A complete rework of schematics.

[Ardbug]

As it stands right now, schematics drop from chests, and very very rarely from MOBs.
The outdoor chests belong to chest farmers, it is rare to find chests after 6 in the morning anywhere, this is however an option open to everyone so it is definitely the most "fair" way of getting a schematic.
The indoor chests however all belong to rogues, it is not even a competition, every dungeon with a chest is being harvested by rogues exclusively.
As for the schematics dropping from MOBs ... I cant really speak to it because I seem to have some sort of curse, after hundreds of hours ingame I have only ever seen one drop, so to me this is a completely moot option.
My passion is crafting, but I rarely see schematics being sold in auction, and I dont really want to plan my ingame day based on looting chests at 6 in the morning.

I suggest a complete rework of the schematic system, how about tailor schematics drop from jute and cotton, leather schematics drop from skinning animals, and the forge schematics drop from mining ore ? that way crafters would actually obtain the schematics they use in their craft from a logical source ?
You harvest jute and learn about the workings of fibres, you skin animals and learn about processing the skins, you mine the ore and learn about the properties of the different metals inside the rock as you split them ?

You could substiture the schematics in chests with actual armor pieces and weapons, that way chests would actually be even more desireable for the hunters and rogues, cause I often see them say in chat that they simply sell the schematics to NPCs because they canot be bothered to actually deal with /auction, which kinda defeat the entire purpose of having them drop in chests, I would imagine they drop there to encourage player interaction from selling and buying from eachother ??

[returning143]

I'm all for new options for schematic distribution, but your example of:

"tailor schematics drop from jute and cotton, leather schematics drop from skinning animals, and the forge schematics drop from mining ore ? that way crafters would actually obtain the schematics they use in their craft from a logical source ?"

is the opposite of a logical source. Where in nature do you suppose a miner finds a blueprint/instructions when mining ore? Where does a farmer harvest plants and find a note that describes how to sew a garment?

I think if schematics are going to stay, it would be nice if a player could take a quest from say, an armorsmith npc/vendor, and completing it would reward you with a choice from a selection of schematics. This adds a step to your suggestion, but one I think is vital. You wouldn't learn how to craft directly from natural goods, but rather from someone who has previously worked with those goods.

On the other hand, my personal preference would be no schematics at all. I would much rather be allowed to do a combine without having to get a plan in advance. Trial and error of putting items into a combine container (loom, forge, etc.) and risking the items in an attempt to get something is far preferred to hoping I'll eventually find the schematic I need from a treasure chest that I only get a chance at looting once a week or thereabouts (due to the reasons you outlined).

[Ardbug]

Oh what I mean is that when you pick the cotton and jute you learn something about fibers, and make your own schematic kinda, same with the skinning and stone, you get insight into it and thats how you come up with the schematics, call it inspiration :)
Someone had to think up the schematics, it would be logical that it was done while actually harvesting and processing the different raws.
And since you also loot the different dusts then it would also be logical that you figure out ways to incorporate the different dusts into the schematics.

[Urban Blackbear]

The availability of schematics is a problem on the Black Moon server from what I have seen and tried to accomplish. I have also heard from chest farmers that they just vendor the schematics they get. Tradeskills need be viable for players and for that they need those schematics. Simply much too rare right now.

The idea of harvesting rarely granting a schematic through inspiration or ingenuity is interesting. They could also just drop from mobs that drop the same type of gear. Either way or some other way there needs to be more of them circulating through the economy.

[Kblocks]

yeah this timed respawn chest open world contesting of recipes needs to go

[Mordicai052]

I loved crafting right up until T2 stuff, then the lack of schematics on the vendors, combined with the chest farmers making sure no one else ever gets a schematic, killed it dead for me.