Guild Wars 2

I was right on the magic find bandwagon from Day 1, had my max gear quite early before the changes, now moving quickly along to the 300% level. I believe that it is overrated, possibly even non consequential when searching for the “Holy Glory loot” such as precursors.

Here is the problem with Magic Find, it seems to me that there hasn’t been any real explanation as to how it works. What I have experienced in over 4000 hours of play is that Magic Find DOES seem to increase the quality of mats I receive in loot (sometimes quantity), but in regards to the most desireable loot, I dont see a difference at all. Zero precursor drops from loot in thousands of hours of “end game” play. So what is the definition of the “improvement”? What is the standard they are using to determine this improvement? Is it more of any loot, improved “better loot” (greens and rares instead of whites), or, as I believe MOST players chase the increased MF number for, is there an improved chance for a precursor and/or exotics in general?

I always felt that Aanet should have clarified generally what MF affects, there doesn’t need to be a promise of getting a precursor obviously, as this is still randomized, but at least explain the percentage difference between someone with 50 MF and the guy who works hard to hit 300. There is an implied value assigned to Magic find, that more is better, but better for what? The only thing I have read officially is that it doesn’t affect boss chests. What about chance for exotics? Precursors? The rarest of drops?

As I was increasing my Agony Resistance on my equipment I realized an obvious and quantifiable explanation as to how each number of AR affects my character per FOTM level, why not something similar for magic find? Below would be an example of what I am referring to.

I"Magic find 0-50, ____ % of an exotic being a precursor", “magic find 51-100, ____ percentage of an exotic drop being a precursor”. They could even get more granular and it wouldn’t really provide any details about patterns so that someone could identify when or even IF the precursor would ever come. He would be assured though that through time and high level gameplay they have a shot at some real high end loot, not simply more greens and/or t6 for example.

That’s my take on this. It’s not scientific, but I have yet to see anything that clarifies the baseline comparison, so we all have to throw darts at the idea.

If anyone has any similar opinions, official information released or experience let me know. Magic find isn’t the end all be all, but I would love to understand that all of the salvaging I have been applying has some real value. As of now, I have to agree with what so many people have stated in-game and elsewhere about this mysterious component of the game.

Here is the official information available:

Everytime you kill a monster you roll on a number of tables, inside these tables are different rarity categories. Magic find increases the chances you will get higher categories. For example if there is a 1 in 10 category, and you have 200% magic find you will have 3/10 chances to get that category. This improves not just the rarity of the items you get but can also improve your chances at getting trophies and rare crafting materials like lodestones." ³

http://www.guildwarsinsider.com/qa-with-isaiah-cartwright/

Thanks for that, it is the first time I have seen something quantified. I would still like to see a specific comparison to the top tier loot, some sort of percentage expecation or improvement based on mf level. Isiah can feel free to respond to this or any other Dev in the know if they please.

There is a reason so many people are skeptical. So does the above comment suggest that you will get a better chance at green (say 1/10 category), instead of a blue, which might be a 1/5 category, BUT, the chance of you getting a precursor or exotic is not impacted at all?

Isiah specifically suggested rare crafting material, which is consistent with what I have found as I posted above, but I would like to see them mention precursors in particular…at the very least exotics.

I just believe that the vast majority of players who put in the effort and long hours; the most hardcore are looking at the benefit of the mf beyond mats, greens, blues etc. Again, it might be implied that, say a precursor is in the 1/25000 category or whatever, and maybe your chance improves to 3/25000. Without a specific suggestion to this, I almost have to think that precursors are in a “special class” outside the MF (as chests and the forge is). I;m only going on my experience and that of others who I have spoken to (and read on here).

I believe people have asked for that information for a very long time…probably since release. It is not likely your request will garner a different outcome. Good luck, though. =)

I have been playing for a year and still have yet to see a precursor drop. The best thing they can do is make them not drops and make them craft-able only. Some people play for that chance of one dropping, but it has the worst drop rate of any gear in any game I have played in my entire 20 years of gaming. I guess if you want fancy things in RL or Virtual worlds you have to be rich… I know a lot of people that stopped playing due to the loot nerfs.

I don’t know, MF works ok for me. I see lots more rares and exotics, and Dusk dropped off a Level 6 mob for me in Metrica. /shrug

In my year of play time I think I’ve only seen only around 50 Exotics drop, none of which was a precursor, and keep in mind that I have done hundreds of bosses, ran the champ trains many times, used the mystic forge, everything…

Since increasing my MF I get alot of rares, which has increased my income substantially due to salvaging them to Globs of Ectoplasm, but that’s it.

Hannelore.8153:

In my year of play time I think I’ve only seen only around 50 Exotics drop, none of which was a precursor, and keep in mind that I have done hundreds of bosses, ran the champ trains many times, used the mystic forge, everything…

Since increasing my MF I get alot of rares, which has increased my income substantially due to salvaging them to Globs of Ectoplasm, but that’s it.

Your stats and tactics sound similar to mine, except now I salvage blues and greens for more magic find hope, where as before this was vital merchant currency.

This is why it would be beneficial for players to know the facts about magic find so we can set our expectations accordingly. I don’t know why this important subject has not been transparently addressed by now.

trampled underfoot.4523:

There is a reason so many people are skeptical. So does the above comment suggest that you will get a better chance at green (say 1/10 category), instead of a blue, which might be a 1/5 category, BUT, the chance of you getting a precursor or exotic is not impacted at all?

It is, in the same way. [preface, this is assumption based on what we've heard so far. it is definitely not confirmed] When you get a green, you roll on another table, where one of the options is "upgrade to rare". If you get that, you roll on a rare drop table, which can be upgraded... and so on. Each of those upgrade chances are affected by MF.
You do not see real difference between precursors, because doubling or tripling a vanishingly small chance still results in a vanishingly small chance.

(in an example, upping MF in hope to get a precursor is like buying more lottery tickets to win a big prize. 3 tickets will give you a bigger chance, but in practical terms you are still not going to get anything).