Prowler's profit is INSANE

[Quevik]

This is my first time actually completing the stones of barenziah quest.

I know we all complain about the stupidity of that quest (Being 24 stones, unmarked, and requiring multiple guilds to be at least partially done). But the prowler's profit effect is absolutely insane. I did a single nordic tomb (Ragnvald) and looted over 125 gems. You're talking like 60k gold from 25 weight worth of items.

Obviously in a vanilla game you're already overflowing with gold at that point but still, the bonus amount you get from that effect is crazy. And when you combine it with a perk mod like ordinator (Where you can spend 50k to get a perk point) it becomes the best effect in the game.

[alexander_dougherty]

Like you say, in the vanilla game, by the time you earn it you have way too much money.... and have bought every property and spell, and probably done most of the training....

[Halliwax]

Even in a playthrough where my character started with the Thieves Guild and got the crown ASAP, I still had no use for the gems by then. Alchemy and Enchanting are just so much better for making money. If you were doing a playthrough that banned those skill trees but still needed coin, then it might be a good option.

[Quevik]

I never understood the argument that alchemy was this superior path to making money. I'm using a mod that lets you get like 4X the number of ingredients per plant (more respective of how the plant appears) and even still, after gathering ingredients on the way to five seperate dungeons, the potions i made only netted me 50k. (That's with all the perks). Prowlers profit would net me 200k+ in that same time.

[the commando]

Originally posted by Quevik:

I never understood the argument that alchemy was this superior path to making money. I'm using a mod that lets you get like 4X the number of ingredients per plant (more respective of how the plant appears) and even still, after gathering ingredients on the way to five seperate dungeons, the potions i made only netted me 50k. (That's with all the perks). Prowlers profit would net me 200k+ in that same time.

now think for a moment how much downtime there is between you starting to use alchemy which can be straight away, and how long it takes to gather all 24 gems.
even if you rush all of them that might still be a 50 hours or more, in that time frame your making bank off other sources and then when you finally do get it, then what you'll probably be richer then is ever needed.

[Senor Cinco]

I'm on the Alchemy train to wealth, when I make a wealth trip through Skyrim. At level 1... you can gather, (IIRC) Lavander-Red Mountain Flower-Tundra Cotton make a potion that sells for ~75g.

You can collect upwards of 50 samples of each. just running around Riverwood and Whiterun. Not to mention, the absurd gold grab from Salmon Roe-Garlic-Nordic Barnacle.

That's 4 potential merchants with 750 each, giving you 3K by the end of day one. Wake up and take a carriage trip around the main holds. It's ludicrous.

[Rez Elwin]

Originally posted by Quevik:

I never understood the argument that alchemy was this superior path to making money. I'm using a mod that lets you get like 4X the number of ingredients per plant (more respective of how the plant appears) and even still, after gathering ingredients on the way to five seperate dungeons, the potions i made only netted me 50k. (That's with all the perks). Prowlers profit would net me 200k+ in that same time.

What potions are you using? You can make 2-3k per potion and at max level you're popping out 2 at a time. The main benifit is you don't have to do 'No Stone Unturned"

There is also the problem that you yourself mention, by the time you can aquire every stone you have more money that you need.

The Perk is strong but largely useless.

[Halliwax]

Originally posted by Quevik:

I never understood the argument that alchemy was this superior path to making money.

It's really fast both to level alchemy and make money with it if you know what you're doing. Especially easy if you use farm plots either from the Hearthfire homes or from Anniversary Edition content.

Starting out, collect all the Salmon Roe you can from White River. Use powtions.com to figure out expensive potions with the random assortment of ingredients you find at first. Skill train with Arcadia and then sell potions to get your coin back. Sell to all the general merchants too and learn the Merchant perk when you hit Speech 50.

Get some Dragon's Tongue, Fly Amanita, and Scaly Pholiota (two can be found in Fellglow Keep). If you have AE, plant those in Tundra Homestead and Goldenhills Plantation. Otherwise, get Lakeview Manor in Falkreath and build the garden and greenhouse there. Once you're at Alchemy 100 and have these growing, you'll have a steady supply of ~2500 G potions. All of this setup is faster than getting the Crown of Barenziah and way faster to operate after that.

[Quevik]

From what i'm reading, all the people using alchemy to make money are doing it more as a job. Run around and gather ingredients during a specific "ingredient run" type of deal. That's different then what i had in mind.

I thought people were saying that just running from dungeon A to dungeon B you'll collect 50k gold worth of alchemy mats if you stop to pick the flowers.

But like "collect all the salmon roe from white river". My character has no reason to go in the river so i never see those ingredients.

It's a difference in playstyle then. You guys are gathering ingredients for the express purpose of making money (As a job). I only ever gather ingredients if they are on my way to the next quest.

[alexander_dougherty]

Originally posted by Quevik:

I never understood the argument that alchemy was this superior path to making money.

Depends on what potions you are making, and what level and perks you have....
Same as for those of use who enchant Jewellery (you can wipe out a vendors cash reserve with one item)

[FauxFurry]

I would never complain about such a thing especially if one has Anniversary Edition content which adds even more things to buy in-game but I would say that it is not the most enticing perk unless one speeds through the main quest until one completes 'Diplomatic Immunity' to get said perk when it will be the most useful. It provides yet another option to play through the game a bit differently than the last time around.

[Rez Elwin]

Originally posted by FauxFurry:

I would never complain about such a thing especially if one has Anniversary Edition content which adds even more things to buy in-game but I would say that it is not the most enticing perk unless one speeds through the main quest until one completes 'Diplomatic Immunity' to get said perk when it will be the most useful. It provides yet another option to play through the game a bit differently than the last time around.

The main quest isn't the issue in completing the quest, it requires you to buy Proudspire Manor, if you can afford to buy the most expensive home in the game then you probably don'y need the money Prowler's Profit would bring in.

[steventirey]

Doing the main quest up till Diplomatic Immunity isn't needed anyway, as the gem was moved to the cave exit (way back in 2012, apparently). You can get it at any time now. The same stone will also appear in the Embassy itself, if you haven't picked it up before then.

[Quevik]

Originally posted by Rez Elwin:

Originally posted by FauxFurry:

I would never complain about such a thing especially if one has Anniversary Edition content which adds even more things to buy in-game but I would say that it is not the most enticing perk unless one speeds through the main quest until one completes 'Diplomatic Immunity' to get said perk when it will be the most useful. It provides yet another option to play through the game a bit differently than the last time around.

The main quest isn't the issue in completing the quest, it requires you to buy Proudspire Manor, if you can afford to buy the most expensive home in the game then you probably don'y need the money Prowler's Profit would bring in.

But that's what mods are for. You add equipment repairs, taxes, towns to invest in, other general gold sinks, and the ability to buy perk points for 50k a pop.

And even if you don't actually need the gold for any reason, the reward is still insane. It's like winning a lotto ticket worth half a billion when you're already a millionaire. You don't need it but no complaints.