Black Ice not Dropping in Icewind Dale

juniperwuf

I would like to know if this is a bug or if the devs have purposely removed the black ice drops in Icewind Dale. As it was, before mod 22 enchantment changes, black ice dropped in ALL heroics as well as the quest "Need for Mead". Now, only the larger heroics (which cannot be done well with a single character) drop black ice. Sometimes the smaller heroics drop specialty black ice, but never regular black ice (at least not for me and I have done the heroics numerous times on numerous characters). The regular black ice is needed for the daily quest for reputation from the chosen faction. Need for Mead also does not drop any ice, giving only a black opal as a reward.

This makes progress very difficult for a character trying to complete the campaign. Yes, you can mine black ice instead, but that is very tedious. You can wait for a crowd and hope the Remorhaz comes up (also a very low probability occurrence except when Sybella asks people to complete Heroics in Icewind Dale).

So, we need ice. Please. Thank you.

plasticbat

Just find a big chuck of black ice and dig it. Would that be easier than doing a HE? No fighting required.

juniperwuf

You have to do at least one heroic to finish the quest as well. You used to get SOME ice with that and then had to mine some or do more heroics. The heroics are a little more gratifying than mining the ice. I did mention in my post that you can still mine ice to fulfill the quest. You are incorrect about the "No fighting required." Yes, sometimes you can luck upon a chunk that is not guarded, but more often than not you must either kill the guardians first or the guardians will spawn in as you are mining. So, still fighting.

The point is, they took out the black ice enchantments to get around the enchantment changes and took out the black ice and did not put ANYTHING in as any type of a reward. So, yes, a lot less incentive to do the heroics.

All of that does not make a lot of sense to me. As I go around Icewind Dale trying to complete quests there is a constant voice reminding me that there is a merchant to be saved, barbarians to be crushed, totems to be destroyed. So, if I am supposed to be doing these things...

plasticbat

There are a lot of unguarded black ice chunk. I usually just do the easiest HE. Dig some black ice when I come across and be done with it. IceWind Dale HE reward was junk before the new mod regardless. I don't see the usefulness in previous reward. For me, the reward has been null for years. Sure, if they can improve it, good. However, they do not improve any old content and whatever they may add (that I doubt they will) to reward will also be junk. I believe IWD is mod 3.

What I am trying to say is: the "local" reward in IWD itself has not been an incentive to do them for years.

juniperwuf

The heroics drop the necessary components to craft black ice overload enchantments which can be useful, especially to players not in end game. Yes, as you get more powerful some of the rewards seem trivial, but for some players, Icewind Dale is still fun. I like getting black ice because you can make your own overloads as well as trade it for potions that can be sold for gold. But, I tend to like to explore lots of facets of the game.

Besides, the tooltip on black ice still states it drops in heroic encounters. I think they took it out by mistake when they removed black ice enchantments.

But, you entirely missed the point of my question. Is this a purposeful removal by the devs or a bug? That is what I really want to know and the question that I posed.

nitocris83

This was escalated previously - I'll check with the team for clarification.

pitshade

One one of Kessels Retreat will give more than enough Black Ice to satisfy the daily. I just start the queue as soon as I pick up the Reputation quest.

juniperwuf

Black ice no longer drops in Kessel's Retreat either. I have run the queue several times with different characters-- it is part of the end chest but does not drop. Not sure if the end chest counts towards the reputation quest or not as Biggrin's Tomb end chest ice does not.

Thank you Nitocris83. I would appreciate knowing.

pitshade

Perhaps that is a platform specific issue then? It still works on PC to complete daily rep quest with the end chests.

juniperwuf

Yes, the end chests contain ice. However, ice used to drop in Kessel's with every battle. I do not know whether the end chest ice counts towards the daily quest or not because I do not usually run Kessel's except as a random skirmish and always want the quest finished right away, LOL.

avadarius

-No raw black ice in "Need for mead" just a black opal that can be crafted in workshop. (issue reward vs time)
-No black ice dropping in Kessell Retreat with mob kills. (issue removed drop)

-Raw black ice does come from end dungeon Kessell Retreat
-Raw black ice does come from black ice nodes
=HE are touch and go. Some randomly give raw black but on average not
-Mother lode or PvP area provides black ice node
-The Hammerstone Queen quest in Dwarven Valley (random item side quest drop) has raw black ice

Black ice is a store currency in IWD, It gives players a reason to return to IWD after the zone is completed in order to pick up gear to add to appearance library . The resources is not a game breaker so a reduction of or removal of the black ice's collection sources is unfortunate.

juniperwuf

Very good summary avadarius!

I would add that All the HE may drop specialty black ice. The minor ones do not seem to anymore (those recommending 3+ participants when you go to them). The ones recommending 5+ sometimes do. At least that has been my experience.

I am also concerned because, in order to help new players along, it is useful if players that have finished the area and who may be stronger return to help out the new ones. Black ice is still a viable currency for making overloads or converting to gold, so it can provide an incentive for older players to return. The lack of black ice reduces the attractiveness of returning.

juniperwuf

Still no resolution or definitive reply...