Do you still outfit retainers?

[AstralKaos]

I gave them some random PvP and dungeon gear from 3.0 and 3.1, then they added i200 AF gear to centurio vendor, gave them it and never bothered with upgrades after that. What's the point? Quick venture has a low requirement for "rare" stuff (even level 1 gear can).

All I do now with retainers is dress them up in an outfit and place them in my garden, sometimes even change their features with fantasia. This is literally all they are good for now.

[MilesSaintboroguh]

It became quite clear that gear doesn't affect quick ventures, and that is the only thing I send my retainers on. At the lowest ilvl possible, I still receive things like rare dyes, rare mats, HQ crafting armor and rare housing items. I stopped worrying about gearing them ages ago.

Gearing them does affect quick ventures. The game outright tells you that you can improve your chances of getting rare items if your retainer has better gear. While you can still get rare items if they are not geared, it's still a low chance if they have bad gear.

[Gemina]

Gearing them does affect quick ventures. The game outright tells you that you can improve your chances of getting rare items if your retainer has better gear. While you can still get rare items if they are not geared, it's still a low chance if they have bad gear.

Yup. Higher the iLv, higher the increase in chances of rare items brought back from explorations and quick ventures. Some rather look at RNG as 50/50 regardless of rate though. I can understand why someone wouldn't bother to upgrade, and also understand why someone else would.

[FoxyAreku]

It became quite clear that gear doesn't affect quick ventures, and that is the only thing I send my retainers on. At the lowest ilvl possible, I still receive things like rare dyes, rare mats, HQ crafting armor and rare housing items. I stopped worrying about gearing them ages ago.

It actually does, but just to a set amount. If you're no longer getting the message "with higher gear, your retainer could get rarer items" then you are fine.

[Culfinrandir]

DoW retainers will always benefit from the highest ilvl gear you can give them. Whilst it's true that above a set level they are able to get the rarest items (currently i200 I think) the higher the ilevel the more likely to bring it back they are. They're also more likely to bring HQ versions where possible.

DoL retainers, in a similar way, benefit from the highest gear you can give them. The amount of items returned during normal ventures increases to a set maximum when the gathering stat is increased. In the same way as DoW the higher this stat is, the more likely to get a rare item from a quick venture & have it HQ. Perception isn't believed to matter.

[Kaurie]

Gearing them does affect quick ventures. The game outright tells you that you can improve your chances of getting rare items if your retainer has better gear. While you can still get rare items if they are not geared, it's still a low chance if they have bad gear.

The game is incorrect with that notice. *shrug*, do as you will.

[MilesSaintboroguh]

How is it wrong? Just because you got rare items at low gear levels?

[Kaurie]

How is it wrong? Just because you got rate items at low gear levels?

It makes no difference to the rate at which you obtain rare materials. As I said, do as you want. If you want to gear it and suffer the confirmation bias that it's working for you, that's great. I'll continue to not gear it and suffer the confirmation bias that it isn't making a difference. We'll both suffer confirmation bias, we'll both get stuff we want, and neither of us will care. /thread.

[MilesSaintboroguh]

Oh, so you're one of those. Still doesn't prove your point though. /Thread

[Kaurie]

Oh, so you're one of those. Still doesn't prove your point though. /Thread

One of... those...? Making statements like these isn't very respectful. I'm not sure if I disrespected you (sorry if I did), but I don't really see the need for it.

Neither you, nor I, can prove that it improves (or doesn't) your rate of rare drop acquisition.

EDIT: I should add that the message doesn't say that it will increase the rate of rare materials, but simply that you will receive higher quality items with better gear. So, even if it does increase the rate, the message as it is written is incorrect. The rarest possible drops are possible with the lowest possible gear.