Most people assume that if there is no rogue in the dungeon group, then any locked treasure chest within the dungeon is unlootable. "It's locked. Keep pulling!" I'm not sure why this is a common belief, but I always use it to my advantage. We as auctioneers are often profitting off of other players' errors and ignorance, and this is another oppurtunity.
Dungeon Groups
If you are dungeoneering in a guild group or with a group of friends, then you probably use your lockpicking skill to open any locked chests. If you are in a PUG dungeon group, do you use your lockpicking skills? I only do if it is a quality group and we are planning on running multiple dungeons. If not, I ignore all locked chests within the instance. Why? Being the greedy and evil goblin that I am, I want to keep all the chest's contents for myself. I go back through the instance after the dungeon group disbands and claim all of the chest's goodies for myself. These random PUG members may never cross your path again so you don't really owe them anything. You way remember back during Hallow's Eve when I discussed this tactic briefly for claiming all the scarlet monastery chests for yourself.
3 Ways To Ninja Locked Chests
1) Rogue - "Sorry my lockpicking skill isn't high enough." Then go pick the lock once everyone leaves and collect all the gold and items.
2) Blacksmith - No one needs to know that you are a blacksmith or whether you have blacksmith keys on you or not. Use those blacksmith lockpicking skills after everyone else leaves. You do carry keys on you right?
3) Engineer - Just like blacksmiths, engineers can craft seaforium charges to open chests. Backtrack through the dungeon and collect those locked goods waiting for you in the empty instance. Bonus if you use a speed boost with your engineering gadgets to get to those chests.
Just remember to have the dungeoun group clear out any mobs near those locked chests so you can return to the safely when you are alone.
It sounds a lot like being evil is the main goal here, not getting loot. That's something I've always had a problem with- the only reason people revel in evilness is that they can't reconcile making a profit on the AH with their "ignore money" values socialized into them. The answer is not to reject your socialization, but to change it to accommodate your auctioneering ways.
ReplyDeleteStealing from strangers is not cool, and makes you nothing more than a thug who breaks into cars and takes their radios.
Really, we are going to compare pixels in a game to stealing from strangers? Where does it say that anyone "owns" the chests in a dungeon? That would be like saying you have to share the ore and herb drops in a zone with every toon in a zone.
ReplyDeleteCold - I would also point out that BS keys aren't BOP, so even if you aren't a rogue, blacksmith or engineer, you can still accomplish this by carrying keys with you.
Toki (Misha)/Arall (Malygos)
Your lockpicking skill is now automatically 5x your character level, or thereabouts.
ReplyDeleteSo if you try that lie you had better make sure no-one else in the group plays a rogue!
As to wasting the (not trivial) mats needed to make the BS/engi items...well, that's basically gambling (and we all know what a mug's game that is) - the chances of getting anything apart from trash items are very slim indeed.
And anyway, Scarlet monastery chests?? There are far, far better things to be going out of your way to get, that's just petty, and not all all 'evil'.
Which, by the way, goblins certainly aren't, very pretty much the embodiment of amoral.
@Euripides - Stealing from strangers? Really? Is it 'wrong' for a Warlock to not port guys back into the instance after a wipe? He's got the ability to help, but chooses not to... and its a PUG. I agree there is a time to be a jerk and a time not to be... if the group says 'Hey, will you grab that chest?' sure, go ahead. If not, Cold's plan is fine... and he even covers that in the post. Allow me to lead you back to your high horse...
ReplyDelete@Anonymous - Doesn't work, I've tried it. You need blacksmithing skill to USE the keys... otherwise, Blacksmiths would be awesome, or at least a bit more worthwhile
@Cold - "Skill level isn't high enough" doesn't work anymore, I'm told... lock picking is based on your level now, so there is no need to train it up anymore... mixed feelings on that, training it up was entertaining to do, but a pain in the but... takes a bit more of the 'magic' away from the game
@xiani
ReplyDeletePoint taken. I guess skill level of lockpicking isn't an issue since they removed skills. My rogue has been max level for too long to have noticed. I've never actually lied about my skill as I always kept my lockpicking maxed anyways. I just didn't pick the chests unless asked.
Scarlet Monstery chests were great for farming for old vanilla blue recipes and blue twink gear that sold for nice amounts. HHM instant runs left you in the GY with no mobs, so staying as the last person to leave the instance would get you 1 or 2 free chests to loot. Each chest had a chance at those rare recipes or blue twink gear. Farming those easily was actually a viable strategy.
@Euripidies
Now your being silly. Who says I have to "waste" my materials I spent crafting keys or seaforium on a CHANCE at loot?
Maybe my point was not to be sneaky and evil and rip off the group, but was more aimed at if you are opening chests for random people you are wasting your materials and giving your shot at rare gear or patterns to strangers that may not deserve it.
I don't see any moral issue here - just because you can open a chest doesn't mean your obligated to do so.
ReplyDeleteI just don't get why this would be a good use of time. Nowadays Cata allows a savvy player to make 2,000g+ per hour, so the 3-4 minutes it's going to take to run, loot the chest, and manage its contents, are going to have to compete with the opportunity cost of 120g+. I think the expected value of most chests is probably 10% of that.
NINJAS are bad and have no place in WoW.
ReplyDeleteCall me old fashioned, but even in a PUG, I expect people to use their class abilities to the good of the group or get out.
ReplyDeleteA tank who isn't producing threat is going to get replaced.
A mage who refuses to buff, sheep, or provide mage food is going to get replaced.
And a rogue who refuses to pick locks so he can have them all to himself later (yes, I know what each lock needs, so don't lie to me) is going to get replaced as well.
I don't like this and I strongly suspect I'm not alone.