Are BODs even worth doing now?
Unfortunately, due to the fact that the BOD changes don't take ingot costs into account, the answer is ultimately "it depends". It seems like the concept of ingot cost flies over the head of many. I will attempt to illustrate.
Basara was so kind as to post the point system in a previous thread, I am pasting it here:
Size (both smith & tailor) : 10 ct = 10 points, 15 ct = 25 points, 20 ct = 50 points
Exceptional =+200 points for smith BODs.
Large BODs-Smith:
Polearm, Ringmail: 200
Chainmail, 6-part weapon (Sword, Axe, Mace): 300
Fencing: 350
Platemail: 400
Metals
Iron: 0
Dull Copper: 200
Shadow Iron: 250
Copper: 300
Bronze: 350
Golden: 400
Agapite: 450
Verite: 500
Valorite: 550
For reference, I am going to post a statistical mining yield of 1000 ingots based on the ore rarities documented in Stratics' Essay:
500 - iron 0x
112 - dull copper 1x
98 - shadow iron 1.14x
84 - copper 1.33x
70 - bronze 1.6x
56 - gold 2x
42 - agapite 2.66x
28- verite 4x
10 - valorite 11.2x
Please take note of the red text. This denotes relative value. I use dull copper as a baseline because Iron doesn't add any points to a BOD. So for example, shadow iron is approximately 1.14x as valuable as dull copper. Gold is approximately 2x as valuable as dull copper. Again this is based on the mining rarity. Now let's take a look at the relative point values given based on ore:
Dull Copper: 200 1x
Shadow Iron: 250 1.25x
Copper: 300 1.5x
Bronze: 350 1.75x
Golden: 400 2x
Agapite: 450 2.25x
Verite: 500 2.5x
Valorite: 550 2.75x
Uh oh. Now we're starting to see a problem. Even though valorite is 11.2x more rare than dull copper, the point value you gain is only 2.75x for valorite over dull copper. In other words, you're not getting the value for the time you've invested mining valorite ingots. On the flip side, it appears that certain ingots GAIN value up until you reach gold. So these metals, dull copper, shadow iron, copper, bronze, and gold are much easier to obtain, and their values are overrated in the BOD point system, whereas agapite, verite, valorite are much harder to come by, yet their values are underrated. If you want to get value for your ingot, stick to dull copper, copper, bronze, and gold.
Quantities present another issue. Take a look: 10 adds 10 points, 15 adds 25 points, 20 adds 50 points. So by effectively doubling the ingot cost of a BOD, you gain a mere 40 points. What is better, in your opinion:
10/exc/valorite/plate gorget = 100 valorite ingots to fill, worth 760 points.
20/exc/valorite/plate gorget = 200 valorite ingots to fill, worth 800 points.
Seems like you're getting WAY more value for lower quantity BODs. Now we move on to the issue of ingot cost per item. Which seems better:
20/exc/bronze/plate gorget = 200 bronze ingots to fill, worth 600 points
20/exc/bronze/plate tunic = 500 bronze ingots to fill, worth 600 points
Kind of seems like a no-brainer to me. Don't waste your ingots.
Large BODs are not exempt. Notice how Ringmail adds 200, and chainmail adds 300? HUH??
Total ingots required to build a chainmail suit: 48
Total ingots required to build a ringmail suit: 58
So even though a ringmail suit costs more ingots, we're getting less points. Here's a fun example to demonstrate the absurdity. Which in your opinion is a better value:
Large/10/norm/gold/chain = 710 points, ingot cost 480 gold ingots
Large/10/norm/agapite/ring = 660 points, ingot cost 580 agapite ingots
Let me get this straight - even though the chainmail LBOD has a lower ingot cost of a lower level ingot, it has more points than the ringmail LBOD that requires more, higher level ingots? What the fudge?
This is the precise reason why banking points is bunk. You allocate a certain amount of ingots to fill a BOD, but only receive a fraction of its supposed value? All you're doing is making the rewards you collect through banked points cost significantly more. Think about it. Consider the total number of ingots you have to spend to acquire enough banked points, whether via small or large BODs. If you still think that is perfectly acceptable, I'd like to make a deal with you: I'll give you one million gold, in return you give me two million gold. Sound good?
None of this actually matters if you're a script miner of course, because you're not going through the agony that is mining by hand. But if you do mine by hand and want value for your time, here is my recommendation: just don't.