Chest ransack causing heartburn in hardcore

[Ying]

Be careful listening to some of the suggestions in here, such as;

Rerolling chests
Buying loot potions

These options cost real money, the more you support the game having behaviours like this the more content will be designed around it.

Some people understand their time is more valuable than money. Money is a renewable resource while time is not. OP's situation is a perfect example where he is timebound. If you don't like to spend money, then there are options for that.

Treasure hunter potions won't do anything for named loot other than increase the chance of mythic/reaper bonuses. Only elixirs of discovery increase the chance of rolling named loot.

 

[PaleFox]

Reaper does add drop chance, fyi. It's 1% per skull.
So the 33% drop rate on elite becomes 34% - 43% depending on how high you push the skulls.

While yes, on HQ on a level five character I'd advise against doing reaper in general, and please don't attempt to do a r-ten.

OP is better off joining an Elite Fey group, explain that he's going to hang out in the back ranks most of the time and try to get something useful from there.
Going to Isle of dread at level 5 really is pushing your luck.

 

[hanul]

I've been stuck on level 5 for a week unable to advance while I wait for chest ransack timer to expire. Trying to get (need to get!) bottle of smoke from home of memory. I ransacked the chest to the point where it is empty and gives no items but bottle of smoke has not yet dropped. I have two banked levels and completed all quests at level 3. There is nothing to be gained from running any quest (why risk it?) so just waiting for timer to run out.

All this is to say: can we just turn-off chest ransack in hardcore server for next time?

Also, what about a /chestransack command that displays timers for chests. It will not matter if the chest identifier is a meaningless text string. If you have ransacked a chest, you will very likely know exactly which it is and don't need the descriptor name to be specific. We just need to know when the thing started so that we can plan accordingly. This is especially frustrating when trying to sprint along in a short two-month season

You can still ask other members of the group to give it to you. That's how I got a few items in my currently alive hc character. Also remember that you can pick same chest 8 times and that you can see how many times you picked a chest through an option the game gives you.

 

[hanul]

While yes, on HQ on a level five character I'd advise against doing reaper in general, and please don't attempt to do a r-ten.

OP is better off joining an Elite Fey group, explain that he's going to hang out in the back ranks most of the time and try to get something useful from there.
Going to Isle of dread at level 5 really is pushing your luck.

? I did all quests in r1 so far and I am level 10. I agree that to farm a chest it may be safer and faster to do it in elite instead. R10 should never be done too ofc. In the case of housekeeping with 3 players with enough hp r1 is easy as long as they kill the reapers first specially in the manticore (last fight) by shooting the reapers without entering the room.

 

[Blametroi]

Was thinking the same thing, at level 3 it's not so bad to have an alt.
But don't like suggesting that for HQ as subconsciously it leads to taking higher risks (because having a backup plan.)
And, well, it should not be necessary and later on in the game it will become a pain to just keep those alts floating around.
Oh man, the pain of losing the main (with all the good gear) and then trying to compeed with a alt that has subpar gear is asking for trouble twice over.
***snip***

Playstyle and strategy comments:

I've got a main that runs in a static group on HC, and a backup alt that I kept levelish with the main so I can continue on with the group if my main takes a trap to the face. Then a crafter alt and some others for various testing ideas or gear/renown/plat farming.

I think it would be a mistake to take risks because one has backups, and so I don't with my main. Swapping gear off the main to the backup to level her is a pain and something of a risk, but best-in-slot gear isn't really part of the HC experience IMO. Yeah, sets are nice, but we play with what we're dealt.

My group had a player have to take a week off and so I have been running the backup and just got her the gold feet. Stripped her and sent the gear back to my main to await the resumption of group questing. And also making sure I have another toon near level to backfill the group, just in case.

I'm guessing the OP is soloing, which presents different challenges and requires a different strategy, but other than some twinking of gear from the main and guild level 30ish ship buffs, my backup soloed for the feet with only hires and luck. Not on elite or reaper mind you, her goal was the feet.

 

[The Narc]

No matter if the bottle of smoke is important or not (there are not good trinkets at low levels anyway), it's as simple as lfm "farming bottle of smoke" and many persons will pass it to you.

I agree Hanul, this is one of the good solutions.

 

[Eoin]

I guess it depends on what your HC goals are. Mine were eyes and foot prints. While named is nice, at most I ran a quest twice and moved on.

Without the need for 5k, I skipped worrisome quests, or just ran them on normal or hard. I didn't need an optimized gear set for that. Of course YMMV based on class, I went with blight caster.

 

[Arcanaverse]

I've been stuck on level 5 for a week unable to advance while I wait for chest ransack timer to expire. Trying to get (need to get!) bottle of smoke from home of memory. I ransacked the chest to the point where it is empty and gives no items but bottle of smoke has not yet dropped. I have two banked levels and completed all quests at level 3. There is nothing to be gained from running any quest (why risk it?) so just waiting for timer to run out.

All this is to say: can we just turn-off chest ransack in hardcore server for next time?

Also, what about a /chestransack command that displays timers for chests. It will not matter if the chest identifier is a meaningless text string. If you have ransacked a chest, you will very likely know exactly which it is and don't need the descriptor name to be specific. We just need to know when the thing started so that we can plan accordingly. This is especially frustrating when trying to sprint along in a short two-month season

I feel you pain.

Personally I'd prefer non-chase equipment items in leveling content to be more deterministic. Ideally without farming. More items in optionals, end rewards etc...

Not going to hold my breath for a change either. Re-rolls I imagine are a significant source of income SSG. Though if someone told me that ransack's intent now is a responsible move I'd be forced to consider it. A blessing to curb excessive spending at this point for those vulnerable.

Still don't like it though. But my dislike for ransack pails in comparison to running a quest multiple times for more chances.

That being said, my recommendation is to move on. Smokescreen is a nice to have effect, but it is a replaceable effect. For those looking for more sources from items (assuming class, enhancement, and feat and epic destiny options are not available)...
https://ddowiki.com/page/Category:Concealment_items

However, my bigger recommendation is to pick up Voice of the Master. In this hardcore, it'll be the better trinket in my opinion and its 100% guaranteed to drop. Easily obtainable at lv5 by running casual. I ran it twice this season and picked up the Epic Version for epic's and reapers. Easily one of my better decisions.

Either way, good luck and stay safe out there.

 

[eshadowbringer]

ransacked the chest to the point where it is empty and gives no items

After you open the chest the 8th time in a week "Ransack" Named items and special mats (hay, tokens) no longer drop. Actually the same goes for quest/chain end rewards.

I agree with others that rng has been rough so far this season!

I'd suggest just moving on without the item. I believe there's some low level hirelings with blur if you want concealment. You could also just take a level and go to Feywild and farm one of the concealment items there.

This is good advice especially at low levels.

smoke screen drops on random gen as well. not sure off the top of my head on what items though im pretty sure shields

 

[Zuldar]

Also something to keep in mind is that even in the perfect scenario where you have a full group of 6 each rerolling it's still quite possible to not get the item you need. At the very least VIPs should not have to deal with ransack since it's costing you sub time having to wait. With how complex the gear tetris is these days there is rarely a reasonable alternative to farm instead.

Ransack is an antiquated relic from when the game was sub only and only serves to frustrate players, there's no benefit to it. Before you say it's "to keep players from burning out" there are much better ways to do that like having a better drop rate for starters.

To put it in perspective; R10's, the hardest difficulty available, have a less than 50% chance of getting a named item let alone the item you're actually looking for. Between all the various TR's, reaper points, sentient xp, and gear there's enough grind as is; having to artificially wait a week is just redundant.

 

[rabidfox]

Ransack is an antiquated relic from when the game was sub only and only serves to frustrate players, there's no benefit to it. Before you say it's "to keep players from burning out" there are much better ways to do that like having a better drop rate for starters.

Ransack is a health feature to encourage players to move along and do other stuff. Some people will obsessively do things over and over in a way that isn't healthy. Sure people can bypass that by rolling alt after alt, but it's a level of encouragement to move along.

 

[Zuldar]

Ransack is a health feature to encourage players to move along and do other stuff. Some people will obsessively do things over and over in a way that isn't healthy. Sure people can bypass that by rolling alt after alt, but it's a level of encouragement to move along.

Do you know what would be a better way of doing that? Not having abysmal drop rates to begin with. We even used to have that mechanic with raids where completing it a bunch of time guaranteed getting an item. If players are getting burnt out trying to get the item they really need for their build that's a problem with the game not the player.

Even at the supposed idea of preventing burn out it fails. If the player doesn't get the item they need they'll be right back there in a week grinding it out again, and again, and again until they eventually get it.

There are far better ways to fix this issue, i.e. guaranteeing after so many runs that they can get the item they need. It's not an impossible challenge to fix, simply have NPC vendors who sell named items for some combination of mysterious remnants and if applicable the expansion specific currency.

 

[The Narc]

Ransack keeps the astral shard hoarders from rerolling their loot endlessly, it is a good thing.

 

[Zuldar]

Ransack keeps the astral shard hoarders from rerolling their loot endlessly, it is a good thing.

Good for who exactly? Not for the people rerolling their items since they have to wait an arbitrary amount of time or SSG since people have to spend money to get astral shards. So who is benefiting?

 

[rabidfox]

Good for who exactly? Not for the people rerolling their items since they have to wait an arbitrary amount of time or SSG since people have to spend money to get astral shards. So who is benefiting?

Looked at the way MMOs used to be before anti-socking stuff was added to them. Is it a perfect solution? No, of course not, but it has a purpose and place in the gaming world.

 

[Weslok]

I've been stuck on level 5 for a week unable to advance while I wait for chest ransack timer to expire. Trying to get (need to get!) bottle of smoke from home of memory. I ransacked the chest to the point where it is empty and gives no items but bottle of smoke has not yet dropped. I have two banked levels and completed all quests at level 3. There is nothing to be gained from running any quest (why risk it?) so just waiting for timer to run out.

All this is to say: can we just turn-off chest ransack in hardcore server for next time?

Also, what about a /chestransack command that displays timers for chests. It will not matter if the chest identifier is a meaningless text string. If you have ransacked a chest, you will very likely know exactly which it is and don't need the descriptor name to be specific. We just need to know when the thing started so that we can plan accordingly. This is especially frustrating when trying to sprint along in a short two-month season

They have implemented a chest ransack timer its in your UI options at the bottom of the list... It has to be enabled for every character separately and it posts in general chat how many times you have looted the chest and when the chest will reset...

 

[hanul]

After you open the chest the 8th time in a week "Ransack" Named items and special mats (hay, tokens) no longer drop. Actually the same goes for quest/chain end rewards.

I agree with others that rng has been rough so far this season!


This is good advice especially at low levels.

smoke screen drops on random gen as well. not sure off the top of my head on what items though im pretty sure shields

Shields, bastard swords, and maybe others

 

[Weslok]

I run the quest only two times a day in reaper mode, and you will have more luck. Or drink a potion of treasure or go with a group to share the item. If you run three or more the same quest and the last chest, you are lower the level and opportunities.

Treasure hunter potions don't help with named loot, they just make the chest drop higher-level loot... Elixirs of discovery increase your chance of getting named loot by up to 15% I think for a sovereign elixir... Unfortunately, you cannot buy those in the store...

 

[Zokathra]

Do you know what would be a better way of doing that? Not having abysmal drop rates to begin with. We even used to have that mechanic with raids where completing it a bunch of time guaranteed getting an item. If players are getting burnt out trying to get the item they really need for their build that's a problem with the game not the player.

Even at the supposed idea of preventing burn out it fails. If the player doesn't get the item they need they'll be right back there in a week grinding it out again, and again, and again until they eventually get it.

There are far better ways to fix this issue, i.e. guaranteeing after so many runs that they can get the item they need. It's not an impossible challenge to fix, simply have NPC vendors who sell named items for some combination of mysterious remnants and if applicable the expansion specific currency.

The quests in The Red Fens guarantee the named item in the end reward list you're after, every 3rd completion. It would be nice if there were more quests that used that same mechanic.

 

[adamkatt]

Farm till your eyes bleed for one silly lowbie item sounds like loads of fun!!! Then coming to the forums to moan about said item not dropping... EVEN MORE FUN!!!! Im glad youre enjoying your time in ddoLand!