On a related note - it really is annoying that these are set to common on the loot table. I feel like I have to watch the chat log constantly in pugs to make sure that no one ninjas one. It is kinda ridiculous that something with such a low drop rate is classed as common in the loot table.
On a related note - it really is annoying that these are set to common on the loot table. I feel like I have to watch the chat log constantly in pugs to make sure that no one ninjas one. It is kinda ridiculous that something with such a low drop rate is classed as common in the loot table.
At least it's on the known issues list already to be changed to something that requires rolling with standard settings.
Seeing as the top tier crystals are usable on l66-l75 LI's (the 'small' crystals are L65 max ala empowers), it looks like L66 T3 skirms might hopefully be the way to go for farming them, will give it a try tomorrow.
I'm not much of a poster and I have no axe to grind, but I thought I'd just pass on some info of my experiences from the past couple of days.
Just as the update was coming out I had finished Great River quests on one char, but I wanted to upgrade of of his LIs, so I knew I was gonna hafta grind some skirmishes for greater empowerment scrolls. Good timing, I thought, as I could collect some of those new-fangled star crystals at the same time.
Well, after 50 skirms my net result was ZERO crystals. All skirms were done at lev 75, and the first 25 or so were the quick ones, mostly rift rescue and dannenglor done at tier 1, mixed with a few others just to break the grind monotony. Two optional bosses killed (except that flame guy) on most every one.
After no results I checked the notes and read the chances increased with the size and the tier, so for about the next 15 skirms or so, I ran tier 2 larger skirms, mostly the ones in the Dol Guldur chain. Most bosses killed as well. Nothing.
At this point, seeing as though I really just wanted marks and medallions, I went back to tier 1, doing a mixed bag of alot of skirms. Finally, today, after running nothing but skirms since the update, I finished collecting what I wanted for empowerment scrolls.
Now, according to notes, I should have had chances on 2 optional bosses, end boss and lesser chances on lieutenants. That's 3 per and maybe 4 or 5 lesser chances on each. So, conservatively, I'm 0 for 150 and 0 for 225.
Make what you will out of this, I'll just say that it seems these crystals are not really meant for solo types unless they decide to purchase. Bad luck is bad luck, of course, but 3 or 4 days of play time with NO reward is not enough reinforcement to sustain any behavior, much less provide a fun entertainment for a paying customer.
EDIT: Forgot about that skirm log. Checked it and counted 50 skirms exactly.
Ran a few skirmishes (3?) this morning before work. Did a Thangulhad solo T2, one dropped off a lieutenant (Forest-born Reaver). Probably only done 10 or 12 skirmishes this week so far since the update.
Edit: Yesterday 1 dropped in a T1 Thangulhad duo skirmish off the boss. Had another drop in Assault on Ringwraith's Lair T3 duo from chest. Sorry, haven't been keeping track of out of how many.
Last edited by SvenNiscadae; May 19 2012 at 10:42 AM.
2/4 Draigoch (That's 2 crystals out of 4 Draigoch runs, and of course had to be rolled on against other raiders in group, and of course I didn't win.)
0/2 Methedras at T1 raid level 75
0/21 various skirmishes at T3 solo level 67 (Mostly running them to finish up the encounter deeds for the new emote, and level 67 is the minimum level for kill credit. Over my dead body am I grinding skirms solely for crystals.)
0/4 Saruman T1
1/13 various Moria instances (Goat farming with PUGs. 1 dropped in Skumfil spider boss, and it's a lesser crystal for level 65 LIs.)
LOL at whoever said this thing won't be a grind in the BR thread. This is where I go "told you so."
LOL at whoever said this thing won't be a grind in the BR thread. This is where I go "told you so."
Sorry you seem to be unlucky. Here's my results 5 days after patch (I updated my first post too): 5 crystals personally won. Seen at least 4 more but did not win them. 4 of the ones I won came in solo skirms, and one even came in a t1 solo skirm. I don't feel like I grinded; what I did was run a few skirms then stop for the day once I got a crystal. So I ended up getting one per day since the patch.
A spaceship from another star / They ask me where all the people are
I tell them I'm the only one / There was a war, but I must have won
Sorry you seem to be unlucky. Here's my results 5 days after patch (I updated my first post too): 5 crystals personally won. Seen at least 4 more but did not win them. 4 of the ones I won came in solo skirms, and one even came in a t1 solo skirm. I don't feel like I grinded; what I did was run a few skirms then stop for the day once I got a crystal. So I ended up getting one per day since the patch.
I'm not unlucky. You are lucky.
Go through the thread and you'll see my numbers are not atypical.
Ok here is my results from doing a few different runs over the weekend
0/15 T2 Solo Skimishes - I ran various ones just to break the boredom, but mainly offensive skimishes
0/2 Foundry T2 runs -
0/1 RoF T2
0/1 Draigoch T2 Run
0/1 Full clear of OT T1 - So thats 5 raid bosses and not one crystal
0/3 School level 75 (Did 3 runs of this with 2 kinnies tonight to try something different to see if we could get at least one to drop but nothing)
To me this is a real dissapointing drop rate and I personally refuse to buy them from the store as I cant afford to spend the money at the moment. Im just glad they are not a game changer and requirement to raiding and PvMP.
Fangorn's edge t2: 1 drop so far, out of 8 chests in 3 runs (1 ent bugged & died way too soon coz he didn't regen health when trolls came, so one run had only 2 chests)
soloing BiTT t2 duo: ~25 runs, 2 drops (chest)
Rescue in Nurz t2 solo: 40+ runs, 3 drops (chest)
I got one from the only foundry run i've done since update. I've done about 20 skirms probably, mix between 1-3 man and T1-T3, and haven't seen one drop. I did a few level 50/51 skirms on 6-man and raid just to test, didn't see a drop there either.
BTW, is there a separate thread where people complain about crystals being nearly worthless for 1st ages (and therefore a revenue opportunity lost for Turbine, i.e. a lose-lose situation for everyone, smart thinking!), because that's what I was looking for when i stumbled upon this thread.
1/10 Rift skirm solo lvl70 t3
2/2 Pits Isen 3men first boss t1
1/3 Fangorn Edge t1 - end chest
1/3 Foundry t2 end chest
0/10 Attack at dawn lvl75 t3 solo
0/5 Dannlegnor solo t2 lvl75 skirm
0/1 Battle in the tower duo skirm t3
0/1 Icy duo skirm lvl75 t3
0/1 Prancing pony duo skirm t2 lvl75
Even on rift lvl70 solo t3 the crystal was for lvl75 weapons, i guess all above lvl69 drops lvl75 crystals, so easier to do 10 t3 lvl70 then 5 lvl75 t3 solo by time consuming
I tried level 67 T3 Rift solo 3 times, not killing fumoroles so LTs respawned. Killed 54 Lts, 6 encounter mobs, 3 bosses. Listened to Golodir whine 3 times. I got about 20 T3 sealed relics, 1 each T1/T2/T3 fused relic, and some gold, but no Crystals.
Soloed Level 67 T3 Rift duo, killed about 17 Lts, 2 encounter mobs, but can't kill final boss without ability to do a CJ on golodir. A few relics, no Crystals...
0/4 Foundry T2
4/3 Draigoch
I would say from what i see and what others have said in the server that Draigoch has the best chances of dropping. and don't forget to set Loot Quality at Common so you would be able to roll on it.
I have not seen any drop yet. I've probably done...
5 Foundry Tier 2 runs.
2 Pits of Isengard (Tier 1 and 2)
1 Dargnakh Unleashed Tier 2
4 School of Tham Mirdain
1 Draigoch
All of that and have yet to see one. Truthfully, I just bit the bullet and bought six of them off the store since they've had point bundles on sale. He he. I did not want to wait. Anything I loot will just be profit for my character!
Ok, i got 2 crystals yesterday and 2 of my friends got 1 each, the way to get them was next.
Isengard Pits 3men t1/t2 Only first boss kills, burglar open doors, almost no ads killing until first boss.
Total runs: between 10-15 runs (didnt count them actualy)
Total crystals droped : 4
Total time needed: about 90-120min
They drop 2 t1/t2 so i guess % was same, first boss only.
Guard/Champ/Burg - all dps, fast, quick
If anyone wanna try, i belive 100% guaranteed 1 out of 6-7 runs, try it and let me know. Cheers!
Well one thing I can add to this convo is that star-lit crystals will never drop from LT's or anything, only in the chests inside instances. This makes skirming( at least grinding 54 LT's out) a pretty bad way to get em. My first 2 I got within hours of the update just soloing pits T1 up to Zaburz and looting that chest, leaving and repeating, much like zrinko above me except I didn't have to share the loot so the extra time isn't a huge deal.
1/1 T1 Fire & Ice Wing ToO
1/1 T1 Acid Wing ToO
0/1 T1 Lvl 68 Solo The Battle In The Tower Skirmish
0/3 T3 Lvl 68 Solo The Battle In The Tower Skirmish
0/1 T1 Lvl 66 3man The Battle In The Tower Skirmish
Well one thing I can add to this convo is that star-lit crystals will never drop from LT's or anything, only in the chests inside instances. This makes skirming( at least grinding 54 LT's out) a pretty bad way to get em. My first 2 I got within hours of the update just soloing pits T1 up to Zaburz and looting that chest, leaving and repeating, much like zrinko above me except I didn't have to share the loot so the extra time isn't a huge deal.
Will never seems lots of confidence. Do you have inside info that the person who posted this
upthread was misleading us: "Tier 3 solo Dannenglor on first counter-attack on a Pale Trapper LT"
Well one thing I can add to this convo is that star-lit crystals will never drop from LT's or anything, only in the chests inside instances. This makes skirming( at least grinding 54 LT's out) a pretty bad way to get em. My first 2 I got within hours of the update just soloing pits T1 up to Zaburz and looting that chest, leaving and repeating, much like zrinko above me except I didn't have to share the loot so the extra time isn't a huge deal.
I have received 2 crystals from Lieutenants in Skirmishes myself.
127 skirmishes 3 crystals (mixture of solo, duo, 3-man, tiers 1-3). See my earlier post for details. So with an estimated < 5% drop rate in small skirmishes, I won't be grinding these ever again.
I've done a quick calculation for the drop chance in T2 solo skirmishes from the posts up to now and my own results (currently 3 crystals out of 30 trials - 2 from chest, 1 from lt.). For that case, we now have a decent sample of 110 skirmishes resulting in 7 crystals.
The resulting estimate for the drop rate is 6.36%, and with a confidence of 95% (i.e. there is a chance of only 1:20 that the following statement is incorrect):
The drop rate for crystals lies between 3.1% and 12.6% - not too bad for solo game.
To get an idea about the quirks of chance, let's assume that the drop rate is only 5%. Then, on the average, we would expect one crystal in 20 skirmishes. However, for events with small probabilities, the variation is much larger than what we are used from common games of chance:
The probability for getting no crystal in 40 (60, 80) skirmishes is 12.8% (4.6% resp. 1.7%). So, roughly 2 out of 100 people have to wait really long (i.e. 80 skirmishes or more) for their first crystal if they start to grind. Others, more lucky ones (about 40 out of 100 people) get the first crystal during their first 10 skirmishes. But guess who is coming to the forums and complains.
PS: For the specialists: In calculating the confidence interval, I have not used the common normal approximation to the binomial distribution which is not very good for small probabilities of success, but another one, which results in asymmetric and more precise intervals.
Slightly increased drop rate = increased hype and discussion in-game an on the forums
Increased hype and discussion = increased sales of Star Lit Crystals in the store
In summation, those who have the time or desire to run 110 skirmishes for two drops will. Those who don't will buy them from the store.
Then there are those like me that won't bother either way because the upgrades are negligible to say the least. It's just another piece of bling for your LI. Don't need it.