dustybuddha Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 (edited) If you've got Treasure Hunting and your companions are sitting around, doing nothing, is it worthwhile to send them out for lockboxes? I can't answer the question generally, because that's too much data collection. I'm collecting data on a level 18 sage, whose companions have no criticals. My skill level is 189. In other words, I hope these data are representative of a lower level character. The results may or may not generalize to other situations. Sorry - best I can do at the moment. At the time of writing, I have 153 samples; that's at least 300 minutes. I've only received three items that were upgrades and those weren't exceptional, so I sold everything and counted the monetary value of included items as if they were just cash. I've spent 30.5k and gained back around 27k for a net loss of 3.5k. Result #1: Bountiful, abundant, and rich are somewhat misleading. Unless something changes drastically as your level, skill level, or companion affection rises, there doesn't seem to be much reason to choose anything other than moderate at each level. I measured two things - the percentage of lockboxes that gave a net monetary increase and the average change in wealth from that lockbox. Type Gain% Average Delta 1 B 9% -108 M 50% 19 2 R 13% -292 B 20% -194 A 29% -51 M 40% 20 3 R 0% -180 M 40% 35 In other words, about half of level 1, moderate lockboxes give you more money back than you spent on them, and you gain about 19 per mission. About 20% of level 2, bountiful lockboxes give you more money back than you spent on them, and you lose about 194 on each mission. R, B, and A aren't at this stage worth it in terms of pure cash flow. Result #2: Not all moderates are the same. Let's take a look at level 2, moderate lockboxes: cost Gain% Average Delta -230 67% 26 -220 25% 17 The 230 moderate missions are better than the 220 moderate missions - you win more often and you win more when you do. Level 1 moderates are 95 and level 3 are 425. Why this split for level 2? Anyway, choose 230 when possible. Result #3: You can make money if you do it right. Because I was choosing R, B, and A, I lost a lot of money. However, if I'd only chosen M, at the end of 125 trials I would have been up 2850. Very likely, the rewards will increase as my levels increase and by continuing to choose moderates the entire way through, it seems possible this might be eventually worth the number of clicks. More statistics will come as I get more data. Edited January 10, 2012 by dustybuddha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustybuddha Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 (edited) After about trial #150, I started doing only moderate lockboxes of any level. If I didn't have any, I'd send them out for green gift quests; I lost money, but my companions like me more, so... This is what it looks like this far: Running Total Keep in mind that if I hadn't been experimenting in the beginning and just went with moderates, I'd be up about 7k right now. At least until level 4 lockboxes, this is a viable way to make some money while doing something else. I cooked dinner while making 1k; just listened for the companions returning. It'll be faster in practice, since you don't have to record every mission. I've yet to actually observe a moderate level 4 lockbox, which worries me. Edited January 10, 2012 by dustybuddha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimgrey Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Interesting. My Artificer has Treasure Hunting at about 300, and I'd been operating under the assumption that Rich and Bountiful lockbox missions had either a higher item roll level or a greater chance to crit. I'd pretty much given up on lockboxes for now, however, as the aforementioned Rich and Bountiful missions are a great way to lose money. I'll have to try moderates and see how that goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiLune Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought things like "Rich" increased your chance of getting a blue or purple lockbox, which obviously drop blue or purple gear. (Or orange gear.) And if the chance is getting 7k credits over the course of leveling up to 260ish its no way to make money. I'd rather "lose" credits for a chance at better loot (because credits are so easy to come by. I make 40kish doing a day's worth of space missions at level 40.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GloamingLeuceti Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Bountiful definately increase chances for better items, not credits though. If you want credits stick with moderate, if your farming lockboxes for missions or blue/orange/purple gear then rich, abundant and bountiful are better, they just cost more. I've gotten a nice lvl 39 orange chest, fully modded out and several blue pieces, not to mention relics. Its a decent way to acquire upgrades for companions while increasing your skill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Proviant Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Can you drop slicing for Treasure Hunting than? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerithel Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Can you drop slicing for Treasure Hunting than? I suppose the lockboxes work in a similar way, but keep in mind that this may remove the option of gathering world node lockboxes (which requires Slicing). From a money perspective, this is where Slicing ends up shining - when I was questing on Quesh, I came across a string of them in a Republic-friendly area and ended up pocketing about 20,000+ credits within 10 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ras_Thavas Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 When I first opened up level 5 missions the only ones available were two lock box missions. I've done about 20 level 5 lock box missions and have gotten 2 orange armor pieces and an orange lightsaber. I sold one armor piece on the GTN for 21k. Not to mention the other blue pieces and relics that I have sold on the GTN I am finally turning a small profit now from these missions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sangreal Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 (edited) I get several blue/purple/orange items an hour doing lockboxes. I can usually sell at least a few of these for 20k+, especially the level 50 schematics so it's definitely worth it to me. The relics are annoying, but I get around 5k for them so whatever. I disagree with your conclusion regarding bountiful/rich, although I don't have any data to support my claims. I seem to almost always get an item from these missions. That doesn't necessarily make them better, however, since the items from those top out around level 48 (no class 6 bountiful/rich) and the class 6 moderates can give you level 50 items. I just find I get credit boxes way more on the moderate missions Edited January 11, 2012 by sangreal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustybuddha Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 I disagree with your conclusion regarding bountiful/rich, although I don't have any data to support my claims. I seem to almost always get an item from these missions. Keep in mind I'm only able to comment on what I've observed. I've gotten lots of data for up to level 4 abundants (and I've still not observed a level 4 moderate) but beyond that I can't generalize, so we don't necessarily disagree. It may be that a level 5, 6 A,B, or R suddenly reverses the trend, and I'll be able to speak about that eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightspeed Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 As low level blue and purple stuff doesn't sell very well I do all my low level power leveling for TH on lockboxes, at least you get some decent coin back. Overall I still lost money but not as much as just dumping it into stuff I won't use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pangwl Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 So far, from my experience from 1-400... I have only gotten 1 Orange gear, a Jedi robe (but heavy amor)... I'm planning to swap those mods out into my Medium armor (since I'm a JK). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiLune Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 So far, from my experience from 1-400... I have only gotten 1 Orange gear, a Jedi robe (but heavy amor)... I'm planning to swap those mods out into my Medium armor (since I'm a JK). Bad luck. And sorry to hear that you're a joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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