Arcane Focus & Writings Update

nitocris83

Update 3/16
The updates were released today. We will spend a few days gathering feedback and questions, which will also allow players time to experience the updates, and address them as best as possible.

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The Devs spent some time going over how to better improve the experience with arcane focus and magical writings. They are testing an approach and, if everything checks out, we hope to release the update on Thursday. Please note that all dates are subject to change due to last minute needs or issues.

dupeks

I'd like to request some official clarification regarding the intended mechanics for acquiring Arcanic Focus (AF). This is important not only for helping to plan our progression for multiple characters, but also for helping to verify that the mechanics are working as intended.

Specifically:

1. Is there a daily or weekly cap on AF gain? If yes, does the cap reset at a standard time globally, or is it an individual timer based on when the player acquired AF last?
   
2. Was the intent to increase or decrease the AF drop rate from dig sites with the new changes?
   
3. What was the intent of adjusting the AF drop rate from dig sites? Are dig sites meant to be an optional way to accelerate the path towards Ascended Weapons or are they now not intended to be a significant source of AF?
   

@nitocris83 in your earlier post on the topic you had mentioned wanting to reduce speculation about the AF mechanics. Getting some clear answers to the above questions will go a long way towards that goal.

If there are sound reasons why you do not want to directly answer those questions, it would be helpful to understand that perspective and any relevant context you are allowed to share. Previous modules were significantly more transparent about caps and sources of campaign currency. I think that transparency is the right approach, but if the aim is different this time around it would be helpful to understand what prompted the change.

pile2000

Also how high the cap is... if there is one.

minotaur2857

And the change today seems to be another complete disaster. 15 digs, 1 arcane focus across 3 characters, plus the 2 free ones for the daily, leaving me 7 in total, which is around what I'd have got from that many digs before they fixed the double looting of the chests. So I'm now worse off as people are reporting that the main hand has been pushed up from 45->60. ***edit it appears that report is wrong, still 45**, but done another few and now 1/19, other people 0/20.

@nitocris83 you really need to explain what's going on here.

tripsofthrymr

Please add your questions about Arcane Focus & Writings to this thread (some existing threads will be merged).

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bvira

I've got 6 from 20+ dig sites, trying to see if I can get a 7th one
Edit: LOL got a 7th one right after posting this comment

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kaudilho

I'm feeling like my personal droprate of focus was nerfed, i've got 1singe focus from 18 digsites. Why should someone be lucky to get basic resurses? So with daily quest i've got total of 3 arcane focuses(which i was getting before patch and twice as faster). I guess i'll abondon digsites farm untill next "experience approvment".

darthpotater

before this change, 3/day doing 6-7 dig sites. Now only 2 from the mission. Nice progress. As allways

aftershafter

So wait, has the cap been removed along with the personal timer - but the drop rate lowered? I see someone claiming they got 7 up above. That paired with a guaranteed two per day that you can count on? I hate to say it guys, but this is *exactly* what most of us were asking for - a consistent income of AF that would allow us to have a firm stop date and not be forced to rely on RNG, but the option to grind like mad and get it faster if we chose to.

If they removed the cap and the personal timer this is pretty much my ideal solution even with the decrease in digsite drops. I can literally mark a date in my calendar that is the last date this will be done by now. If I want, I can speed it up more. Even if they didn't remove the cap, it is an improvement and close to what many of us were asking for...

kaudilho

So what's the daily limit of focus if it exists? #tripsofthrymr #nitocris83

dupeks

aftershafter said:

So wait, has the cap been removed along with the personal timer - but the drop rate lowered? I see someone claiming they got 7 up above. That paired with a guaranteed two per day that you can count on? I hate to say it guys, but this is *exactly* what most of us were asking for - a consistent income of AF that would allow us to have a firm stop date and not be forced to rely on RNG, but the option to grind like mad and get it faster if we chose to.

If they removed the cap and the personal timer this is pretty much my ideal solution even with the decrease in digsite drops. I can literally mark a date in my calendar that is the last date this will be done by now. If I want, I can speed it up more. Even if they didn't remove the cap, it is an improvement and close to what many of us were asking for...

I agree.

The only thing lacking is some clear communication surrounding the matter. It would also be nice if they could clarify if they intended to give us exactly that, or whether something went wrong with the implementation and it just ended up that way.

I know that sounds kind of silly, but I think it's pretty important. It could turn this from a good situation to a truly great one

eltacogrande

1 in 14 dig sites.. Amazing Improvement..much better then the 2-3 i was getting in 7.....(which is rather ironic considering the tool tip says dig sites)...so I guess 42 sites just to end up where I was b4 the "improved experience" ?

panteleelee

eltacogrande#4535 said:

1 in 14 dig sites.. Amazing Improvement..much better then the 2-3 i was getting in 7.....(which is rather ironic considering the tool tip says dig sites)...so I guess 42 sites just to end up where I was b4 the "improved experience" ?

Same here 2 AF in 16 dig sites....but i dont care next week i end for my restore.

qexotic

My experience of the changes so far is not a good one. I have two characters that I am taking through the River District campaign and two others that are currently sitting it out. This evening, they both did their RD dailies and picked up the new reward of 2 Arcanic Focus. Due to the way things worked out, my DC completed 3 dig sites and my HR did 5 to achieve the quest requirements. Neither of them had any Arcanic Focus drop from the chests. As a result, they have earned less today than they got on previous days. As I have no idea what the drop rate is from dig site chests, other than it clearly being much lower than it was before the fix, I cannot draw up a plan of attack to build up the required AS at a rate of anything better than 19 per week. As I have no wish or intention of burning myself out trying to get extra AS, I will just work with the guaranteed figure. This ensures that for the next three weeks or so, I will have absolutely no reason or incentive to play any part of the new zone for more than the bare minimum requirement. There is no fun to be found in this

rickcase276

I ran 4 digsites on my DC and got 1 arcanic focus. Yesterday I got 7 running 8 digsites, so the drop rate is obviously not better, that or just bad rng luck.

bbrightstone

I did 23 dig sites. Which means I spent over 3 hours doing nothing but dig sites and restoring the guard posts to do the dig sites. I didn't even get a Nostura portal done. I got 2 Focus. 2. HAMSTER this. Someone was talking in a custom channel that they had gotten 9. 1 in 11.5 dig sites is atrocious. Feedback please?

namelesshero347

First of all, I like to thank the devs for quick action on a very welcomed change.

As for the rest of you ingrates, we get 19 guaranteed focus a week now. Not good enough? You kidding me? Why are you still banging your heads on the dig site grind? Spending all day in this game is not healthy.

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litaaers

There's no pleasing you, is there.

ghoulz66

This change has ended up making acquiring writings from doing dig sites and upgrading posts for security worst. Fixed the double looting, yeah, but the original drop amounts were BS so that's why people did it in the first place.

Also the increased drop rate of writings from HEs was a total lie. It seems WORST now.

So good work, you made writings more painful to get,

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dragonsbane3

The rumors or a cap per day or time limit on arcane focus before the update was IMO a pure Myth. I farmed a lot each day since Mod 11 went live.

1st. The hour time limit between runs was able to be bypassed, Simply run 1-9 solo then make a group with 1 extra person and run them again with the new person activating the site, It completely bypasses the timer. Rinse and repeat to your hearts desires.

2nd. I was averaging between 7-9 Arcane Focus a day since it went Live. I was doing between 25-50 dig sites a day and then count double looting so that equals 50-100. Some days I would get 3 AF in the first run of 9 dig sites and other days it would take 30+ to get the 1st one. It was/is pure RNG

3rd. I also have gotten Arcane Focus from Treasure Maps. I would save all the maps up for 3-4 days then go do them all at once and it would yield a few drops. Also of note the maps can be used from your bank space. Not sure if that was/is intended.

I personally don't get the people that were/are upset at the RNG of it all. If you only do the bare minimum how can you expect to get your weapons anywhere near the same rate as others who actually farm for hours a day? With what you are going to get from the daily's and weekly's now it should stop all of the complaining. Wait your time, open up the whole campaign and get your weapons in due time.

forumnamesuxs

@dragonsbane3
I can partially agree to this, or would have, if they hadn't effectively nerfed AF drop rates by almost 33% for me.
I do run the bare minimum, knowing it would take a while to finish, and on the character I do this campaign on, with the intent of restoring the weapon, I usually got 3 AF from dig sites. By the looks of it, this will no longer be the case.
I guess it's too early to tell for sure though.

spideymt

dragonsbane3 said:

The rumors or a cap per day or time limit on arcane focus before the update was IMO a pure Myth. I farmed a lot each day since Mod 11 went live.

1st. The hour time limit between runs was able to be bypassed, Simply run 1-9 solo then make a group with 1 extra person and run them again with the new person activating the site, It completely bypasses the timer. Rinse and repeat to your hearts desires.

2nd. I was averaging between 7-9 Arcane Focus a day since it went Live. I was doing between 25-50 dig sites a day and then count double looting so that equals 50-100. Some days I would get 3 AF in the first run of 9 dig sites and other days it would take 30+ to get the 1st one. It was/is pure RNG

3rd. I also have gotten Arcane Focus from Treasure Maps. I would save all the maps up for 3-4 days then go do them all at once and it would yield a few drops. Also of note the maps can be used from your bank space. Not sure if that was/is intended.

I personally don't get the people that were/are upset at the RNG of it all. If you only do the bare minimum how can you expect to get your weapons anywhere near the same rate as others who actually farm for hours a day? With what you are going to get from the daily's and weekly's now it should stop all of the complaining. Wait your time, open up the whole campaign and get your weapons in due time.

+1...perfect post.

kaudilho

post repeted

kaudilho

dragonsbane3 said:

The rumors or a cap per day or time limit on arcane focus before the update was IMO a pure Myth. I farmed a lot each day since Mod 11 went live.

1st. The hour time limit between runs was able to be bypassed, Simply run 1-9 solo then make a group with 1 extra person and run them again with the new person activating the site, It completely bypasses the timer. Rinse and repeat to your hearts desires.

2nd. I was averaging between 7-9 Arcane Focus a day since it went Live. I was doing between 25-50 dig sites a day and then count double looting so that equals 50-100. Some days I would get 3 AF in the first run of 9 dig sites and other days it would take 30+ to get the 1st one. It was/is pure RNG

3rd. I also have gotten Arcane Focus from Treasure Maps. I would save all the maps up for 3-4 days then go do them all at once and it would yield a few drops. Also of note the maps can be used from your bank space. Not sure if that was/is intended.

I personally don't get the people that were/are upset at the RNG of it all. If you only do the bare minimum how can you expect to get your weapons anywhere near the same rate as others who actually farm for hours a day? With what you are going to get from the daily's and weekly's now it should stop all of the complaining. Wait your time, open up the whole campaign and get your weapons in due time.

But what if u spend hours and got nothing? Why should i not been upset? I was getting 3focus per day with total of 21 per week, now i will get 2per daily and 5 per weekly quest which is total of 19. It's like u have 3 dollars someone took 1 from u and called it improvment, would u bee happy?Even if he said u can get your dollar back but...it's a pure RNG and will take all of your time.

nameexpired

dragonsbane3 said:

I was doing between 25-50 dig sites a day and then count double looting so that equals 50-100.

Well, not everyone likes using bugs to make feasible progress in a campaign.

adinosii

There are people that are unhappy with the Arcane Focus revision, but IMO, this is now how it should have been originally.

Earlier many people were struggling to get 3 copies per day, or 21 per week. Now, 3 copies per day would have meant 29 days to get the weapons, but many people were anticipating 40+ days. Now, we basically get 19 guaranteed per week, just from the daily and the weekly. Even if you farm no dig sites at all. that's only around 32 days - which is actually an improvement for some.

Now, the dig sites can be farmed, but the drop rate is a bit low now - previously I would typically get my 3 AFs from the first round of dig sites, but last night I got only 1 Arcane Focus from two hours of playing (18 dig sites), and then I gave up. Still, I got 3 in total, so I am no worse off than before.

So, the goal of making the task of getting the new weapons less RNG-dependent has been met, and that is a good thing. I don't mind grinding for measurable progress - but grinding just for a small random chance of getting what I want, now, that annoys me.

So, as far as I am concerned, I am satisfied. I have already restored my mainhand, and should be able to restore my offhand on Tuesday or Wednesday, and then I can get working towards the second set that I want. That's good enough for me.

vadasz21

I personally like the changes. To me, doing the dig sites is just the icing on the cake. I was upset before because there were some days I would log on and do my daily plus some extra dig sites and come away with nothing. Now, when I log on to play and progress my character at least I know I will walk away with 2. Plus, weekly I get an extra 5. That's only a month of play. That to me seems like a reasonable amount. If I wanted to get them faster than it would require more effort, but at least I am no longer reliant on RNG.