Collectable Node Problem Analysis

[ariellyn]

Since the implementation of the new crafting system collectables required for crafted powers have been varied widely compared to the few requirements of the old system. Different collectable types are Lore, Arcane, Natural and Cultural (as noted at https://www.ddo.com/en/updated-cannith-crafting-guide). Different nodes provide different types. Examples: Book Shelves and Cabinets give up Lore collectables, Alchemy Tables provide Arcane, Mushrooms and Fungus contain Natural collectables while Adventurer's Backpacks and Rubble have chances to provide any type. There is a problem, however, obtaining Cultural collectables; those types have not been forthcoming from their own, specific nodes. They have only been found in the nodes with chances to find any type. Crude Altars sound like nodes that should specifically provide Cultural collectables. Altar nodes, though, give Arcane collectables.

With the only chance for obtaining Cultural collectables being from tables of nodes providing any type crafters will have the hardest time creating, for example, an account item with a Dexterity bonus; 5 Polished Ore (a tier 4 Cultural collectable) are needed. Many hours may be spent searching Adventurer's Backpacks and Rubble before a single Polished Ore (or any other Cultural type) is discovered among a list of any type.

Crude Altars should be specific to Cultural collectables.

[xCataluna]

Cultural collectibles come from the purple bags monsters drop. That's their specific "node".

[Kalatai]

https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/478811-This-is-How-To-Farm-the-New-Collectables-System-Efficiently?highlight=collectable

Nice guide to farming them, and all types can drop from rubble and packs, just cultural have a higher chance. Treasure bags are locked by mob type, not quest level. Think kobolds and the prayer beads.

[Astoroth]

I think the collectible costs are too high in general. But what bugs me most is the disparity in the drop rates of 4 or 5 commons for each uncommon, and the consumption rate being 3 to 1.

[ariellyn]

https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/478811-This-is-How-To-Farm-the-New-Collectables-System-Efficiently?highlight=collectable

Nice guide to farming them, and all types can drop from rubble and packs, just cultural have a higher chance. Treasure bags are locked by mob type, not quest level. Think kobolds and the prayer beads.

I want to thank you and xCataluna (the post above you) for this insight. After comparing kobolds and prayer beads I started thinking of creature x to polished ore. Earth Elementals was my first guess. Those jokers, however, provide Smoldering Embers. Gargoyles, I later accidently noticed, drop the Polished Ore; level 9 Gargoyles (I'm sure there's a level range). Elite Garl's Tomb in Three Barrel Cove is the place I've found so far that spawns Gargoyles near the quest entrance: in a room with a chest there are 6 Gargoyles that activate when you open the chest. One of my high level Blasters with a 15 second cooldown core Dimension Door makes quick work of finding a lot of Polished Ore; I'm back in business crafting Dexterity shards. (Sorry.. Blaster is an old City of Heroes class term. I mean to say Evocation Wizard).

[Loholt-UK]

Cultural collectibles come from the purple bags monsters drop. That's their specific "node".

So all that's needed is to fix the bug where purple bags can't be picked up and we're all good.

[J-2]

Another issue is the ingrediants found in epic level quests, and I chalk this one up to extremely poor planning.

I am making my level 12 equipment, and to get the level 5 'defense: protection' prefix on a set of bracers, I require (15) mortar and pestles [tier 5 arcane] and (5) glowmoss spores [tier 5 natural]. These are collectables found only in epic level quests, meaning I am unable to farm the ingrediants until I am level 20 and far beyond the range of level 12 gear.

Buying the collectables off the shard exchange is not an option given the exorbitantly gouging prices of 2-3 shards per 1 collectable.

A fix to this problem, and a lot of others, would be to just have an in-game vendor that sells collectables for platinum.

[zyp]

The OP is completely correct about cultural collectibles being limited to 'Any' type nodes in the upper tiers. The 'T-bags' dropped by epic mobs only contain the lower tier versions of the collectibles. This seems like an oversight or obvious bug so I think many of us were expecting this to be fixed but... nothing has happened and I can't find a dev response either way. It was certainly mentioned in the farming thread. I cringe (and curse the sky?) every time I see stone fetishes and ornate charms in a recipe I'm trying to craft.

[gymehill]

There is a problem with the way the whole thing works: When i quest these days chest loot is 99% vendor junk. Im more excited when i find a collectable node than a great big spikey treasure chest, thats just wrong.

Easy solution, make Gems usable in recipes in place of collectables or something, would need some tinkering for balance/store sales purposes, but they already drop in chests, and would be thematically OK?

[archest]

Another issue is the ingrediants found in epic level quests, and I chalk this one up to extremely poor planning.

I am making my level 12 equipment, and to get the level 5 'defense: protection' prefix on a set of bracers, I require (15) mortar and pestles [tier 5 arcane] and (5) glowmoss spores [tier 5 natural]. These are collectables found only in epic level quests, meaning I am unable to farm the ingrediants until I am level 20 and far beyond the range of level 12 gear.

Buying the collectables off the shard exchange is not an option given the exorbitantly gouging prices of 2-3 shards per 1 collectable.

A fix to this problem, and a lot of others, would be to just have an in-game vendor that sells collectables for platinum.

or lower the number needed to craft the shard. [ really level 20 running in and out of a level 2 quest to get 15 of the same item is boring]

[Dandonk]

Yep, cultural things are annoying as (censored). Must be a bug. I hope.

[EllisDee37]

level 9 Gargoyles (I'm sure there's a level range)Nope. Any gargoyle anywhere can drop polished ore.


Elite Garl's Tomb in Three Barrel Cove is the place I've found so far that spawns Gargoyles near the quest entrance: in a room with a chest there are 6 Gargoyles that activate when you open the chest.Good call. I'll add that to the farming notes in my planner (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/479888-Cannith-Crafting-Builder-Lite).