jeniver on Jun 2, 2014 wrote:

Hi there.

Prior to this expansion update, my pirates could expect to receive carded jewelry, gear or weapons as boss drops.

I received a pineapple pet snack from Gortez, and fish flingers from Santa Allo. Just those, nothing else. The Second Chance chests are also not worth the money spent now, as those rewards have hit bottom as well.

I'm hoping this is a bug, but regardless, please leave those boss drops and chest buys the way they were.

Thank you.

Bosses still drop those good rewards, sounds like you just had some terrible luck.

jeniver on Jun 4, 2014 wrote:

I ran the Santa Allo instance once more and received just fish fingers again as the boss drop. Could someone else run this and see what you get?
The same single and poor reward from this boss cannot be a coincidence.

Thanks.

Hi Jeniver, welcome to the message boards. Hopefully Ratbeard can look into those as well.

Ok, I did do the Castillo Sapo and from Santa Rana I got Sister Snake's Bag ( witchdoctor only with Bonfire shot ) and Fish Fingers. You just had terrible luck. Try again.

Ratbeard on Jun 5, 2014 wrote:

Bosses have exactly the same chance to drop their loot items that they did before.

Snacks have not replaced nor even displaced the prior loot.

Whereas before you had a chance of receiving gold, or an item, you now have the EXACT SAME CHANCE of receiving gold, or an item. That loot table is untouched.

And there's a completely separate loot table awarding pet snacks. They'll be added to everything else you would have received before.

Most bosses, in fact, have about four loot tables: A chance for either gold, or a rare item with good stats; a chance for either gold, or a very rare item with a card; a chance for a Pet egg; a chance for a Housing item. Each roll is independent and has no effect on any other roll. You could sweep all four; you might strike out on all four (in which case you'll just get gold.)

I recommend that you stock up on those snacks now, and level your pets as best you can: we'll be reducing the drop rate of snacks.

Never let it be said that ol' Ratbeard doesn't respond to player requests.

Well, Ratbeard, I've this to say, I've yet to see enemies & bosses drop some good accessories in their loot tables, by far. I've battled them and I haven't seen some eye patches that give out some good stats. Nice that we get a slot about them, but the odds of finding very good eye patches are, as of now, very VERY slim. Hope these odds get better sometime soon.

jeniver on Jun 8, 2014 wrote:

I'm not complaining about 'free stuff'. I'm filing a bug report.

This boss, at the end of a lengthy instance, is dropping a very low level pet snack. That would be the equivalent of this boss dropping starter gear.

As much as this will rile your feathers, I would also file a bug report if he was dropping excessive or high level rewards.

Free is nice, but fair is fair and that door swings both ways.

Not to worry, that would never rile my feathers as I too would report anything out of the ordinary. Reporting bugs is always a good thing.

Ratbeard on Jun 5, 2014 wrote:

Bosses have exactly the same chance to drop their loot items that they did before.

Snacks have not replaced nor even displaced the prior loot.

Whereas before you had a chance of receiving gold, or an item, you now have the EXACT SAME CHANCE of receiving gold, or an item. That loot table is untouched.

And there's a completely separate loot table awarding pet snacks. They'll be added to everything else you would have received before.

Most bosses, in fact, have about four loot tables: A chance for either gold, or a rare item with good stats; a chance for either gold, or a very rare item with a card; a chance for a Pet egg; a chance for a Housing item. Each roll is independent and has no effect on any other roll. You could sweep all four; you might strike out on all four (in which case you'll just get gold.)

I recommend that you stock up on those snacks now, and level your pets as best you can: we'll be reducing the drop rate of snacks.

Never let it be said that ol' Ratbeard doesn't respond to player requests.

I have to say that you pleasantly surprised me the other day while I was farming Zeena. I almost always get 4 chests when farming her and very rarely I am left with 3 to open. Well on that day she dropped a measly 2 chests after a battle...I know you had me spoiled with the 4- wah, wah, wah

I was so distraught to see only those 2 chests (I named them Sonny and Cher), that Valkoor almost had Lucky Jack dig a hole and bury them with his bones and favorite chew toy to show his disproval (which would have been a whole other issue...Catbeard does not like to get dirty). The whole crew was in total disarray at the sight of these pro-Bono "gifts". After my Serpent Auger had her little "hiss-y fit" and finished trying to explain the whole reverse-evolutionary process of how Serpents once again ended up with arms, I decided to go ahead and open one (Cher, I believe). Just as I had figured...a few gold coins, nothing more.

About to totally dismiss Sonny and just "Let it Be", Valkoor thought "Heck, what do I have to lose?" and popped it open. Let's just say that Sonny made the whole moment just a bit brighter. In that measly chest #2, 5 items total- 1 housing item, 1 No Auction Charm, 1 weapon, 1 "ordinary" piece of gear and a decent level snack (nothing to wash it down with though).

Like I noted, I sure was pleasantly surprised by what flew out of those 2, thought-to-be-measly chests. I never again will prejudge a reward based on the # of chests that drop. In my spoiled rotting moment of disbelief, I said some things that I wasn't proud of when that duo appeared...some things that I wish I could take back. And in the words of chest #1, "If I could turn back time..."

ValkoorTheVictorio... on Jun 9, 2014 wrote:

I have to say that you pleasantly surprised me the other day while I was farming Zeena. I almost always get 4 chests when farming her and very rarely I am left with 3 to open. Well on that day she dropped a measly 2 chests after a battle...I know you had me spoiled with the 4- wah, wah, wah

I was so distraught to see only those 2 chests (I named them Sonny and Cher), that Valkoor almost had Lucky Jack dig a hole and bury them with his bones and favorite chew toy to show his disproval (which would have been a whole other issue...Catbeard does not like to get dirty). The whole crew was in total disarray at the sight of these pro-Bono "gifts". After my Serpent Auger had her little "hiss-y fit" and finished trying to explain the whole reverse-evolutionary process of how Serpents once again ended up with arms, I decided to go ahead and open one (Cher, I believe). Just as I had figured...a few gold coins, nothing more.

About to totally dismiss Sonny and just "Let it Be", Valkoor thought "Heck, what do I have to lose?" and popped it open. Let's just say that Sonny made the whole moment just a bit brighter. In that measly chest #2, 5 items total- 1 housing item, 1 No Auction Charm, 1 weapon, 1 "ordinary" piece of gear and a decent level snack (nothing to wash it down with though).

Like I noted, I sure was pleasantly surprised by what flew out of those 2, thought-to-be-measly chests. I never again will prejudge a reward based on the # of chests that drop. In my spoiled rotting moment of disbelief, I said some things that I wasn't proud of when that duo appeared...some things that I wish I could take back. And in the words of chest #1, "If I could turn back time..."

Thanks for Cher-ing. That certainly made my day, it is more Sonny now because of you! So the Beat goes On, and we should be more grateful for what we receive. If we don't get what we expect, we can always go back and try, try again. Besides we always get gold ( what pirate would sneer at gold?)

Jeniver (and everyone else):

1) We appreciate bug reports. I'll have QA look into the possibility that you are receiving "1 pet snack and nothing else."

Please look in your chat log-- if you miss the on screen display, you can always check that log for any loot rewards, including gold. If you get a pet snack and NO GOLD that is definitely a bug, and we want to fix it. (I don't know how such a bug could come to pass, but that's what makes them bugs, after all.)

2) This is *most likely* a case of player misunderstanding. Before this update, there was a good chance that a boss would not drop any items, only gold. The item loot tables will drop nothing but gold more than 50% of the time.

3) You have exactly the same chance of getting items as you did before. If you don't get an item, you'll still get gold. You can think of gold as the "consolation prize" for the Items loot table.

4) The Pet Snack loot table is completely separate from the Item loot tables. It has a chance of dropping snacks. Mostly these will be low level snacks-- this is the consolation prize for this loot table. Sometimes it will be a mid level snack (rank 3-5). Rarely it will be a high level snack (rank 6-7).

5) There is no correlation between boss level and snack level. Even a low level snack is worth XP and (depending on likes and loves) +1 or +2 Power.

Every snack is valuable in its own right-- it's not as if you "outgrow" low level snacks. It's not at all like seeing low level Items on a boss.

6) You're definitely not going to see an increase in high level snacks on high level bosses-- not as the Pet Snack loot table exists now, and not in any future incarnation of the loot table.

7) It sure sounds to me like you guys would rather receive nothing than receive a low level snack-- especially a low level snack from a high level boss. I think you're arguing against your own best interests, but we are ready and willing to oblige if it reduces confusion and frustration.

Ratbeard on Jun 10, 2014 wrote:

Jeniver (and everyone else):

1) We appreciate bug reports. I'll have QA look into the possibility that you are receiving "1 pet snack and nothing else."

Please look in your chat log-- if you miss the on screen display, you can always check that log for any loot rewards, including gold. If you get a pet snack and NO GOLD that is definitely a bug, and we want to fix it. (I don't know how such a bug could come to pass, but that's what makes them bugs, after all.)

2) This is *most likely* a case of player misunderstanding. Before this update, there was a good chance that a boss would not drop any items, only gold. The item loot tables will drop nothing but gold more than 50% of the time.

3) You have exactly the same chance of getting items as you did before. If you don't get an item, you'll still get gold. You can think of gold as the "consolation prize" for the Items loot table.

4) The Pet Snack loot table is completely separate from the Item loot tables. It has a chance of dropping snacks. Mostly these will be low level snacks-- this is the consolation prize for this loot table. Sometimes it will be a mid level snack (rank 3-5). Rarely it will be a high level snack (rank 6-7).

5) There is no correlation between boss level and snack level. Even a low level snack is worth XP and (depending on likes and loves) +1 or +2 Power.

Every snack is valuable in its own right-- it's not as if you "outgrow" low level snacks. It's not at all like seeing low level Items on a boss.

6) You're definitely not going to see an increase in high level snacks on high level bosses-- not as the Pet Snack loot table exists now, and not in any future incarnation of the loot table.

7) It sure sounds to me like you guys would rather receive nothing than receive a low level snack-- especially a low level snack from a high level boss. I think you're arguing against your own best interests, but we are ready and willing to oblige if it reduces confusion and frustration.

As long as something is being dropped, anything, I am pretty happy!

If it's only gold, great- I have a lot of morphing to do and companion resets for testing...so gold is more than welcomed, any day. If it is 1 snack and gold, equally great- my pets get super hungry and they aren't too picky when it comes to the level. I have trained many pets to adult and beyond, by using only low-mid level snacks that I know they Like and/or Love. The 50%, only gold makes sense as to what has been dropping- but in my experiences, it seems to be more in the 33 percentile. I rarely go more than 2 battles with only gold or just one snack with some gold.

My Sabretoothed Bunny, Mighty Rusty, has gobbled up many a low level snack on his way to reaching max level and 167/180 power so far- seems he can't get enough of Banana Soup, Coconutella, Jelly Rogers, Molten Lava Cake, Troggy Taffy and Watermelon, which all of them he Likes...hey, he's got quite a sweet tooth (the other tooth Loves Moolong Tea and Fortune Cookies).

I for one am not frustrated, but I am confused...but for entirely other reasons and it's quite the norm for me. Keep the gold and snacks coming, or you're going to have a whole Privateer House full and backpack full of Valkoor's pets that are not going to play too nice!

Ratbeard on Jun 10, 2014 wrote:

Jeniver (and everyone else):

1) We appreciate bug reports. I'll have QA look into the possibility that you are receiving "1 pet snack and nothing else."

Please look in your chat log-- if you miss the on screen display, you can always check that log for any loot rewards, including gold. If you get a pet snack and NO GOLD that is definitely a bug, and we want to fix it. (I don't know how such a bug could come to pass, but that's what makes them bugs, after all.)

2) This is *most likely* a case of player misunderstanding. Before this update, there was a good chance that a boss would not drop any items, only gold. The item loot tables will drop nothing but gold more than 50% of the time.

3) You have exactly the same chance of getting items as you did before. If you don't get an item, you'll still get gold. You can think of gold as the "consolation prize" for the Items loot table.

4) The Pet Snack loot table is completely separate from the Item loot tables. It has a chance of dropping snacks. Mostly these will be low level snacks-- this is the consolation prize for this loot table. Sometimes it will be a mid level snack (rank 3-5). Rarely it will be a high level snack (rank 6-7).

5) There is no correlation between boss level and snack level. Even a low level snack is worth XP and (depending on likes and loves) +1 or +2 Power.

Every snack is valuable in its own right-- it's not as if you "outgrow" low level snacks. It's not at all like seeing low level Items on a boss.

6) You're definitely not going to see an increase in high level snacks on high level bosses-- not as the Pet Snack loot table exists now, and not in any future incarnation of the loot table.

7) It sure sounds to me like you guys would rather receive nothing than receive a low level snack-- especially a low level snack from a high level boss. I think you're arguing against your own best interests, but we are ready and willing to oblige if it reduces confusion and frustration.

Since this post went up, I have been paying more attention to the rewards from chests. It should come as no surprise to you, Ratbeard, that the rewards are exactly as you say - a pet snack, and gold. Sometimes a hefty amount of gold! As to low level pet snacks, well my pets like and love them! I have had no problems getting a hatchling to mega-loyal in half the time it took me in Wiz101! Just saying "Good Job" and keep them coming, please.

Anne Radcliffe on Jun 12, 2014 wrote:

Personally, I love having pet snacks on the loot tables, be they low level or no, but mostly I have to say...

I adore that retrograde-evolution remark from your Serpent Auger, Valkoor! That made me grin!

Why thank you Anne, anything that makes you and my other fellow pirate friends grin, leaves me just-a-smiling as well. She sure is one philosssophical and not-ssso-sssoft-ssspoken ssserpent and has quite the ssslithery intellect (I don't know exactly what it means to have a slithery intellect, but she has one nonetheless)

You should hear her try to explain to the crew (especially Ratbeard) her theories on where Valkoor's Dino companions came from and how the quadruped members of the crew became bipedal.....truly fascinating stuff, I tell you.

Ascew on Jun 16, 2014 wrote:

NOT complaining, just making an observation. In the past, I farmed Friar Sand solo A LOT. It was a fast battle, 2 minutes sigil to sigil for my max level privateer and good gold and drops that I could sell to buy training tombs, which she desperately needed. (Love the brawling! best thing since sliced bread) This past weekend I was farming him with some friends, trying to get the turtle mount that we heard he drops. I don't know how many fights we did, maybe 10-15, not a ton, but the overall loot we got, seemed really low to me compared to my past experience, especially with four people in the battles, and so many more chests to open. Could be coincidence, but just saying.....

The prior loot tables were not adjusted.