Hello everyone!
Just thought I would share information regarding a pretty big change to Woodcutting that is included in the next Major Update.
Currently, Woodcutting is causing some serious balance issues for the current game, as well as any new content planning to be added. Specifically, it is the Multi-Tree upgrade you can purchase from the Shop that are causing these issues.
What exactly is the issue?
Multi-Tree allows you to cut two trees simultaneously. This means each tree is running on its own timer and is rolling rare items for each of these actions. The result of this "double action" means Woodcutting is always the go-to Skill for any rare items such as Mysterious Stones, Pets (Like Ty, and future global Pets), Signet Ring Half (a), and was also the go-to for the upcoming Summoning update (Which is currently in testing).
This puts Woodcutting at the forefront of training, and also means you can obtain such items at a pace not intended by the initial game.
The upgrade you can purchase was one of the very first Shop items you could buy in the very early days of Melvor Idle (when there was only 5 Skills in total). It has stuck around since, and I'm actually surprised it lasted this long. The fact that no similar mechanics exist in other Skills should provide some evidence as to how I feel about this kind of mechanic in general.
Instead of leaving it as is and balancing around it or applying exceptions to Woodcutting only for current and future content, now was the right time to adjust the mechanics and bring the Skill back in line with the general feel of the game. However, I have done this in a way that retains the original purpose of the Multi-Tree Upgrade.
How is it changing?
Multi-Tree is now being combined into one single action.
You are still able to cut two trees at the same time, however they will only run off of a single timer/action and will award Items, XP, Mastery XP and Rare Items based off of this single action.
Included in the change is a complete visual representation on exactly what quantity of Items and XP you are receiving per action.
Details on changes
Interval
Your action's interval is determined by the highest interval out of both trees you are cutting.
Skill XP, Mastery XP and Mastery Pool XP
The XP you earn is weighted against the interval stated above. This means XP rates have not actually changed, and are staying the same.
Skill XP Example:
- Tree 1 has a 2 second interval and provides 10 XP
- Tree 2 has a 3 second interval and provides 15 XP
Due to the interval being 3 seconds, Tree 1 will provide you with 15 XP (10 * 1.5). Tree 2 will still provide the standard 15 XP.
Please remember that Mastery XP is weighted against the action's interval (higher interval = higher Mastery XP granted), so this causes no change in Mastery XP rates for Woodcutting. What will be affected is the amount of Mastery Tokens that drop (it will be less).
Logs
Logs are provided in the same way the above-mentioned XP is.
However, the amount is rounded down as it is not possible to receive half of an item in this game.
Using the above example, you will only get 1 of each log (Not 1.5 logs). If Tree 2's interval was 10 seconds, then Tree 1 would provide you with 5 Logs, if that makes sense.
This does means you will receive less logs than before the change.
Rare Items (Including Bird Nests)
Rare Items in the game roll on a per action basis. Combining Multi-Tree into a single action means you will only be provided with one roll per action, even though you're cutting two trees.
This will cause some most items to take longer to obtain in Woodcutting than prior to this change.
Will drop rates be changed to compensate for the changes?
At this stage, no. The drop rates will all remain the same.
The reason for this is that Woodcutting was providing these items 30-50% faster than originally intended. This change is bringing Woodcutting back into line with all the other Skills in the game and is allowing future content to be added without worry.
Conclusion
I thought it would be best to provide details about this change before suddenly dropping it on to you without warning. This change will ensure healthy growth and balance from here-on for all current and future content.
The next Major Update is not far away at all. So keep your eyes peeled for the next Announcement!
- Malcs