TOPIC: Speculation on Bead of the Lucky Traveler / Monster Bit Scarcity

Rob F wrote: Only thing I don't like about this transmute is that it's the Bead slot. Jeff just added this slot a few years ago and now we'll probably have slot lock for a while. Kind of the same with the Eldritch Kilt but I think we had another year or so of pants slot. Not a fan of BIS Tokens popping up right out of the gate in new slots. But that's just me.

The same thing happened with the Earcuff slot. Icecrag's came out the 4th year the slot existed. Meanwhile, still no Relic for Eyes, Figurine, Hands, Ioun Stone, or Shirt

Beertram wrote:

Rob F wrote: Only thing I don't like about this transmute is that it's the Bead slot. Jeff just added this slot a few years ago and now we'll probably have slot lock for a while. Kind of the same with the Eldritch Kilt but I think we had another year or so of pants slot. Not a fan of BIS Tokens popping up right out of the gate in new slots. But that's just me.

I was having the same thoughts...

That bead started at +3 all saves,
We got it down a bit,
So things could be worse.

The Falcon wrote:

Beertram wrote:

Rob F wrote: Only thing I don't like about this transmute is that it's the Bead slot. Jeff just added this slot a few years ago and now we'll probably have slot lock for a while. Kind of the same with the Eldritch Kilt but I think we had another year or so of pants slot. Not a fan of BIS Tokens popping up right out of the gate in new slots. But that's just me.

I was having the same thoughts...

That bead started at +3 all saves,
We got it down a bit,
So things could be worse.

Actually - I think that is one of the worst parts of this!

I agree that locking a slot with something quickly doesn’t appeal to me, but locking it with a _relic_ that gives an effect comparable to a UR Ioun also locks in a low power level.

Now for several years we’re going to see people argue perfectly cromulent beads are “too powerful” in comparison to the Bead of the Lucky Traveler.

Matthew Hayward wrote:

The Falcon wrote:

Beertram wrote:

Rob F wrote: Only thing I don't like about this transmute is that it's the Bead slot. Jeff just added this slot a few years ago and now we'll probably have slot lock for a while. Kind of the same with the Eldritch Kilt but I think we had another year or so of pants slot. Not a fan of BIS Tokens popping up right out of the gate in new slots. But that's just me.

I was having the same thoughts...

That bead started at +3 all saves,
We got it down a bit,
So things could be worse.

Actually - I think that is one of the worst parts of this!

I agree that locking a slot with something quickly doesn’t appeal to me, but locking it with a _relic_ that gives an effect comparable to a UR Ioun also locks in a low power level.

Now for several years we’re going to see people argue perfectly cromulent beads are “too powerful” in comparison to the Bead of the Lucky Traveler.

Well, we already have a precedent for bead power level with the uncommon and rare. I know that the first item in a slot often gets overshadowed after a couple years, but even if a rare bead ramps up to +1 saves (which, i think, would be too much compared to other rare beads), that would put UR at +2 saves. And the lucky traveler bead would still be better than UR.

Not sure a +1 save Bead is too much at rare. Maybe when compared to other Beads, but not compared to IS Beryl Prism.

Brad Mortensen wrote: Not sure a +1 save Bead is too much at rare. Maybe when compared to other Beads, but not compared to IS Beryl Prism.

Hmm, this is awkward, the best argument against the first sentence of your post is the second sentence of your post.

kurtreznor wrote:

Brad Mortensen wrote: Not sure a +1 save Bead is too much at rare. Maybe when compared to other Beads, but not compared to IS Beryl Prism.

Hmm, this is awkward, the best argument against the first sentence of your post is the second sentence of your post.

I don't think there is anything wrong with the beryl prisim given the other IS avaliable and general lack of usable stones at rare and below

kurtreznor wrote:

Brad Mortensen wrote: Not sure a +1 save Bead is too much at rare. Maybe when compared to other Beads, but not compared to IS Beryl Prism.

Hmm, this is awkward, the best argument against the first sentence of your post is the second sentence of your post.

I mean, it's a good question to ask from an overall design perspective. Should beads be balanced only against what is available in that slot, or should it look at other slots and the power available there?

You have 5 IS slots by default, and a rare can get you +1 to all saves. Does that implicitly mean that beads (which you can only ever have one of) should have a stronger effect at rare than a simple +1 to saves, or should beads only look at other beads to be internally balanced? There's an argument for either case.

Endgame wrote:

kurtreznor wrote:

Brad Mortensen wrote: Not sure a +1 save Bead is too much at rare. Maybe when compared to other Beads, but not compared to IS Beryl Prism.

Hmm, this is awkward, the best argument against the first sentence of your post is the second sentence of your post.

I don't think there is anything wrong with the beryl prisim given the other IS avaliable and general lack of usable stones at rare and below

No argument about beryl prism, but we are talking about a hypothetical bead, not ioun stone.

kurtreznor wrote:

Endgame wrote:

kurtreznor wrote:

Brad Mortensen wrote: Not sure a +1 save Bead is too much at rare. Maybe when compared to other Beads, but not compared to IS Beryl Prism.

Hmm, this is awkward, the best argument against the first sentence of your post is the second sentence of your post.

I don't think there is anything wrong with the beryl prisim given the other IS avaliable and general lack of usable stones at rare and below

No argument about beryl prism, but we are talking about a hypothetical bead, not ioun stone.

But that’s my point.

Power is inversely correlated to number of slots. Neck items are typically stronger than rings at the same rarity. Charms are stronger than Ioun Stones. Following that pattern, it’s not outrageous for Beads to be stronger than Ioun Stones.

I now know the answer to this. 2019 bits....based on what we are seeing at origins. monster bits seem low like 15% low. for me less than 10%. We will have better idea post origins when we can combine everyone’s data.

80 2019 pulls so far and only 9 bits. Not even a full set.

In contrast I pulled 40 2018 pulls and got 11 bits.

Definitely seems lower.