New T-Hunting, let's talk loot (The Origin Experience)

[Poo]

So i was unable (or unwilling) to go to test out the changes to T-Hunting on TC but the guild im in does have a rather nice Castle on Origin and i do have fully developed characters there specifically for testing purposes to i made a point today to get out and do some T-Maps.

1st off, went out to Miasma last night and collected 10 (old) level 6 maps (new level 4)
and i already had a bunch of the old 1-5 (new 1-3) level maps in the bank.

my template is a very easy plain jane T-Hunter.
110 magic
110 Eval
100 med
100 cartography
100 detect hidden
100 lockpicking
100 remove trap
- i was too lazy to take of the detect even though i dont need it, will put my fishing back on probably.
- was wearing a 1500 luck suit

so i went out and did a (from here on in ill use the new number system) level 1 - Artisan Stash.
no issues, went fast, got 6 items along with a SOT, 50 bloodwood and a money bag and refinement crate.
- i like the money/gem bag so far have seen 2 graphics for it.
- gold 22, 598

then i went out and did a level 2 map - Mage's Supply.
again, no problem, cast EV and it killed everything.
8 items and a SOT and a alacrity and money bag.
- 44,040 gold
- 1 alacrity scroll
- 1 T map Cache level
- new house deco - Hour Glass (on a pedestal) does not work, is just deco.

then did a level 3 - Artisan's Cache.
this would be a old level 5 Diabolical, i cast 2 EV's and then fired off ebolts to kill everything - was no issue.
- 12 items
- gold bag 55,976 gold
- Mysterious Fragment

then i felt this was all i wanted to do alone with just a mage.
so i waited till a guild mate got on with a tamer.
he brought a Cu.

we fired off 5 Hoard level maps in a row,
3 where fel side maps.
got 5 power scrolls, all 10's and 1x5
- 2 alacrity scroll's on each of the 5 chests
-1 had SOT
- 1 had 2x SOT
- 3/5 had Mysterious Fragment
- each chest had around 20-25 items
- one had 10 hats and 10 axes...... that was strange.
gold was between 40k-66k
- got a Trove map off one

did 1x Trove map
- brought out another guild mate tamer for this one, so 2 tamers 1 Thunter mage.
spawn was fun, was a TerMur map so that was a first for me.
- 5 alacrity scroll's
- 1 Mysterious Fragment
- 1 Ancient Weapon
- 68k in gold
- 55 ish items

i found it strange there being so little amount of stuff in the chests.
the level 1-3 the loot was garbage.
the level 4 and 5 chests the loot was actually pretty good.
the odd chest would have a lot of heavy items or cursed items but 2 chests for sure rolled high and almost everything was artifact level.

going forward i wont waste my time on level 1-3 but the level 4-5 are worth the effort.
seeing some strange stuff thought.

sine when do we get glasses as loot?
just normal magical glasses that are imbueable?

new stuff

 

[Poo]

the ancient sword does actually fit on the sword display nicely!

both brown and black display below

 

[Keven2002]

@Poo - Thanks for the updates! I anxiously await the release to my shard. I am a little intrigued by the "ancient weapon" as that is something I never came across on TC. I wonder if that has something to do with the arc. I actually thought to myself that the Forgotten Treasures arc starts soon but didn't really know what it entailed since it seems like all that was on TC that was actively tested was the T-Hunting revamp.

 

[Tina Small]

I'm curious to see if anyone finds cloth and leather wing armor with properties on them from chests in Ter Mur. The cloth ones might come from Mage chests and the leather ones from Ranger chests.

 

[Cinderella]

have you tried checking the Ancient weapon with a blacksmith?
or clicking on it to see if a skill is required?
I'm wondering if it has a message

 

[North_LS]

thanks for posting, and good to see that the loot isnt the calamity everyone seemed to be predicting. interested to make a t-hunter now. thinking mage/eval/mystic/focus/cart/lockpick/remove trap.

 

[MalagAste]

I'm curious to see if anyone finds cloth and leather wing armor with properties on them from chests in Ter Mur. The cloth ones might come from Mage chests and the leather ones from Ranger chests.

Would be nice but I highly doubt it the devs seem to loathe gargoyles and refuse to give them anything nice like stuff from the roof and such... not sure why.

 

[North_LS]

Would be nice but I highly doubt it the devs seem to loathe gargoyles and refuse to give them anything nice like stuff from the roof and such... not sure why.

everyone loathes gargoyles. drives me nuts when i get great mods on a gargoyle piece. would be nice to be able to transmute regular stuff as well as artifacts.

 

[Tina Small]

Would be nice but I highly doubt it the devs seem to loathe gargoyles and refuse to give them anything nice like stuff from the roof and such... not sure why.

I found some on TC that had no properties and asked about them being in treasure chests. Kyronix responded on 4/26: "[T]he lack of properties on those gargoyle items is a bug." That makes me think he plans to introduce wing armor with properties. Will they be unique to treasure chests? Who knows. With him asking about what our favorite artifacts are, you never know.

Pub 105 - Treasure Map Update Phase I *Bugs, Loot, and Guardian Mob Distribution Only* - Page 8

 

[MalagAste]

Ever since Eodon we've asked about getting the gargish version of the Hawkwinds robe.... it IS in the art files... however, they have repeatedly ignored the request... heck it's even on their forums... and it's ignored. So my faith in that is well... nonexistent...

 

[DevilsOwn]

what is "Mysterious Fragment"?

 

[Tina Small]

what is "Mysterious Fragment"?

This is what some of them look like. I don't know if there are other colors or not. The green one was from a chest in Fel and I don't remember if the first two were from Trammel or Fel. I've gotten 3 out of 11 chests so far.

 

[Dot_Warner]

The fragment's meaning will become more apparent later, though if you read the fiction you can easily deduce what they are.

 

[Khaelor]

I don't know if there are other colors or not.
View attachment 98867

Orange, red, green, yellow, reflective shadow, blue, purple, white

Got one of almost all of them last night when we went testing

 

[fonsvitae]

Orange, red, green, yellow, reflective shadow, blue, purple, white

Got one of almost all of them last night when we went testing

Hmm... do those colors not parallel the colors of soulstones?

 

[Poo]

no one things getting glasses in the chest was strange?

i think that is strange!!!!!

 

[Khaelor]

Hmm... do those colors not parallel the colors of soulstones?

Virtue colors. (Which is also soulstone colors)

no one things getting glasses in the chest was strange?

i think that is strange!!!!!

No... because we tested on tc and saw them there. As for the axes and hats, including glasses and garland, that's the artisan chest. Each type of chest has different loot drops associated with it. On lower chests you can get glasses that give + cartography for better quality chests.

 

[popps]

The fragment's meaning will become more apparent later, though if you read the fiction you can easily deduce what they are.

The only reference which "might" have some connection to these Mysterious Fragments found in Treasure Chests, might be perhaps this like in the "Sacrifice" fiction piece...

The knight commander was surprised when he saw the survivor crawling out of the surf. The man struggled to stand after the swim. It was a young pirate with a longsword strapped to his back. He was clutching a stone object tightly to his chest. Seeing the line of knights, he held out what he was carrying before collapsing.

Personally, though, I can't deduce what these Mysterious Fragments might be and what they would be usable for....

 

[Dot_Warner]

Nearly every piece of fiction has addressed what the fragments are. Only The Guild and Strive for Unity didn't make reference.

As @Khaelor noted, the colors are also a massive beat-you-over-the-head-with-it clue.

 

[Khaelor]

Can't find the green one in the boxes, but Tina has it in her picture.

Just from the 20 various level chests I've done thus far on Baja, I've been able to get up to 62 remove trap.

 

[popps]

Nearly every piece of fiction has addressed what the fragments are. Only The Guild and Strive for Unity didn't make reference.

As @Khaelor noted, the colors are also a massive beat-you-over-the-head-with-it clue.

Bah, in Call to Valor 07 – The Call to Valor – Ultima Online, the only thing which I can "remotedly" see as a reference (but it could also well be anything else...) is where it says "The flawless stone was inlaid with a gold sword.".

Would that mean that these Mysterious Fragments are supposed to be combined with one another into a full stone and then be "inlaid" into a "gold" sword to perhaps enhance its effectiveness ? Would such a sword be the "Ancient" Sword being found in Treasure Chests with the new Publish ?

What for ?

I am highly sceptical although, in "Sea of Tears" 06 – Sea of Tears – Ultima Online , these lines "might" make one think that these fragments might be needed as a "weapon" or an item necessary to "enhance" a weapon (the gold sword) ?

"Hook shrugged, as he put down the chest. “Your approval is not required.” He removed the Rune of Valor from a bed of cotton and held it up to the lantern. A cut on his hand left blood on the etching of a sword on the Rune’s surface.


Something about the Rune made Noxum remember an old ballad about a nixie who saved her kin from a shark. “What is that rune to you? Something else for your treasure pile? Something to ransom with?”


Hook laughed. “On no. This is a weapon.""

Yet, "Treasure Island", 05 – Treasure Island – Ultima Online mentions a "Rune of Valor"

“It mentions a lord. Rule of the Den is not passed by family, but by vote.” Hook took out a knife and made a cut. He smeared his blood against the lock. The stones of the reliquary opened, revealing what was inside: the Rune of Valor.

Does that mean that these color Fragments would be needed to be unified into a Rune of Valor which then would become a "Weapon" by inlaiding it into a "Gold Sword" ?

But then, why are not all of the fragments all in the color of the Valor Virtue ?
Why are they in 8 Colors, apparently 1 for each of the Virtues ?

Why should 8 Fragments, 1 for each different Virtu and colore, then combine into a "Rune of Valor" ?

Or will it be necessary to group together an X number of same color Fragments to then craft that given Color Virtue Rune ?

Following what process, mechanics, and with what skills as needed and tools used ?

Perhaps, that is what joining the Fellowship will be needed for ?

Go figure....

 

[MalagAste]

Valor

Formed by: Courage
Color: Red
Sigil: the Dagger of Valor
City: Jhelom
Companion: Geoffery
Mantra: RA
Counter: Destard

To be strong.

Valor comes from single principle of Courage. To the southwest of Serpents Hold on the southernmost island of all resides the Shrine of Virtue.

Perhaps the most dangerous of all dungeons, Destard is located directly to the west of Trinsic on the far side of the Skara Brae mountains.

Valor would be the RED pieces...

 

[popps]

Valor would be the RED pieces...

But if the Fiction is all about the "Rune of Valor", why the Treasure Chests get spawned "also" Mysterious Fragments in the other 7 Virtues Colors ?

What for ?

 

[popps]

Valor would be the RED pieces...

But if the Fiction is all about the "Rune of Valor", why the Treasure Chests get spawned "also" Mysterious Fragments in the other 7 Virtues Colors ?

What for ?

 

[MalagAste]

One would guess the other runes... for each of the virtues.

 

[Dot_Warner]

But if the Fiction is all about the "Rune of Valor", why the Treasure Chests get spawned "also" Mysterious Fragments in the other 7 Virtues Colors ?

Wait patiently and all shall be revealed in due time.

 

[Tina Small]

People should make sure they have LOTS of maps ready to dig up. Have fun getting them, though. The RNG seems to be particularly stingy these days for dropping maps as loot. My guess is they are shuddering at the thought of how many maps have to be converted to the new system and given new coordinates as well.

 

[dukarlo]

Has anyone seen any truly high end loot such as legenderys?

 

[Keven2002]

Has anyone seen any truly high end loot such as legenderys?

Yes legendaries can be found in the new chests (at least on TC). That being said, there are two caveats on this. First one is that legendaries were also spawning in the pre-release chests (perhaps not as frequent though). Second one is the more important one; while the TC chests did seem to have higher frequency of a legendary items, not all lengedaries are created equal. Like I said, I did see legendary items on TC in higher end chests (hoard & trove) but they were hardly something I'd use as typically most of the mods weren't even maxed out (I've seen some Major Artifacts that would compare).

I cannot speak to how things are on prod shards though; not sure where the final needle landed on the chest loot and the frequency/quality of the legendary items.

I am seeing that people are posting there have been some newer drops in the chests though which is exciting.

 

[dukarlo]

I'm excited to try things out. I have about 40 to 50 level 6 maps I've been sitting on and I have a build for my t hunter in mind. I've always liked t hunting but haven't done any maps in about 6 months. T hunting for me has always been fun. . It's much preferable to mindlessly farming mobs over and over in a blanket attempt to get something nice.

 

[Xris]

I'm excited to try things out. I have about 40 to 50 level 6 maps I've been sitting on and I have a build for my t hunter in mind. I've always liked t hunting but haven't done any maps in about 6 months. T hunting for me has always been fun. . It's much preferable to mindlessly farming mobs over and over in a blanket attempt to get something nice.

Same here, I have a box full of maps, and all the skills stoned, but haven't built a thunter in 10+ years. I guess this is the reason I kept all those maps!

 

[Parnoc]

I know it's a minor thing, but I haven't seen anyone say if we are still getting the skeleton keys from the chests. Is that still working?

 

[Tina Small]

I know it's a minor thing, but I haven't seen anyone say if we are still getting the skeleton keys from the chests. Is that still working?

Yes, both kinds are still spawning. You'll only find them in Assassin Supply chests, though.

 

[Abbarosh]

forged pardons anyone seen one of those?

 

[Tina Small]

forged pardons anyone seen one of those?

@Abbarosh, this is a little long, but it eventually answers your question and maybe some you didn't even know you had!

Supply-level chests have a chance to include what the publish notes refer to as "legacy minor artifacts" and "Publish 67 artifacts." They may also include the Legendary Mapmaker's Glasses that have a cartography bonus of +1, +2, +3. +4, or +5 and come in human or gargoyle versions.

If one of the "legacy minor artifacts" shows up, it will be in a pale green bag. I've seen very few of these, but they seem to include the minor artifacts from Ilshenar, e.g., Blaze of Death and Cold Blood from two different Warrior Supply chests. My guess is that you could probably use this list ( Artifacts – Minor – Ultima Online ) as a reference, but I'm not really sure if everything on this list is what is meant by "legacy minor artifacts." I expect that what we'll find in Supply treasure chests are the items on that list that don't say they are a Mondains Legacy Minor Artifact, Paragon Only, or Leviathan Only.

Now we come to the Publish 67 artifacts. There's a list here: Artifacts – Buried – Ultima Online . I have not figured out yet if these items are tied to specific themes, so this list of what I have seen in TC and Origin treasure chests is speculative only. Note that these do not show up in a green bag. The pale green bag seems to be reserved for the "legacy minor artifacts."

Artisan Supply chests: Surge shields and mana phasing orbs
Assassin Supply chests: Forged pardons
Mage Supply Chests: Runed Sash of Warding
Ranger Supply Chests: Runed Sash of Warding and Surge shields
Warrior Supply Chests: Runed Sash of Warding and Surge shields

I've seen the skeleton keys and master skeleton keys in Assassin Supply chests, but had been assuming those showed up as the "utility item" for Assassin Supply chests. (The shield engraving tool shows up as a utility item in Artisan Supply chests and pet treats show up as a utility item in Ranger Supply chests.)

The publish notes mention that Cache, Horde, and Trove chests can include a deco item. This is where things get fuzzy again. The creeping vine from the "buried artifacts" list at the link above seems to perhaps be the deco item for Ranger Cache, Horde, and Trove chests. The new item called "Ancient Weapon" may be the deco item for Assassin and Warrior Cache, Horde, and Trove chests. The new "Hourglass" may be the deco item for Mage Cache, Horde, and Trove chests. Other people have gotten coffin pieces on TC and new very colorful "day of the dead" type skull floor tiles . The skull floor tiles seem to be from Artisan Cache, Horde, and Trove chests and that would leave the coffin pieces as the deco item for Assassin Cache, Horde, and Trove chests. But then again, people reported getting the coffin pieces in Mage chests. This is all speculation on the deco items, however, because they just don't spawn very often and I don't think we've seen enough of a pattern to be sure on them. I guess be prepared for the deco stuff to show up in any cache, horde, or trove chest. Maybe people will post about what they're finding and we'll see some patterns.

 

[Abbarosh]

next question when is it going live to everyone else?

 

[Dot_Warner]

Soon™

 

[Xris]

I'm excited to try things out. I have about 40 to 50 level 6 maps I've been sitting on and I have a build for my t hunter in mind. I've always liked t hunting but haven't done any maps in about 6 months. T hunting for me has always been fun. . It's much preferable to mindlessly farming mobs over and over in a blanket attempt to get something nice.

I haven't really tried much on TC yet. Are you going to run RT on temp? If so GM?

 

[dukarlo]

Yes, how I understand it, the cartography skill will take care of the chest location so I'm taking mining off and adding remove trap

 

[Poo]

Yes, how I understand it, the cartography skill will take care of the chest location so I'm taking mining off and adding remove trap

i can confirm this from what i did on Origin.
i HAD mining (GM) and took it off and i was hitting the chests from like 10 tiles away every time.
so it looks like the bonus we got before with mining now had been rolled into the Cartography skill.

 

[Xris]

i can confirm this from what i did on Origin.
i HAD mining (GM) and took it off and i was hitting the chests from like 10 tiles away every time.
so it looks like the bonus we got before with mining now had been rolled into the Cartography skill.

I was more curious if GM RT was worth it or if using say 80 may be worth it to free up skill points.

 

[Tina Small]

I was more curious if GM RT was worth it or if using say 80 may be worth it to free up skill points.

You could try it on Test Center, but I am not sure that TC has the same publish that Origin, Baja, and Izumo have. Just tried it now on TC and the red message when the ancient chest guardian appears is missing. So no way to really know if you'd get the same number of ancient chest guardians on TC as you would on a shard that has the latest version of the publish. I think if you are only going to be doing cache, supply or stash maps, sticking with just 80 remove trap would probably be fine. However, once you get to horde and trove maps, with just 80 remove trap skill, you might have to kill so many ancient chest guardians that perhaps the chest would disappear. Definitely give it a shot on TC, but keep in mind that it doesn't seem to have the latest version of the publish anymore.

The screenshot is from just now on TC from digging up a supply chest with only 80 remove trap skill. The red message about the mechanism being jammed when the ancient chest guardian pops up is not there. Also, on Origin at this point, I have to click on the chest again after killing a chest guardian and the disarming process starts anew. On TC it still seems to be a more automatic process that proceeds with popping guardians one after another until you finally get the success message.


This is the type of message you see now on Origin, with the latest version of the publish:

 

[Lore]

I've said it before and I'll say it again... whatever artist they have working on the in game art is a genius at this isometric 2d stuff. Talent being wasted IMO. Hope that person is getting paid the big bucks.

 

[celticus]

I've said it before and I'll say it again... whatever artist they have working on the in game art is a genius at this isometric 2d stuff. Talent being wasted IMO. Hope that person is getting paid the big bucks.

Is this sarcasm, and what exactly are you saying? Can you be a little bit more specific? What is the point you are trying to make?

 

[Zeke]

@Tina Small I had the opposite experience with the maps you gave me. I started RT on the chest and 1 after another guardian spawned until I completed it successfully. On TC even with GM RT whenever I failed I got one Guardian, killed it and had to redo RT again. BTW thanks again for the maps. Didn't get anything exciting but ….

 

[Tina Small]

I have to say that the blue/black color of the ancient chest guardians is pretty neat.

@Tina Small I had the opposite experience with the maps you gave me. I started RT on the chest and 1 after another guardian spawned until I completed it successfully. On TC even with GM RT whenever I failed I got one Guardian, killed it and had to redo RT again. BTW thanks again for the maps. Didn't get anything exciting but ….

Yeah, it's been that way ever since it hit Origin. I kill the ancient chest guardian, try to open the chest and it always says something like you'll have a better chance of opening it if you use remove trap skill or something like that. Every time there is a guardian. Can't get in the chest without using remove trap skill again. Even between guardians, like on a hoard chest, have to click the chest again after the first one and then there's a second one to do.

Which client are you using? Not sure it would make any difference, but who knows. Also, what's your RT skill at? Mine's GM.

 

[Zeke]

@Tina Small I'm using EC with Pincos. My RT is only 50 and i'm doing the Level 1 & 2's you gave me. I usually ended up with 4 to 5 Guardians on each chest and I only used RT once. One would die then another would spawn. I stayed 8-10 steps away and my pet killed them before they reached me, but I did get the fire damage from each one. BTW I got a pair of +3 Carto Glasses on one of the Fel ones. Let me know if you haven't gotten any and you can have these.

 

[Poo]

i didnt try any chests with anything other then GM RT, but i can tell you that the new Level 4 and 5 chests (old 6 and 7) you will be sitting there a LONG time if you have lower than GM RT.

the level 7 we did i didnt count but i failed AT LEAST 12 times on disarming the chest, id imagine it was closer to 20.

not like its a big whoop, specially if you have people there that are competent killers.

now, what im curious about and what we just started to test a little was adding more people to the part if that gets us more and better loot.
when i get some time to test once more im gonna try a couple chests with 5-6 people in the party to see if that effects the loot any.

 

[Tina Small]

@Tina Small I'm using EC with Pincos. My RT is only 50 and i'm doing the Level 1 & 2's you gave me. I usually ended up with 4 to 5 Guardians on each chest and I only used RT once. One would die then another would spawn. I stayed 8-10 steps away and my pet killed them before they reached me, but I did get the fire damage from each one. BTW I got a pair of +3 Carto Glasses on one of the Fel ones. Let me know if you haven't gotten any and you can have these.

I wonder if I'm just not waiting long enough after killing the ancient chest guardian. I know on TC when using less than GM RT, those guardians popped up one right after another, as soon as one died, there was another one . Anyway, here's a screen shot showing the message (circled in red) I get when clicking the chest after killing the first ancient chest guardian.

 

[Abbarosh]

can someone link some loot you have been getting as publish still isnt with the rest of us