Earlier this week, Monday to be exact, Zenimax implemented something that typically has a bit of controversy around it. Experience Boost potions, I’m completely against anything that increases your leveling experience however the way ZOS implemented it is probably one of the best ways I’ve seen it done.
You’ll be able to purchase these potions directly from the crown store for 1000 crowns for a pack of five. These crown purchased potions will be called Crown Experience Scroll, it will provided an additional 50% boost to all EXP gains. This includes both Leveling EXP (1-50), Veteran Rank leveling (VR1-14) and even champion point experience. The potions purchased from the crown store will last two hours per scroll. They do NOT stack with each other or with the crafted version, yes, there is a craftable version as well.
This is where the implementation gets fantastic. Zenimax has always been about keeping the game immersive and adding a potion to the crown store that isn’t able to be crafted would have broken the immersion for some players. The crafted version does have a difference in comparison to the crown store, the duration. Each crafted potion will only last 30 minutes per potion, which is a major decrease from the two hour version from the crown store.
Now, because it is crafted it will also take advantage of the crafting passives of the provisioning tree. If you max out the passive Brewer, you’ll be able to craft 4 potions at a time and if you max out Connoisseur you’ll be able to increase the duration from 30 minutes to 50 minutes. It’s still a major decrease from two hours but the most important part is you won’t have to spend real money to get these potions.
)
The materials to craft the potions are Frost Mirriam, Bervez Juice and a new ingredient called Perfect Roe obtained by skinning non trophy fish.
If you’re wanting to craft these EXP potions you’ll need to stay on top of doing your provisioning writs. By doing the provisioning writs you’ll have a chance to obtain one of the seven pieces needed to complete the recipe. These fragments are only obtained via the provisioning writs, they can be sold and traded to other players. This is great as it allows players to obtain this recipe easier, but also allow players to make some easy gold.
The reason I think this is one of the best implementations is strictly because of the ability to craft the potion. While it might be a much shorter duration and I disagree with the massive difference I am excited that they are allowing us to the option to get this potion without having to fork over hard earned cash. I’m always excited to see companies give alternatives to players that aren’t lining the company’s pockets with our money and this does just that.
While I am excited that ZOS is allowing for different avenues to get the bonus there are some things that I do not agree with. The biggest one being the duration differences, I understand that ZOS wants players to feel that the crown store purchase was worth the money, but does it really need to be more than double the duration?
If you’re a crafter looking to sell these potions you might be better off selling the mats than the crafted potions themselves. Reason I say this is because anyone who doesn’t have the passives in provisioning maxed out will only get a 30min buff. So your likely hood of selling the potion to someone who isn’t a provisioner isn’t very high, so I’d suggest selling the mats vs selling the potion itself.
What do you think, do you like the option of being able to craft these boosts?
