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.
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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...
What I am trying to say is: the "local" reward in IWD itself has not been an incentive to do them for years.
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.
Thank you Nitocris83. I would appreciate knowing.
-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.
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.