Multi recipies for same thing?

[LossMentality]

I've been unable to find an answer to the following questions:

1. In game, I see recipes for shards of different crafting lvls that have the same effect. For example:
Combustion shard +36 Equipment bonus
Crafting lvl 12
and
Combustion shard +36 Equipment bonus
Crafting lvl 20

Both of them seem to require the same ingredients and have the same properties. What's the difference?

2. The bound item crafting device lists recipes that take, for example, shards with combustion effects up to +66 spell power. But the largest shard recipe is for 36 spell power, as listed above. How does one get a +66 spell power shard? Can shards be combined?

Thanks in advance!

[BruceTheHoon]

1. There is no difference; they are there for crafting leveling purposes. They left the shards in until they figure out what to do with them.

2. Largest combustion shard is not at crafting level 20, but at crafting level 99. That is the one that gives +66 spell power.

[LossMentality]

Thanks for the reply. It cleared things up. Though I don't really understand the specifics of leveling system that would make it a good thing to have the same shard produced at different lvls, I guess should make the highest lvl shard that gives me the success rate I find acceptable because it will give the most xp. Are you saying that DDO previously had a different system and that the mutliple lvl/same shard thing is a legacy of that?

[Demaril]

at a guess its from there being inferno and combustion options that essentially do the same thig but for some reason were diff lvls

[BruceTheHoon]

This is a remnant of the previous spell amplification system. It's a result of making a previously 2 dimensional system one dimensional.
Previously shards were differentiated by spell level (roman numerals) and by amplification bonus (normal, major, superior). These were the two separate dimensions of shards.
Now we only have spell power.

[phalaeo]

Are you sure they're not "flexible shards"?

[LossMentality]

Are you sure they're not "flexible shards"?

What are flexible shards? I've not seen anything like that yet at the lower levels at which I'm crafting.

[DaSawks]

Flexable shards can be slotted into gear outside of the norm. Example would be Jump in a helm or Disable Device in a Cloak.

[phalaeo]

What are flexible shards? I've not seen anything like that yet at the lower levels at which I'm crafting.

Exactly what DaSawks said. You have the "old" slot-restricted shard with stats allowable only in certain slots (STR on bracers, belt, gloves, etc.). Then there are new "flexible" shards that allow you to put stats other than where they would normally be restricted to.

Hover over both of the shards that look the same to you and check the title/header. Everything will be the same, except the flex shards will say "Flexible Shard".

It's an interesting way of rewarding higher level crafting- now you can put stats/skills in a variety of slots to suit your gear wants/needs.

You can hover over the window in the finished product device to see what slots the flex shards can be crafted on.

http://forums.ddo.com/showpost.php?p...02&postcount=2

[EllisDee37]

Flexable shards can be slotted into gear outside of the norm. Example would be Jump in a helm or Disable Device in a Cloak.

It's an interesting way of rewarding higher level crafting- now you can put stats/skills in a variety of slots to suit your gear wants/needs.

Just to clarify, skills have always gone on anything so there are no flexible skill shards.

[sirgog]

There's no flexible spell damage amplification shards, this is just a relic of the old system.

I expect that there'll be an overhaul of crafting shards soonish.