Can we go back to the way they dropped in past expansions? The reason why they are so expensive/rare in the bazaar is that there is no real way to farm for a specific dreadmote. In recent expansions, the higher tiers dropped greaters/glowings and the lower tiers dropped minors/lesser with mediums somewhere in between.
The tiered distribution is still there. T1 missions and named have better chances of dropping lv 96-97 motes. T2 - lv 98-100 ones. Any level can drop in either tier but the general rule is still there. IMO this is better than strict division in previous expansions, from the grouping point of view. You have a chance to get lv 100 spells doing T1 when you are not yet ready to move on to T2.
This is the first expansion that ive played in and got this deep into the expansion and still dont have all of my rank 2 spells. I usually have them all by this point, but not in RoF. The spells cost an arm and a leg in the bazaar right now (50k+ plat in some cases) - So yes, there needs to be better ways of getting the spell drops. Or at least make them a lot more common.
I think the main difference we're seeing here is that most the missions are much harder in VoA/RoF compared to what they were in HoT. Those drop a spell in a chest at the end, guaranteed. That is probably why you not seeing as many, why their prices are higher right now, etceteras. I imagine in a couple months spells will become considerably cheaper.
The actual main difference is that in HoT, spell gems drop from trash mobs . . . now they don't. It took maybe 2 weeks for the spell prices to plummet in the bazaar during HoT.
Don't forget that we are less then 2 months into the expansion so a lot of people are still collecting their spells.
Just over a month and you don't have ALL your Rk. 2 yet? Really don't see how you can complain about something like that right now. I'll agree, in the past I would have had just about all of them as well but it still beats any of the old systems. If you want a guaranteed drop run missions. Trade your extra motes or sell them in the bazaar for an outrageous price so you can buy the other outrageously priced motes. With offline trading you can sell motes you don't need quick if you undercut everyone. You'll be able to afford the ones you need then and drive the price down. It's actually rather entertaining to watch the bazaar economy if you track the "fear touched" drops and other ROF items. Anyway, it'd be nice to have more Rk. 2 spells but a month after release I don't expect it. If you still have a problem in another month or two then you probably have a valid point. At least you don't have to depend on a gem drop, a mission, or faction to get it.
Great point about mission obtained spells, those could prove much harder to obtain. Although I'm one of those weirdos who like challenges, so I actually liked that system... May faction based spells/ANYTHING burn in a horrible tire fire though, nothing but hate for being forced to kill the same mobs 500 times.
The range of the shared drop rate is a problem, because mobs at max drop one dreadmote. In VoA T4 mobs dropped cantrips at the same rate, but in T4 only greaters and glowings dropped. In RoF T2, everything from lessers to glowings drop, making the glowings very rare.
Nothing wrong with challenges and I definitely agree. However, I could see the uproar if any class had some defining Rk. 2 spell locked behind a mission that was considered too hard. I didn't realize Lv. 100 Rk. 2 spell turn-ins were supposed to be common. There is no reason you absolutely need a Rk. 2 spell as a grouper and if you're a raider, the Rk. 3 spells deemed important (major buffs, etc.) are generally handed out first. What would have been a good idea? Add a non-tradeable dreadmote as a reward for partisan achievements or something. T1 you get to pick 96 - 98, T2 pick 98-100. Random thought. I just don't know why people feel they are entitled to Rk. 2 spells off the bat. You do remember you can BUY any Rk. 1 spell for ~1k right? Anyone complaining either has amnesia or was not playing around PoP or earlier. #1. Your ONLY version of a spell was a random mob drop from certain parts of certain zones. #2. You got a spell rune... which gave you a random spell. IE. You wind up with 5 copies of Illusion Froglok for turning in the "glowing" rune. You can say "well that was then and now it's 2013". That is true, things get better with time. The spell system has gradually progressed and improved. That is why you have Rk. 1 available to you from the start instead of depending on a drop to have ANYTHING. This is easy mode- versions of ALL spells are accessible from Day 1 and then for some effort you get a marginally better copy. Even with what you feel is the "unbalanced" distribution of dreadmotes dropping, the point still stands. You may also complain about the prices being "too high" but guess what... you can literally sell EVERYTHING from T1 to people in the bazaar. The amount of plat exchanging hands has probably significantly increased since VoA as well. Use your resources.
Silv, I would take it a step further and re-visit Luclin days, when a raid boss mob was the ONLY way to see a spell, period. Why very few SKs back then had lich of any kind. Also had caster spells you needed rare level 50 + mob kills to see components to hopefully combine into what you wanted in the old world. Spells nowadays are easy mode to the extreme.
I just sell all the dreadmotes I get. the prices are ridiculously high and the mountain of plat is more useful to me (on FV) then the tiny upgrades rk2 gives me. I plan to get my rk2s in 6 months or so when prices are lower. until then I'm selling.
Ugh, yeah... trying to get KEI back in Luclin was SOOOO fun. At least there was a greater sense of accomplishment. OMG!... and all those people who had to use the last expansion's version of spells still managed to hold on somehow. People in EQ fixate on numbers, that's a given, and that's how it's always been. I do wonder though how many people actually LOOK at the differences between Rk. 1 to Rk. 2. to Rk. 3. Generally, it is not a huge power shift. If people really want to increase their power and efficiency RIGHT NOW go spend the plat you'd use to buy a dreadmote to buy Type 3 augs. That's actually something worth investing in and usually more rewarding. If you've already done that then see ^above about utilizing the bazaar. Now that you can /baz anywhere at any time you really can keep an eye on the economy flux and sell/buy smart. Watch the baz on your server for a day or two, checking at different times, and note the price of dreadmotes, fear touched, whatever. You'll start to see when you should/shouldn't buy, etc. Of course, that also requires patience, much like waiting for Rk. 2 spells in the first place
The motes are so high because no one farms the missions. Another side effect to the lack of hack and slash / lack of repeatability for missions In Hot every mission was mass farmed and spells were there enough in VOA some missions were mass farmed and one was even soloable in ROF were 2 monthes in and I have yet to see people mass repeating or just xping by doing missions in my guild. People will do them that need/want them. But no one is going "XP Group" and just doing them.
Burn lesson in Shards #1 while you farm motes or just farm Shards #2 for a tiny bit of XP and a cashcow. Depending on your DPS the latter will take you 30/40 minutes max or much less. You get a 96-99 mote and a sellable item. The EM XII item drops in #2 for example which you can usually get a nice sum for. Sell items or extra motes. Buy Lv. 100 motes in Bazaar with newly obtained plat. A few T2 missions are also quick but you don't get sellable loot. You then have to determine if it is faster to 1) do T1, sell loot and use plat to buy glowing motes, or 2) do T2 and try to farm glowing motes. If you farm static camps then you may also get Fear Touched drops to sell in T1. Buying spells is a perfectly acceptable game mechanism and discounting it as a method compared to say, camping a mob or running an instance is foolish. BTW, I also promise all of this can be done with Rk. 1 spells.
The issue Silv is so few people are repeating them I have yet to see Generic "XP group" doing missions like in the past especially T2 missions/Glowing Here's Bazaar Prices: Glowing 125k, 150k, 315k (*4) Greaters about 40k Lesser/Median about 30k Minors 12-15k all those prices are significantly higher, than they were at this point in last 2 expansions. Glowing way way way higher. It's simple supply and demand. Price Increase says way less Motes hitting market than the past. Now why you think thats good, we'll have to disagree on
In VoA there was that sarith group mission that my sk could solo easy to get spells. In RoF there doesnt seem to be any real easymode missions that ive found. Also THE NAMED SPAWN RATES ARE PATHETIC( hoping to catch the eye of a dev there).
Named spawns are easy if your willing to put in the effort to camp the spot. @Astehroth... So you admit you want easy mode ?
