Suggestion : New Gatherer skill "Aether Cut"

[Kosmos992k]

As was mentioned in another topic....

I would prefer a way to break down clusters and crystals.

....which got me thinking.

This should be added as a top level BTN/MIN skill, but it should be locked behind a quest line that is very difficult for RMTs to complete to prevent them from getting the skill and further abusing their bots.

I suggest a two part 'skill' for gatherers. Aether Cutting is the process of breaking clusters and crystals down. Cleaving is the skill used on each attempt to cleave a piece from the original cluster or crystal.

(Please Note: I haven't 'done the math' on what the maximum GP is for gatherers, so the numbers are just approximations.)

Skill : Aether Cut
Cost : 100 GP.
Time of effect : 120 seconds

Starts the process of breaking down clusters to crystals, and crystals to shards. Cordials cannot be taken while performing an Aether Cut. Once cutting starts you have a maximum of 120 seconds to complete all 8 attempted cleaves of a cluster or crystal. Failing to complete in time forfeits the remaining attempts.

Skill : Aether Cleave
Cost : 80 GP

Based on your perception skill, each use cleaves one shard from a crystal, or one crystal from a cluster. Clusters are twice as difficult to cleave safely vs crystals.

The % chance of a successful cleave should be based on perception, with a minimum score to attempt the skill, and any perception over the minimum applies a positive modifier to the chance of success. Minimum chance of success is 40%, maximum is 90%, there is always a 10% chance of failure. The % is modified by any extra Perception you have over the minimum score required. For Clusters, the modifier value is halved.

You may try to cleave up to 8 times per Aether Cut on the same crystal or cluster in a sequence. Once you start cutting a cluster or crystal, the original item is lost, leaving a single crystal from a cluster, and shard from a crystal as the minimum return when using the skill.

So if you start cutting a cluster and fail the first cleave attempt, and then quit; you would be left with a crystal of the same aspect the original cluster had. If you cleave a cluster successfully 8 times, you acquire 8 crystals. The same is true of cutting crystals into shards, you consume the crystal, but gain between 1 and 8 shards per crystal.

This means that in theory, each cluster could ultimately break down into 64 shards. based on RNG and your modifiers.

One last thought. There is always a 1% chance of a peerless cleave which will cleave a shard or crystal from the original item. If this happens, when the Aether Cut ends, the original cluster or crystal remains undamaged.