Alchemy and you

[Silvestra]

So, I just recently started playing a young sorcerer for kicks. And I was thinking about setting his new goal as an alchemy master.

Here are some few questions though.

I have been hearing on the official boards how impossibly difficult it is to get even one rep done in Alchemy. I also play a warrior, so...

1.) How much more longer does it take to do 1 rep of the easiest alchemy rep versus say doing a rep of berserk (probably the most easiest guild skill to master) ?

2.) In general, how long does it take to get 1 rank of alchemy in terms of real time.

3.) What are the potential benefits of alchemy? Can you name a few?

4.) Do you think doing alchemy is worth it?

5.) Are the reps actually fun doing? Or are they tedious and do you consider them a chore?

Ok thanks for any info.

[Kyrandos]

More importantly, is that you in your avatar? Cause if so, you are gorgeous, and we're going to get married so long as you pass my impossibly high standards and are willing to die for me.

[Drisco]

You are such a fucking posting whore of nonsense, please cease and desist. Kthx

[Meges]

You are such a fucking posting whore of nonsense, please cease and desist. Kthx

Coming from the authority on the matter...


Meges

[Drisco]

Oh the bitch of the forum has arrived. Thank you for gracing us with your presence. Considering I barely post anymore you are quiet off. It seems you can't drop a issue we had awhile ago, to bad everyone has to see you like this.

Seriously tho Kyrandos cool your jets on the posting.

[Anebriated]

But the new arrival of GM titles is big news! I mean after 14 years the new things they come out with are just amazing.

[Numbers]

Only two posts for this thread to get completely off track and entirely confusing.

Is that a record?

[Grimaldus]

The early ranks of alchemy are not that bad, but later on you have to make more complex brews and getting all the ingredients can be a pain. I was turned off of it when I read some of the potions I would have to make to get a rep in the middle ranks and beyond. Getting enough of the ingredients for 5-15 reps to just complete a task for a few points just does not seem like it is worth it right now.

The only other guild skills I have to compare it to are the rogue's. By comparison most of those seem pretty easy, it is not really hard to find someone to practice sweep or gambits with. Even lockmastery at the ranks I am at is not as bad as I think finding the ingredients and grinding out those potions would be.

[Krinthalis]

I'm not terribly far along with alchemy, but I've kept up with it pretty well, and so hopefully can offer a little bit of help.

"1.) How much more longer does it take to do 1 rep of the easiest alchemy rep versus say doing a rep of berserk (probably the most easiest guild skill to master) ?"

The easiest general alchemy reps are incredibly easy. Before rank 15, a single rep is probably like a minute, max. Ranks 15 to about 30ish are a bit longer, because you have to make salt, but no more than about 2 minutes a rep. I can't really say much past that, as I haven't gotten that far (but I've heard bad things).

However, lets talk about trinkets and potions. Right now, I need a smoky topaz every rep. A single task is like 8 reps and gives 10 points if I'm lucky. Say half the tasks are "create" tasks, then that means I need something like 25 or 30 smoky topazes per rank. And thats at rank 5, when I have as many of the crystals as I need. At higher ranks, you're limited not just by the gems, but also by the crystals that go into the recipes.

"2.) In general, how long does it take to get 1 rank of alchemy in terms of real time."

For ranks 1 - 30ish in general, I could do a rank in about an hour, give or take. I had essentially unlimited foragables, which helps a lot. If you have to forage yourself, it might take longer. For trinkets and potions, you're literally talking weeks per rank for anyone who plays at something approaching a normal rate.

"3.) What are the potential benefits of alchemy? Can you name a few?"

Given that my character knows the spell 420, I would say the only thing thats at all useful are the mana potions, but they are certainly not worth the effort.

"4.) Do you think doing alchemy is worth it?"

Right now, not at all. Mechanically, its just a pain. You have to carry around so much junk (literally hundreds of flasks and crystals and salts, none of which bundles of course) to the point where you have to either pass off your bag to another character, or just give up hunting. Also, its incredibly frustrating hoping you find some random gem you have a .000001% chance of finding. And as of yet, there is essentially no reward.

"5.) Are the reps actually fun doing? Or are they tedious and do you consider them a chore?"

I think the general alchemy reps are neat and the system as a whole has a lot of potential for fun. What I would suggest is that you just avoid potions and trinkets, and play with general alchemy up to about 30 ranks. Its neat when you make a new recipe and write it in your book and stuff. Its also neat to see more of the guild than you would have otherwise. But don't expect anything mechanically useful to come out of it and be prepared for there to be a moment when it stops being fun and starts being a chore. When that happens, just stop.

[Numbers]

Less tedium, more fun!

[Sypher]

::sigh:: My pessimistic views coming in again.. from all the horror stories of alchemy all I can say is Simu is trying to milk the current pbase for all it's worth.

At the very least, they could have put in some mechanically useful potions and items so people will actually get on the mouse wheel. A rank takes weeks? So it'll take years to completely master alchemy then with no significant reward at the end? Why is anyone even doing this then?

[Nilandia]

Because what can be made now is certainly not everything that can be made. Much has been made of a Phase 2 release that will be purely more recipes to make more stuff. It's also been posted by the GMs that the system is incredibly flexible, and one gave the example that they could make a recipe for an oil that, when rubbed on player-made shoes, boosted climbing.

It's not in what's currently available, but in what may be.

That, and wanting to be first, to have something to do besides hunting, to fill out their characters, or just because.

Gretchen

[Jayvn]

I'm having a blast with Alchemy, the stuff isn't Amazingly useful yet..except the greater mana,and greater mana well potions... people don't need MIU to drink the potions.. I'll probably be helping up and coming alchemists here in the next month or so... :) and phase 2 should make it well worth mastering anyway.
59/28/18 slowly grinding away

[Davenshire]

Alchemy is horrible currently.

All the hard chargers that cranked out obnoxious amount of ranks the first week+ got way ahead. They up'd the standards for ranks, and now they all have a huge lead.

I kicked out about 20 ranks in the first few days, I took a break because it really took away from the game ofr me hwo much time I was spending in the guild.

I recently started it up again, and I have to say it makes slap hands/ arrow dodge look like a walk in the park.

They've made it extremely rediculous. You need certain gems for trinket and potion reps. Now you see old ass chars power farming ankle biter areas. You have to carry aorund and make constant trips to yer locker for bulky mats. (all oyu poor halfling/gnomes......)

It wasn't so bad starting out, but their knee jerk reaction to the few hard cores was WAY overboard. I think 20 years from know after I leave my future children/grand children my account, they might finish it....

Maybe around the time Heroes Journey comes out???? who knows.

I've put alchemy training on hold currently, probably for the duration. I was slowly pickign away at general ranks, but even those have become insane.

Heck this is 10x worse then forging!

[Elvenlady]

I'm still loving it!

Being able to make the cure potion for an in-game story line showed me the potential of alchemy, so I'm sticking it out and plodding along slowly but surely.

[Meges]

Oh the bitch of the forum has arrived. Thank you for gracing us with your presence. Considering I barely post anymore you are quiet off. It seems you can't drop a issue we had awhile ago, to bad everyone has to see you like this.

Seriously tho Kyrandos cool your jets on the posting.


Coming from the authority on the matter...


Meges


You are such a fucking posting whore of nonsense, please cease and desist. Kthx

THE Authority! You're just like your new buddy there, pal. Two peas in a pod.


Meges

[Cademus]

I can see alchemy prospering into something truly great. As someone mentioned a potion to increase climb ranks, perhaps a potion that gives a temporary flare to a weapon or even a potion that can teleport you back to a safe area?

[TheEschaton]

Maybe potions to brew glory, bottle fame, and....stopper Death?

[Latrinsorm]

Now you see old ass chars power farming ankle biter areas.People are cash hunting with high level characters?? Unprecedented!!!
And as of yet, there is essentially no reward.There's always exp. :D
But don't expect anything mechanically useful to come out of it and be prepared for there to be a moment when it stops being fun and starts being a chore.Powerguilding for every profession is a chore. That doesn't make the skills themselves worthless.

Were people seriously expecting that alchemy would offer tangible combat benefits?

[Elvenlady]

They've made it extremely rediculous. You need certain gems for trinket and potion reps. Now you see old ass chars power farming ankle biter areas.

It makes perfect sense to have gems and components drop in lower level hunting areas or else the lower level alchemists would be complaining in droves that they don't have a hope in hell of getting them.

I've never understood why people get so upset about higher level characters hunting a low level hunting area anyway. What difference does it actually make what level the hunter is, unless of course they are (a) afk script hunting and being disruptive or (b) deliberately killing and looting the critters you are currently attacking?

[Tolwynn]

I've never understood why people get so upset about higher level characters hunting a low level hunting area anyway. What difference does it actually make what level the hunter is, unless of course they are (a) afk script hunting and being disruptive or (b) deliberately killing and looting the critters you are currently attacking?

The biggest problem would probably be when the area in question ramps up significantly in difficulty in response to the higher characters. Higher level and/or swarms of critters can make it pretty bad for the folks that would normally hunt in the area.

Cash hunters will often cherry pick critters in certain areas too, for having little or no silvers. This isn't always a problem, but can be in some areas, like in shan when tons of mammoth arachnids are left behind.

Of course, higher levels of any sort will have this effect, cash hunting or no. Your average Northern Fury drill, for example, is going to cause way more collateral casualties than these alchemy component hunters ever will, between numbers and levels combined.

[AestheticDeath]

More often than not, when a higher level (say 2x the critter level) comes in to loot a younger creature, they are so adept at it, that the like level characters have no chance to kill anything beyond 1 every three minutes or something when they actually catch something spawn.

Personally if I am power looting an area, and find some younger people come in to actually gain experience from the area, I will leave if I cannot gain experience there myself.

[Drisco]

THE Authority! You're just like your new buddy there, pal. Two peas in a pod.


Meges

You are so clueless.

[Numbers]

Huhuhuhwahwahaahahahaaaaa!

Do you HONESTLY think they'll EVER implement a "phase 2"?

Have you been playing the same game I have?

It's made by Simutronics, right? There's your answer right there.

[Meges]

You are so clueless.

I can live with that. And apparently you can live with being the idiot. So, I guess we're both good to go.

Stop acting like you've been on this BBS years and years and have some kind of right to bash new posters when just a month ago you were doing the same damn thing and acting the same damn way and still are the same damn idiot. You bash this new guy for acting the way you did and wonder why I have issues with you? You're an idiot and a hypocritical one at that. The only thing you have going for you are the semi-amusing avatars you use, because it sure as hell hasn't been the completely idiotic posts you started with.


Meges

PS OMGOMG plz give me ur CC# so I can ply GSIV!!11!one

[Drisco]

I can live with that. And apparently you can live with being the idiot. So, I guess we're both good to go.

Stop acting like you've been on this BBS years and years and have some kind of right to bash new posters when just a month ago you were doing the same damn thing and acting the same damn way and still are the same damn idiot. You bash this new guy for acting the way you did and wonder why I have issues with you? You're an idiot and a hypocritical one at that. The only thing you have going for you are the semi-amusing avatars you use, because it sure as hell hasn't been the completely idiotic posts you started with.


Meges

PS OMGOMG plz give me ur CC# so I can ply GSIV!!11!one



For one I've never acted like I have been on this BBS for years and years. You can actually tell that I haven't by the date in the right corner of my post ZOMG!!! You are the one who seems to be pulling that kind of thing like you are the queen of this forum, or you have nothing better to do then stick up for a person who is obvious being a idiot. You also started all this so don't act like I'm the one who is being the instigator, you can't seem to let a simple fight go. Also I am not bashing this guy I'm just telling him to stop posting a lot of BS that a lot of people are getting sick of. Also I never acted like this I might have posted a lot but I wasn't like him, no one really had a problem with me besides you and maybe one or two others.

PS. I R RULER OF DIS FORUM> AnYONE Who I say IS IDIOT I BASH!!111@!@. Like really get over your self inflated ego its only a forum.

PPS. I as well like my avatars and the only thing you have going for you is ... well nothing you're just a bitch.

[Meges]

For one I've never acted like I have been on this BBS for years and years. You can actually tell that I haven't by the date in the right corner of my post ZOMG!!! You are the one who seems to be pulling that kind of thing like you are the queen of this forum, or you have nothing better to do then stick up for a person who is obvious being a idiot. You also started all this so don't act like I'm the one who is being the instigator, you can't seem to let a simple fight go. Also I am not bashing this guy I'm just telling him to stop posting a lot of BS that a lot of people are getting sick of. Also I never acted like this I might have posted a lot but I wasn't like him, no one really had a problem with me besides you and maybe one or two others.

PS. I R RULER OF DIS FORUM> AnYONE Who I say IS IDIOT I BASH!!111@!@. Like really get over your self inflated ego its only a forum.

PPS. I as well like my avatars and the only thing you have going for you is ... well nothing you're just a bitch.

You are so clueless...


Meges

[Celephais]

This arguement is stupid.
http://www.waipahums.k12.hi.us/eportfolio05-06/wisportfolio05-06/team8d_portfolios/ty_christine_e_portfolio/images/InvaderZim-GIR4.jpg

[Meges]

This arguement is stupid.
http://www.waipahums.k12.hi.us/eportfolio05-06/wisportfolio05-06/team8d_portfolios/ty_christine_e_portfolio/images/InvaderZim-GIR4.jpg

Alchemy is stupid (presently). Besides, I only have one rank in general alchemy so you must realize my opinion on the matter is entirely educated... I figure I'd let the bugs and ridiculous duration of obtaining ranks get further worked out before rejoining that particular grind. I'll zip it, heh.


Meges

[Celephais]

Alchemy is stupid (presently). Besides, I only have one rank in general alchemy so you must realize my opinion on the matter is entirely educated... I figure I'd let the bugs and ridiculous duration of obtaining ranks get further worked out before rejoining that particular grind. I'll zip it, heh.


Meges
Heh, I have exactly one rank of Alchemy as well. I'm not sure if I should save ingredients now or if that's just going to weigh me down.

[Meges]

Heh, I have exactly one rank of Alchemy as well. I'm not sure if I should save ingredients now or if that's just going to weigh me down.

I'm saving ingredients, but they're on alts fortunately, because they're freaking heavy.


Meges