. So those will be the same for everyone. (assuming you start at the same spot).

What differentiates the real good dps from the great dps will be items. Filling your Trinket slot with the bloodstone adds directly to DPS, without taking away any option that is vital to a dps type build.

In the final analysis, it is a few points a swing for all weapons. But keep in mind that some builds have enhanced chances to critical, making the benefits even better than the 3.6 cited above for the khopesh (with only the improved crit feat).

One can compete and play quite successfully without one. Many many characters do, but for those who really covet the mantle of top flight dps, they need to obtain one. The shared bank was a godsend to many players who will actually move a few things like Bloodstones or Spectral Gloves around to the toon of the day.

[MrWizard]

there are weapons out there that have a higher seeker than the bloodstone, some that are equal and some a little less.

the bloodstone, or seeker weapon, simply adds some 'pluses' to confirm your critical hits...and that 'seeker' amount is also added to your main attack number which is then multiplied by the crit.

so, a regular hit, the bloodstone does nothing, as does a seeker weapon.
on a crit, they both are added to 'tohit' for the critical effect.

if crit established, the extra damage is applied (so on a x3 weapon it is an extra 18 for a seeker 6 weapon or bloodstone).



I got one on my fighter the first week or so when they appeared..I have never pulled on since in years...years..
I have taken 6 toons out there and ransacked a few times.,...not one.


do you need it? it sure helps? Can you go without it? Yes.

There are seeker weapons that do more, use them. Look for them (most people junk them at vendors or real cheap at the auction house).

Instead of spending useless months to get one stone, place an ad in your server forums marketplace saying you are willing to trade for one. Also keep watch on the auction house.


Either you get the stone a lot, or you never get it...that is the way of the rolls...

you can survive without it.

[Myxalplyx]

So a Kensai fighter that specializes in using the Great Crossbow will really benefit from this right? Or perhaps a barbarian that is an older toon,with the old style-crit-range (Before Frenzied Berserker was implemented) on a falchion?

I am asking because I have one of each. :)

[Scythera]

Well, now that you say that (All other replies taken to heart) I should either A: Give to another toon, say, a TwF Khope. Or B: Do what I did with the set of Spectral Gloves.

WARNING: The following statement is not for the faint of heart, or DDO players that are way to immersed in the game.

Pulled a set of Spec. Gloves from OOB my first run on the server. Heard about them, never really had a pair, never knew much about them (As I said, Caster here, not much else) Incorpreal Attacks, +5 Dex, +2 to hit. So let me break it down. +5 Dex/ No use to me. Fighter with Max Str, Max Con, with trash Wis for some saves. +2 Attack/ Once again, no use really. Lvl 15 Fighter Kensei Build, I'm okay on attack. Incorpreal Attacks/ +3 Ghost Touch of Greater undead Bane Great Axe. :)

Soooooo.... I used it to give my Lvl 15 Non-TR Dwarf Fighter the last larges needed to finish my T3 Lightning II G-Axe.

Read that last sentence again ;)

[Dandonk]

The shared bank was a godsend to many players who will actually move a few things like Bloodstones or Spectral Gloves around to the toon of the day.

Except for the European players getting their characters over... without the shared bank stuff...

:)

[cpito]

There are certain weapons that seeker also has a higher benefit for as well like vorpals and an AA's slayer arrows.

[CrimsonEagle]

Well, now that you say that (All other replies taken to heart) I should either A: Give to another toon, say, a TwF Khope. Or B: Do what I did with the set of Spectral Gloves.

WARNING: The following statement is not for the faint of heart, or DDO players that are way to immersed in the game.

Pulled a set of Spec. Gloves from OOB my first run on the server. Heard about them, never really had a pair, never knew much about them (As I said, Caster here, not much else) Incorpreal Attacks, +5 Dex, +2 to hit. So let me break it down. +5 Dex/ No use to me. Fighter with Max Str, Max Con, with trash Wis for some saves. +2 Attack/ Once again, no use really. Lvl 15 Fighter Kensei Build, I'm okay on attack. Incorpreal Attacks/ +3 Ghost Touch of Greater undead Bane Great Axe. :)

Soooooo.... I used it to give my Lvl 15 Non-TR Dwarf Fighter the last larges needed to finish my T3 Lightning II G-Axe.

Read that last sentence again ;)

I cant read that last sentence again because I am still stuck on "Pulled a set of Spec.Gloves from OOB my first run on the server" and decided that even I dont know you and you may be the best person in the world.....I dont like you!!!!!

Lol, just kidding. That is another item that is not needed but everyone searches for. Imo, nice trade:)

[zztophat]

It raises DPS and it goes in your trinket slot. As far as I'm concerned that's the reason to want one.

[Scythera]

I cant read that last sentence again because I am still stuck on "Pulled a set of Spec.Gloves from OOB my first run on the server" and decided that even I dont know you and you may be the best person in the world.....I dont like you!!!!!

Lol, just kidding. That is another item that is not needed but everyone searches for. Imo, nice trade:)

LMFAO! The "last sentence" was to emphasize that I have a Non-TR Level 15 With a T3 Lightning II Great Axe. And thats... what, 24 Larges? Not to mention Dual Shard? Which, contrary to what most WILL say, 9/10 of which were grinded/traded/begged/or bought, by that toon. :D

Anyways, back to the point. I seem to have godly rolls and luck. That 19-20 Crit Range might as well be a 15-20 for me. (And lets not even talk about Lightning Strike procs. >;} ) So, though I have no problem keeping this convo going, I think I have a better idea now. As well, I could always keep it around to show off, and switch to it for the hell of it when I have a caster toss me TS.

[hermespan]

Dunno if will help you, but you'd be best off building a wizard or sorc. I have a wizard at level 19. I pretty much use him for running shrouds to completion for ingredients (for other characters), shroud flagging quests (for wedges to and blank ingredients) and desert chests for bloodstones.

He's pulled 2 over a 1 year period, I suppose mainly due to the Murphy's law of gaming that states "If there's a rare loot you need, it will be pulled by a character that can't use it." (he's not a melee wizard)

My wizard takes around 5 minutes or less to hit all the chests on the undead side of the desert solo. I run him through desert 3x a night (lately) and try to get into various flagging groups for shroud 2x a night to get wedges/ingredients and build greensteel blanks. (which are tradeable).

Every other week I give him the week off from desert runs to reset chest ransack. I just recently picked this routine back up (after 6 month hiatus) because I have a new melee character and need another one.

[CrimsonEagle]

LMFAO! The "last sentence" was to emphasize that I have a

Anyways, back to the point. I seem to have godly rolls and luck. That 19-20 Crit Range might as well be a 15-20 for me. (And lets not even talk about Lightning Strike procs. >;} ) So, though I have no problem keeping this convo going, I think I have a better idea now. As well, I could always keep it around to show off, and switch to it for the hell of it when I have a caster toss me TS.

Now you are just rubbing it in.:D

[GreenGurgler]

As others have pointed out, you can get a better seeker on some weapons but the problem with that is it only applies to that weapon while its equipped (or a second weapon if dual wielding). Once you switch to a different weapon for a different purpose, you no longer have seeker.

The beauty of the bloodstone is that it is a trinket and you can pair it with ALL of your weapons. For some dual wielders, they have many different sets of weapons and want the seeker benefit on all of them not just that ONE seeker weapon.

The long and the short of it is that the bloodstone allows you to land crits more often and to cause more damage when you do. Period.

[Scythera]

Now you are just rubbing it in.:D

........




>.> Wouldn't you? Lol! Jk :D




And yes, I see the thing about Bloodstones now. I will just keep it on hand for it is useful. Though I have no qualms with switching it out.

[Draugkir]

Bloodstone can be good or useless depending on your gear really.

+6 permanent seeker assures a +6 to confirm criticals [ vorpal hits smiting hits bannishing hits or just plain dmg hits landing like you had +12 str.. is just a lot ] and +6 to damage..

Overall is almost like you had a +12 str boost.. its really a lot.

But it is not mandatory.. you can either use seeker weapons [ can go up to +10 on confirm and crit damage ] or seeker like armors [ like marilith chain as an example ].

So.. really depends on your build.. some nice gear goes into bloodstone socket too.. lots of nice trinkets.. making it hard to decide if Bloodstone should be there or not.

[Hokonoso]

before the char in my sig Tr'd to a barb he was a ranger and pulled a bloodstone on my first run of the day, logged off and played diff toon, next day logged on and pulled another bloodstone. ive pulled at least 6 bloodstones and traded most off and rarely use it even on toons that carry it. i have so many (i bought some before i started farming it) that i even bound it to many of my chars. ive also pulled a ton of firestorm greaves and even a ring of spell storing so i've been pretty lucky in the desert...

[Rockcrusher]

The funny thing is that in the time it takes to get a Bloodstone, you can mine the Vale, Reavers, and Amrath rares along with IQ quick runs. You can make 3-5 million gold and buy one instead.
Seems easier to me.

It's also a grind, but you can pull other useful gear and mnemonic pots.

[CrimsonEagle]

The funny thing is that in the time it takes to get a Bloodstone, you can mine the Vale, Reavers, and Amrath rares along with IQ quick runs. You can make 3-5 million gold and buy one instead.
Seems easier to me.

It's also a grind, but you can pull other useful gear and mnemonic pots.

This is true, but it is a matter of pride not to mention the unwillingness to spend that much:)

I've been with a couple of people who have pulled em and even had one (a guildy) offer it to me but I did not take it. It has turned into an obsession of pulling my own and the absurdity of the fact that I have ransacked those chests so many times yet still have failed to pull even one while others have pulled multiples.

I realize that it is luck of the roll, but it amazes me just how crappy my rolls are. In pnp I would have burned these dice by now and tried my luck with another set. I mean really, not only on the loot rolls, but on effects which need a 20 such as vorpal.

I joke around that I carry around vorpal butter knives that do 1 point of damage per attack and can still whittle down a 1500 point Orthon before I would get a vorpal. Its really discusting.

But as they say....if it was not for bad luck......

No matter. Will keep trying:) Part of the hunt which is part of the fun in a frustrating, twisted sort of way.

[cptcruch]

I feel your pain!! Been playing since day 1 and I have 2 Bloodstones! Too many runs to count and personally I dont think its worth the time or effort. Think of all the quest you can complete rather than continued runs for 2 chest and to end up with nothing but a funery token!

[SINIBYTE]

I gave up and got an arrowhead.

[Zion_Halcyon]

I got a bloodstone on my 1st serious try doing a solo run, after doing about 3 runs with other people when I was still new to the game.

*shrug*

Luck of the draw, I suppose. I still haven't gotten my hand on that **** whirlwind greatsword even though I have been farming the **** out of that chest.

[Frodo_Lives]

It's all luck of the draw in terms of if and when you pull one. +6 Seeker is a good effect and can add to your overall DPS which is nice, but not ungodly powerful either.

Part of the value is that it's a nice effect. Part of the value is that there are so few good trinkets out there that the demand for one is higher than the usefulness.

This might change a bit with the new Ion Stones, but it will continue to be a real nice trinket for many characters and be in demand.

[Folonius]

For what? I have, honestly, seen almost no use for the Bloodstone. +6 x3 (Greataxe) to Critical Damage with +6 to confirm. Okay, 18 dmg. Just... Epic? -.- As well, +6 to ... confirm? So far, it is a level 15 Great Axe Fighter Kensei. Now, I have been playing for three years. 15 level 20's total. On five different servers. I will admit, I play mostly casters, whether divine or arcane. But the sever my Melee DPS is on right now has most likely not seen such Dmg Output at such a low-Non TR level. (Excuse me for tooting my own horn. But with the equipment grinded for.... that statement has been tested in Shrouds with 20's, HoX, PvP etc. But I mean nothing bad about it. :D)
If one takes simple feats, which I think are required to some extent by full-20 Kensei Fighter, + the enhancements available, does one really need confirmation throughout Non-Epic content? (I can understand Epic content, but that is beside the point right now) Sure, maybe in PvP, where you will occasionally have an AC Tank who knows what it is doing, but....


I have a bloodstone on my bard. I took improved slashing (crit) as my last feat, and use masters touch on falchions. The bloodstone gives a +12 to my critical damage on my bard, and I crit 30% of the time. It can be improved if you make it epic to a +10 seeker.

As a greataxe user, you'll crit 5% of the time but get a +18 to the damage or 10% of the time if you have improved crit slashing.

A khopesh is probably the best weapon for the bloodstone, critting 20% of the time with imp crit slashing for +18 damage.

On top of all this, it's a trinket. There aren't many worthwhile trinkets out there and I haven't seen any more useful for a melee DPS than bloodstone.

[Rumbaar]

It's only 1 of 2 [I think] seeker trinkets, that add +6 to on/off hand weapons before multiplier.

With little else for the Trinket slots for applicable characters it is very nice.

That being said I've pulled around 8 myself and have 3 banked if I ever run a toon that needs one and other active toons have one equipped.

But on my Monk I tend to still use an Arrowhead for the +2 to Hit, and for my Melee FvS I swap in for melee, but tend to have my voice in there for the +1 luck bonus.

[hecate355]

it goes into trinket slot, it adds damage which gets in 2wf case multiplied over two weapon while occupying fairly useless slot for me..

everyone drives their chars closer to perfection, whether its 18 crit damage, 10% extra damage, one, just one more ac and so on and on, if its part of what your build is supposed to do, it all matters, every tiny little point

as fire cold caster you dont say hey, i dont take that last 15% or whatever last enhancement gave, its just a 15%

but think about it, maximum base damage on firewall is 2d6+20, thats laughable, but every tiny thing that adds inside of that base will come out huge

ps: can some1 explain why acid fog doesent do same damage on elec/acid specced char than fw does on fire/cold build? as far as my math skills and memory goes, both are 2d6+caster level.

and i do know what im talking about when saying that elec/acid line with max enhancements and equal equipment does not raise your acid fog over some1-s others firewall, in fact, you do about same damage with your crit acid fog than with non specced firewall.

[rest]

This is true, but it is a matter of pride not to mention the unwillingness to spend that much:)

I've been with a couple of people who have pulled em and even had one (a guildy) offer it to me but I did not take it. It has turned into an obsession of pulling my own and the absurdity of the fact that I have ransacked those chests so many times yet still have failed to pull even one while others have pulled multiples.

I realize that it is luck of the roll, but it amazes me just how crappy my rolls are. In pnp I would have burned these dice by now and tried my luck with another set. I mean really, not only on the loot rolls, but on effects which need a 20 such as vorpal.

I joke around that I carry around vorpal butter knives that do 1 point of damage per attack and can still whittle down a 1500 point Orthon before I would get a vorpal. Its really discusting.

But as they say....if it was not for bad luck......

No matter. Will keep trying:) Part of the hunt which is part of the fun in a frustrating, twisted sort of way.


Change the color of your dice. It's almost like getting a new set.

[AyumiAmakusa]

I got a bloodstone on my 1st serious try doing a solo run, after doing about 3 runs with other people when I was still new to the game.

*shrug*

Luck of the draw, I suppose. I still haven't gotten my hand on that **** whirlwind greatsword even though I have been farming the **** out of that chest.

I got one the first time I step foot in the Sands.

At first I was like, 'Oh hey more jewels for me to sell'.

Luckily I noticed it had an odd price so I took a deeper look.

Nearly brokered a good thing there. :D

[Emili]

If you are participating in the DPS race, every little bit is worth grinding for.

+6 added to your critical damage before multipliers are included means 18 extra damage on a khopsesh.

That's an average of 18*4/20 = 72/20 = 3.6 extra damage (hit on a 2 or better).

A +4 Str tome only adds 2.
Precisely... it's the equivalent of adding more than 1d6 (3.5) on average to extra damage to every khopesh you own. Accounts for 432 more damage on average in a minute... think of this five melee with it comes to 2160 vs five melee without... without any doubt among the higher dps toons seeker is a major boost. It attributes a difference between one rounding Harry vs two rounding him... likewise with every high hp mob. When you consider such the quicker the fight is over the less back end resources are needed. I much rather see clerics with mana left over in the tower then see them making decisions to drink a pot... and so forth.

I actually would prefer some epic maralith chain along with an epic duskheart.

Seeker also comes well into play on higher playing levels... i.e. epic or wherever you have mob which are proc'd/spelled into auto-crit - a khopesh now delivers 10.5 more damage each swin in such conditions - a character would have to have 21 more strength to equal that amount without it.

[Club'in]

A khopesh is probably the best weapon for the bloodstone, critting 20% of the time with imp crit slashing for +24 damage.


Khopesh is a x3 weapon, so the bloodstone adds +18 damage.

[Folonius]

Khopesh is a x3 weapon, so the bloodstone adds +18 damage.

6 x 3 = 24? dur ...

Thanks for correcting that.

[Emili]

Khopesh is a x3 weapon, so the bloodstone adds +18 damage.
Yes, the pick be the only x4 weapon.

[shablala]

So a Kensai fighter that specializes in using the Great Crossbow will really benefit from this right?

You serious? Kensei Great xbow? Did you loose a bet or something and forced to roll this toon or just for the challenge trying to make something half as viable as an arcane archer?

[nicro]

6 x 3 = 24? dur ...

Thanks for correcting that.

Just say you were referring to an Epic Bloodstone with its +8 Seeker.

[yfront]

And as a barbarian with a greataxe. Hitting that death frenzy while raged gives you a x6 on your crits. So 36 extra dmg from a trinket is pretty good =)

Now imagine an epic Maralith chain, that would be an extra 60dmg on a crit...