Help with Water/Ice Clusters via Aetherial Reduction (Fishing)

So... I'm having some problems trying to get these two types of clusters via Aetherial Reduction and fishing. I know exactly what types of fish yield these clusters, their time windows, and how to get them. But their collectability seems to be completely random.

For example, when I catch these fish I have patience up most of the time since they all require a "mooch". This leads me to get an "HQ" fish with 8/8 purity which is way too high for clusters.

"OK" I said. I'll just wait for Patience to run out with the fish still hooked and then cast it so I can get a "smaller" fish. The results were several 7/8 purity fish, still too high.

As a last attempt I to dropped my perception all the way down to 198 and gave the above method some more tries. Again, 7/8 purity fish. Only once I got a fish that yielded me clusters (2/8 purity).

So... am I doing something wrong? Or is that really it? RNG? :(

If so I better get back to MorDhona and collect clusters the old way.

yes and no, you know some fish have really high chances to get 7/8 like pteranodon, but some others like manasail will have a bit lower statistics. But remember allways RNG ;)

It's luck based if you get a HQ fish or not with no patience. If you waited for Patience to run out before mooching, then you just lucked out and got a HQ fish.

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Originally Posted by kuma_aus

It's luck based if you get a HQ fish or not with no patience. If you waited for Patience to run out before mooching, then you just lucked out and got a HQ fish.

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That wasn't the case. When you get an HQ fish there's a very distinct animation, so I could tell it was for sure an NQ fish. Apparently the size, and therefore the purity, of an NQ fish is completely random. So unless I'm missing something, fishing is a very unreliable way to collect clusters if you look at how easily you can get tons of fire clusters, for example, while mining. It's sad.

You can get clusters from 7/8 and 8/8 purity just fine. In fact, you have a higher chance of getting a higher amount of clusters the higher the purity you have. I routinely get 50-60+ clusters per fish while farming for seaborne aethersand. And routinely get, like, 10 clusters when I reduce the low purity duds.

It is pure RNG.

The way reduction works is that you will always receive a certain amount of crystals, plus a secondary item that is picked randomly based on your Purity. The actual yield of the items is not based on Purity, but the level of the collectible being reduced.

Typically, reducible collectibles need to have 2/8 or higher Purity for clusters to have a chance at showing up as the secondary item. At 2/8 this chance is 100%, but higher Purity scores will split this chance up with eligible Aethersand drops.

Lv.56 Fish: Dravanian Bass, Manasail (Least..)
Lv.58 Fish: Caiman, Pteranodon (More)
Lv.60 Fish: Thaliak Caiman, Tupuxuara (Most!)

The only thing you're ever guaranteed to receive from reduction is crystals. FSH lacks the ability to select a specific purity range like BTN and MIN, so if you absolutely need to get Ice/Water Clusters, it's best to pay a visit to Mor Dhona.

For anyone who has yet to fish up the collectible fish, click here! (Link)