Chance of salvaging an upgrade?

Vlad Juraquile

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2005

N/Mo

Does any know the chances that you'll salvage an upgrade off of a weapon?

I've gotten three weapons with perfect upgrades (Axe Sundering, Sword Sundering, Sword Fortitude) while farming, but I've salvaged nothing but steel from all three weapons. Not only is this extremely frustrating to me, but it's also cost me approximately 150k (going from the average sell price of the upgrades at the time I failed to salvage them).

I know some of you may say, "But at least you unlocked them for PvP!" However, I don't have any PvP characters, so unlocking them is absolutely useless for me.

Swehurn

Swehurn

1,787,569

Join Date: Jul 2005

BC, Canada

I'm sure it's just my perspective on the matter, but I have a horrible success rate salvaging perfect upgrades. I have great success with "almost-perfect" mods, but am zero for about thirty for perfect mods that are actually worth something.

I'm sure it's perfectly random, though. 33% or so for a weapon with two mods, and maybe as high as 50% for a weapon with one mod.

EDIT: Good point, Matt. My failures have all been with an expert kit, but for Vlad - you weren't using a regular salvage kit, were you?

Vlad Juraquile

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2005

N/Mo

Hm...I can salvage horrible upgrades with a 100% success rate, but when it comes to anything decent, I'm horrible. This is especially frustrating for me because I almost always have less than 15 platinum.

master_ranger_matt

master_ranger_matt

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Nov 2005

Salt Lake City, Utah.... no im not mormon

Radicals Against Tyrants [RAT]

R/Me

try using an expert or superior kit... that has never happened to anyone I know who used those kits

Vlad Juraquile

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2005

N/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Swehurn
EDIT: Good point, Matt. My failures have all been with an expert kit, but for Vlad - you weren't using a regular salvage kit, were you?
Yes, I've always used Expert Kits for weapon upgrades. That's why I've been getting Steel instead of Iron.

berko

berko

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jul 2005

Canada

N/Me

I think I've had a 65/35 chance of getting the upgrade instead of materials (I mean the higher value upgrades).
I've had a 10/10 Sundering String salvage fine, 20% Hammer Enchant salvage fine and some others too i believe, but I also lost 20% Death Magic Wrapping (was pissed about this one) and 30 HP Sword Pommel. So yea it sucks but there's really nothing you can do about it but complain to Anet I guess. Or you could try to sell the weapon that has the mod at a lower price so then at least you wouldn't have to worry about that stuff.

fenix

fenix

Major-General Awesome

Join Date: Aug 2005

Aussie Trolling Crew HQ - Event Organiser and IRC Tiger

Ex Talionis [Law], Trinity of the Ascended [ToA] ????????????????&#

W/

I had a Fiery Battlepick of Enchanting, with 19% enchantments, and salvaged it to make a heap of cash from the SoA Axe, and I got Fiery, same thing has happened with other weapons, I always get the First mod, not the 2nd.

Mr. Smiles

Mr. Smiles

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Dec 2005

The REZ!!!

Light Into Darkness

W/E

I have horrible luck on weapons with two upgrades. I found a perfect sundering longbow of fortitude in grenth's footprint and immediately tried to salvage it, hoping for the 10/10 sundering string... BAM bow grip of fortitude. Its happened before with other weapons, i always seem to get the less valuable upgrade component...

twicky_kid

twicky_kid

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jun 2005

Quite Vulgar [FUN]

Odds of salvaging may change as you get closer to perfect. I have done this so many times I lost count. That's the risk you take.

Hockster

Hockster

Banned

Join Date: Jul 2005

I always use superior kits, and my salvage rate on the good mod is about 10%. About 40% for the crap mod, and 50& craft materials.

Case in point: Recently got a rare cleaver drop. Not max, so useless, but it had a 10/10 sunder (useless I know, but sells well to noobs), and a +29 grip. My salvage: 19 granite slabs.

Yay for defective salvage kits.

Soul Shaker

Soul Shaker

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2005

Sunshine Coast, Australia

Soul Crusaders

you konw what? couldn't salvage a perfect sword fort, but salvaged a 3:1 axe haft. difference between my luck? the fort mod i knew was valuable, the axe haft, i thought wasn't perfect so sold it for 5k......

so far, mainly comes down to whether you know it's valuable or not...this game is evul!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!EVUUUUUUUUUUU ULLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!EVUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU UUUUUUUULLLLLLLLLL! IT PLAYS WITH YOUR MIND MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DJvirusz

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jan 2006

The Hierarchy

W/Mo

it would never happen if u buy the kit that cost 2k

LightningHell

LightningHell

(????????????)???

Join Date: Aug 2005

Hong Kong

Guildless

Mo/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Soul Shaker
you konw what? couldn't salvage a perfect sword fort, but salvaged a 3:1 axe haft. difference between my luck? the fort mod i knew was valuable, the axe haft, i thought wasn't perfect so sold it for 5k......
A sword or axe 3:1 vamp mod is perfect.

fiery

fiery

Banned

Join Date: Oct 2005

maryland

InYurFace Gaming [IYF]

R/

count to 5....thats the materials you were about to craft....count to 10.. thats the grip you about to get.. count to 15 thats the first mod... count to 20.. thats the second mod...keep repeating opening and closing your invent.. ALWAYS use a expert salavage

Hockster

Hockster

Banned

Join Date: Jul 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by DJvirusz
it would never happen if u buy the kit that cost 2k
You've obviously never used one then. It happens a lot.

Loviatar

Underworld Spelunker

Join Date: Feb 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by DJvirusz
it would never happen if u buy the kit that cost 2k
WRONG

the more expensive kit has more uses to save inventory space.

Anet confirmed there is no difference in salvage results between them except the expert kit costs 16 gold per salvage while the superior costs 20 gold per salvage for the convenience of space saving.

Griff Mon

Griff Mon

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Nov 2005

In the Elfen Forests of Washington State

Damage Radius

N/

Someone told me that if you expert salvage first and then ID you always get the high value item. I've tried this on runes and have never missed getting a rune. Everytime that I have tried since I started doing it this way, I have always received the rune. And conservatively I would say 30 runes in a row.

I do not do this on weapons very often, but I was wondering if anyone had tried doing it this way.

Hockster

Hockster

Banned

Join Date: Jul 2005

Runes are a guaranteed salvage from dropped armor now. Item upgrades are not.

The Rightful One

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Dec 2005

R/

ya, with items it just random chance, sometimes you get lucky, sometimes not so lucky.

Loviatar

Underworld Spelunker

Join Date: Feb 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hockster
Runes are a guaranteed salvage from dropped armor now. Item upgrades are not.
i remember before runes were guaranteed

i found my first (and only to this day) superior vigor.

i got a truly impressive pile of crafting materials.

didnt play for a couple of days.

Rayne Nightfyre

Rayne Nightfyre

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Dec 2005

Acolytes of Lyssa [AL]

Me/A

Just as an observation...I seem to have much less success with Superior kits as opposed to Expert kits. I know it's random, but I now have a prejudice against Superior kits after losing three 10% Furious axe hafts in a row to them
But I do wish they'd somehow change the system of salvaging, maybe slightly upping the success rate. It is soooo extremely frustrating when you lose a perfect weapon mod.

berko

berko

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jul 2005

Canada

N/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by Loviatar
i remember before runes were guaranteed

i found my first (and only to this day) superior vigor.

i got a truly impressive pile of crafting materials.

didnt play for a couple of days.
That's gotta suck. I think you should try farming some Ettins....in last 3 days I got 3 Superior Vigors, I'm sure you will have a good chance of getting one too.

Unless Ettins are too boring for you and you prefer 55 UW. :P

On Topic: Just today I bought a req 13 UNID spatha for 2.5K and when I ID'd it it had a 2/-1 vampiric and a +5 defense. When I salvaged it I got +5 defense pommel which I had hoped for, so you don't necessarily get the crappier update I guess. It's all random and you just have to hope to get the upgrade you want.

Loviatar

Underworld Spelunker

Join Date: Feb 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by berko
It's all random and you just have to hope to get the upgrade you want.
just today i wanted the poisoners mod and got the really great +20 health instead

berko

berko

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jul 2005

Canada

N/Me

I think you need to dump you current "luck" and ask for a better one
Or start cursing Anet for messing with you :/

Jay the Jake

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Dec 2005

central United States

BrotherhoodoftheChoosen

R/Mo

yeah like 1/3rd of the time i end up not getting the mod but the material. so its not you or anything your doing its just one of those frustrating things that happen

i own for fire

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2006

Mo/W

well ive qwite a bit of luck got a rune of major vigor and rune of minor protection magic/ btw im new shoudl i salvage them ?

berko

berko

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jul 2005

Canada

N/Me

Yes you can salvage them without a problem. Runes can be salvaged with a 100% success rate. Just be sure you use Superior Salvage Kit because the basic one will only give you materials.

Francis Crawford

Forge Runner

Join Date: Dec 2005

I salvaged a 19% staff wrapping of enchanting once, no problem.

It quickly disappeared from my inventory.

But I've also gotten some very expensive piles of wood planks.

Lord Iowerth

Lord Iowerth

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Sep 2005

Atlanta, GA (#guildwarsguru FTW!)

Biscuit Of Dewm [MEEP]

R/Mo

Using non-numeric terms ...

Chance of getting a good PUG < proper salvage < keeping hench out of poison water.

In all honesty, I've had decent luck salvaging upgrades, only had a handful of times where I received the wrong one ... except for bows. For some reason (and the reason could just be that i'm cursed) I hardly ever get the upgrade I want out of a bow. I give my guildie the bows to salvage, and she almost always gets what I want, and hands it back

Skuld

Skuld

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Sep 2005

Thousend Tigers Apund Ur Head [Ttgr]

A/

lost out on 2 +5 insightful heads in 3 days lol

death fuzzy

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Sep 2005

Nefarius Union

Quote:
Originally Posted by Swehurn
I'm sure it's just my perspective on the matter, but I have a horrible success rate salvaging perfect upgrades. I have great success with "almost-perfect" mods, but am zero for about thirty for perfect mods that are actually worth something.

I'm sure it's perfectly random, though. 33% or so for a weapon with two mods, and maybe as high as 50% for a weapon with one mod.

EDIT: Good point, Matt. My failures have all been with an expert kit, but for Vlad - you weren't using a regular salvage kit, were you?
Just like me.
I ID'd a perfect axe mastery mod a long time ago. my first perfect 'worth something' mod.

and it got turned into steel.