Difficulty of ALC potions

[Mindy_Macready]

X-pots were being crafted 100% hq without the use of hasty back when they dropped, even with a Patrician's set, because we had 2-star, 100% macros by 2.3 (which is when 3-star level 50 crafts were introduced).

You had to use 2 sets of macros, and you needed max-melds on everything (or the ALC specific gear with some melding), but once you got there you were able to become a potion-factory basically. Before that, we had mega-pots, which were level 45ish crafts that were easily churned out. HW broke this pattern; couple that with the lack of poison pots, and ALC suddenly doesn't do a lot of crafting, besides housing items, camphor, and commissions if you've got the time to burn.

[Sollux]

You had to use 2 sets of macros, and you needed max-melds on everything (or the ALC specific gear with some melding), but once you got there you were able to become a potion-factory basically. Before that, we had mega-pots, which were level 45ish crafts that were easily churned out. HW broke this pattern; couple that with the lack of poison pots, and ALC suddenly doesn't do a lot of crafting, besides housing items, camphor, and commissions if you've got the time to burn.

I won't deny ALC doesn't have much to Craft, but my previous post has a rotation that can be made into a 2 button macro if you have decently melded gear (not even max melds). No, you won't go 0-100% every time, but other than that it's the same situation, the only difference is the yield amount. 3-Stars aren't difficult, they're just more time consuming and getting 1 potion per Craft hurts here more than anywhere else.

[cgbspender]

For what it's worth, these new 3-stars potions are macro-able, and have been so since day 1 they were released. But yeah, more yields would be great.

[Mindy_Macready]

It's not about "difficulty" in macro'ing, but difficulty in stats such that you can't 100% these with the proper gear investment.

[Cleanse]

Pretty sure everyone doing 3 star crafts needs strong melds or extra hq mats. Sell some camphor and scrolls and meld up. You're saying you need strong gear, but you also did back in ARR...

Every crafter looks at each other as if the grass is greener, but tbh, there's always a niche market to make gil in.

[Mindy_Macready]

Pretty sure everyone doing 3 star crafts needs strong melds or extra hq mats. Sell some camphor and scrolls and meld up. You're saying you need strong gear, but you also did back in ARR...

Every crafter looks at each other as if the grass is greener, but tbh, there's always a niche market to make gil in.

I'm saying that, after reaching a certain point in gearing for an ALC, potions should be churned out en masse. I'm not sure what the rest of your post is speaking to.

[Sollux]

I'm saying that, after reaching a certain point in gearing for an ALC, potions should be churned out en masse.

You CAN churn them out (the "en masse" part will come when yields are changed), they just won't be 15 second Crafts that 100% HQ every single time. Even with a pentamelded set and HQ Seafood Stew I can't guarantee 0-100% without getting every Hasty or a few Goods, but as far as the stat investment goes the rotation above is nowhere near max-meld levels of difficulty when using HQ Baked Onion Soup, and given the time I could likely build a relatively cheap set on Ariyala.

In HW Crafting has seen the biggest changes and seems to be the single thing that SE isn't willing to copy-paste their 2.0 routine onto and because of this we CANNOT keep using 2.0 as a basis of what to expect. ALC will become a potion factory again in 3.3 when they (hopefully) increase the yields, you'll have time before the next raid tier in 3.4 to improve your gear and reduce Craft time/increase quality rates, max pots will likely be unlocked from Specialist in 3.4, and I highly doubt they'll be releasing new 4-Star pots which means max pots will become the new x-pot.

[Mindy_Macready]

You CAN churn them out (the "en masse" part will come when yields are changed), they just won't be 15 second Crafts that 100% HQ every single time.

And that's the problem. These things are a time sink to craft stacks while guaranteeing quality, and it's ridiculous compared to the time they're consumed.

In HW Crafting has seen the biggest changes and seems to be the single thing that SE isn't willing to copy-paste their 2.0 routine onto and because of this we CANNOT keep using 2.0 as a basis of what to expect.

We can point to 2.x as a reason ALC worked. There's no sense in ignoring history "just because." D-pots will probably become the next x-pots unless the new gear allows us to craft max-pots without resorting to hasty and maker's mark to ensure quality.

[Sollux]

And that's the problem. These things are a time sink to craft stacks while guaranteeing quality, and it's ridiculous compared to the time they're consumed.

A problem that will be resolved when they increase yields and the time taken to Craft a stack is reduced to a third of what it is now.

We can point to 2.x as a reason ALC worked. There's no sense in ignoring history "just because."

I'm not saying we should ignore history, I'm saying we can't just assume something is going to happen based off of past trends and ONLY plan for that scenario. If you plan for both possibilities (following past trends/mixing it up) you're going to be in a much more flexible position than if you only prepared for 1 outcome.

This isn't "just because" either. Since the very start of 3.0 Crafting Endgame has changed DRASTICALLY compared to 2.x (Specialist skills, the scrip system, Specialist recipes, etc.) and it's becoming less and less likely that they'll revert back to the trends we saw in the past. Yes, it's possible they'll repeat something, and I account for that when I prepare for a new patch, but I also keep in mind that nothing is guaranteed until patch notes are released.

D-pots will probably become the next x-pots unless the new gear allows us to craft max-pots without resorting to hasty and maker's mark to ensure quality.

Again, Maker's Mark is not required to ensure quality, and since max pots are still an Endgame recipe I doubt we'll be getting away from Hasty Touch any time soon.

You're probably right, drac pots will likely become the new x-pot, but I guarantee you if the only change was an increase in yields the max pot market would pick up DRAMATICALLY. Right now there's a huge gap between effort vs reward, but reduce that gap to a third and players will be much more willing to Craft/buy them regardless of the timesink.

[Cleanse]

I'm saying that, after reaching a certain point in gearing for an ALC, potions should be churned out en masse. I'm not sure what the rest of your post is speaking to.

With minimal gear and 437 cp you can churn anything out. How many pots are in demand? Are you unable to keep up with the market?