It's time we ask the devs once again. How exactly DOES Treasure Hunter work?

[noodles355]

I was just pointing out that with the given knowledge and now that we understand exactly what increases the chance of gaining TH levels, we don't really need to know anything else.

Incorrect. We need to know how effective each level is so we can weigh up prolonging the fight to try and proc as high as possible vs just getting TH6 and then killing it quickly and popping another/moving on.

[Melphina]

There are certain things we do know about drop rates. Some item drops are classified into "groups", and some of these "groups" have a 100% chance to load but because there are X items in that group the game will random a second time to pick which of the items loads. Pixie Earring vs. Defending Ring and O-Kotes vs. Impact Knuckles are examples of this because the "slot" these items share loads 100%. Treasure Hunter has no effect on which of the items loads because they have their own drop percent within the pool. Statistically D ring and O kotes percent is very low (in the 5% range), whereas Pixie and Impact knuckles are close to 95%. Thus Treasure Hunter's effect raises the chance of item slots loading which are less than 100%, but has no effect on choosing which item loads when there are multiple items in a "group". In a majority of cases desirable items are less than 100% drop rate and not grouped with other items, so if the slot loads it will always be that item. In these cases the drop rate is typically much lower than 100%. Some notable examples are Loki's Khaftan or Goetia Chain, the second empyrean weapon upgrade item on each mob, and Linen Coinpurses in salvage. Finally in some cases BOTH scenario's are true. An item "slot" has less than 100% chance to load, and comprises a group of several items. Nidhogg's second abjuration is an example of this.

This is the end of our knowledge and from here on everything else is hearsay. As several others have said I am not expecting a straight answer from S-E either, but I believe we have the right to ask so I brought it up. This is something we obviously can't figure out ourselves because the random number generator is too random, and statistical testing requires a vast sample size with no errors in collection (which people will be biased towards even if such a size were collected because it's impossible to prove there were no errors by the individual). If S-E at the very least could throw us a bone I would be happy to have the answers to the following questions.

1: Do item drop rates which are not already 100% have a cap whereupon Treasure Hunter can no longer increase the chance of it dropping? (I have a feeling the answer is yes, but it would be really good to know).

2: Does "Treasure Hunter" work in such a way that it increases the actual PERCENTAGE of an item dropping but the item is only rolled for once, or does Treasure Hunter increase the number of times an item is randomed for but the drop percentage remains unaffected with each successive roll of the die?

At this point even if they don't explain the difference between each tier of treasure hunter I'd be happy if they just answered those two questions. It's kind of sad because these are pretty basic things to want to know, and we will never be able to figure them out without a direct answer from S-E themselves. It's been eight years and S-E has changed their stance on so many things (including raising the level cap). I believe it's time they throw us a bone and change their stance on requiring EVERY aspect of Treasure Hunter's workings to remain a mystery as well. At least tell us SOMETHING more than "increases drop rates".... that's so ambiguous it's mind numbing.

[Babekeke]

I'd probably settle for SE just letting us know whether TH is also affected by other factors, such as time of day/week/moon/year. At least then we could look at TH testing and all go "aaah that's why we got so many more drops with TH2 than we expected, it was JP primetime at full moon in the 'fall' season!" Or whatever^^

[Alaik]

My heart dreamed that every character has a hidden luck stat, that gives natural TH or -TH, and THF is placebo.

</sarcasm>

[SpankWustler]

I'm pretty sure their explanation would go pretty much like this:

"It was very early morning. Treasure Hunter stumbled out alone into a wet brick street. Southward the barrage balloons, Treasure Hunter values on the combers of morning, were increasing, pink and pearl, in the chat log.

They've cut Treasure Hunter loose again, he's back on the street, no drops, last chance for a numerical increase 'n' he blew it...

Why didn't they keep Treasure Hunter on at that Notorious Monster for as long as they said they would - wasn't it supposed to be a few Vana'diel days? No explanation - just "Cheerio!" and the onionskin sending him back to that Abyssea-Tahrongi. The Windurst Kid, and that Galka the Sandorian and his sidekick Manthra have been all his world for these recent days ... there were still problems to be worked out, adventures not yet completed, coercions and vast deals to be made on the order of the old woman's arrangement for getting her Treasure Hunter over the Notorious Monster. But now, rudely, here's that lack of drops again.

But something's different ... something's ... been changed ... don't mean to increase Treasure Hunter values, folks, but - well for instance he could almost swear values increase, or change anyway. Some of the Treasure Hunter value increases are pretty slick, but others he can spot, all right. Xmas shopping yesterday at that Abyssea-Tahrongi, he caught a certain pair of Glavoid Shells in the toy section, past a heap of balsa-wood Adamantoises and little-kid-size Wyrms. A hint of constancy to what shows up in the rearview mirror of his Chocobo, no color or model he can pin down but something always present inside the tiny frame, has led him to start checking out other drop rates when he goes off on a morning's work. Things on Glavoid at Abyssea-Tahrongi seem not to be where they were. Girls have found excuses not to keep appointments. He feels he's being gently separated from the life he lived before going into Abyssea-Tahrongi. Even in Abyssea - Grauberg there's always a Treasure Hunter value increase behind him being careful not to talk, rattle paper, laugh too loud : Treasure Hunter's been to enough movies that he can pick up an anomaly like that right away."

So, I don't know how helpful it would actually be.

[Babekeke]

SpankWustler, you need help... seriously!