Best way to go about getting shards(the new relic system currency)

[Almagnus1]

Haven't read the thread, but some info I've found thats helpful:
1) You know those crafted relics? Make and refine those. There's a daily in Anazarkem (or whatever the outpost in the Flaming Deeps is) and another in Ost Galadh, Mirkwood. If anything, it's getting shards into the pool without refining relics
2) Mass of Tier 1 combines. The crits you get as you combine will generate shards.
3) Refine Tier 6's. Not optimal, but it will generate shards.

If you need shards quickly, do all three.

Edit:
Crafted relics seem to be the way to go...
For the minor stat relic, you get 64 shards per relic, which has a 1 day cooldown on the barter item.
For the stat relic, it's 158 shards per relic, and the recipe has a 3 day cooldown, but requires doing a daily in the Flaming Depths for a component.
For the Good crafted relic, it's 464 shards, and the recipe has a 1 week cooldown, but requires doing a daily in Mirkwood for a component.

So, with enough materials, and only doing 3 dailies a week, you can pump out 822 relics without refining any tier 6's.

[Munuc]

How many boxes to get a T6, assuming median returns on the decons:
T1 = 90 Boxes (8.0 Relics Per Box) = 2070 Marks, 1995s Combine Cost
T2 = 30 Boxes (4.72 Relics Per Box) = 2610 Marks, 1815s Combine Cost
T3 = 15 Boxes (2.38 relics Per box) = 2715 Marks, 1635s Combine Cost
T4 = 7 (1.32 Relics Per Box) = 1778 Marks, 1297s Combine Cost,
T5 = 3 (1.15 Relics Per Box) = 3414 Marks, 720s Combine Cost

T4 is now the most efficient way to get relics for combining use! This is with the current build in which crits only result in one relic plus shards.

Note that if combines do give crits, this data is wrong. Please let me know if you are getting an extra relic on your crit combines!

MATHS WOO!

I found this too, so I've started bartering for tier 4s instead of tier 1s in the quest for extraordinary relics. One other note is that you can lower the mark cost for a tier 5 relic box by using a veteran's third mark too, which makes that similar to tier 4s in terms of efficiency. I still get tier 4 for the chance of a combine crit and resultant shards though.

[Alexmook]

Not a bad start, but your conclusions are fundamentally flawed. +Rep for trying. The correct answer is Refine at 5.

waits for your post explaining this as well.........

[Intrinsity]

/snip
Edit:
Crafted relics seem to be the way to go...
For the minor stat relic, you get 64 shards per relic, which has a 1 day cooldown on the barter item.
For the stat relic, it's 158 shards per relic, and the recipe has a 3 day cooldown, but requires doing a daily in the Flaming Depths for a component.
For the Good crafted relic, it's 464 shards, and the recipe has a 1 week cooldown, but requires doing a daily in Mirkwood for a component.
/snip

Actually you can get the compendium's (which is the item needed to make the stat relic and the Battle relic) from the Skirm camp crafting vendor. Vol. 1 compendium is about 300 SM and is used to make the stat relic. Vol. 2 compendium is about 600 SM and is used to make the Battle relic for 464 shards. This is how I get mine.

/snip
How many boxes to get a T6, assuming median returns on the decons:
T1 = 90 Boxes (8.0 Relics Per Box) = 2070 Marks, 1995s Combine Cost
T2 = 30 Boxes (4.72 Relics Per Box) = 2610 Marks, 1815s Combine Cost
T3 = 15 Boxes (2.38 relics Per box) = 2715 Marks, 1635s Combine Cost
T4 = 7 (1.32 Relics Per Box) = 1778 Marks, 1297s Combine Cost,
T5 = 3 (1.15 Relics Per Box) = 3414 Marks, 720s Combine Cost

T4 is now the most efficient way to get relics for combining use! This is with the current build in which crits only result in one relic plus shards.

Note that if combines do give crits, this data is wrong. Please let me know if you are getting an extra relic on your crit combines!
/snip

Question, why did you use the median value of the returns and how did you calculate this? Was it based on a large set of decons that you did at each Tier level? I'm asking because I'm not sure the median value is the proper number to use here. I would think that the average (mean) number of relics per box would be best value to use. And even more mathematically sound (imo) would be to give the worst case, average case and best case scenario for each tier of relic box.

For instance...using the numbers you provided in your post:

T1 Decon = 6 to 10 T1 relics. Cost = 23 marks per box
T2 Decon = 3 to 8 T2 relics. Cost = 87 marks per box
T3 Decon = 2 to 6 T3 relics. Cost = 181 marks per box
T4 Decon = 1 to 3 T4 relics. Cost = 274 marks per box
T5 Decon = 1 to 2 T5 relics. Cost = 1138 marks per box


How many boxes to get a T6, assuming average returns on the decons and you have no prior relics:
T1 = 90 Boxes (8 relics Per Box. 5*4*4*3*3 = 720 relics no leftovers) = 90*23 Marks = 2070 Marks
T2 = 27 Boxes (5.5 relics Per Box. 4*4*3*3 = 144 relics plus 4.5 leftover) = 27 * 87 Marks = 2349 Marks
T3 = 9 Boxes (4 relics Per box. 4*3*3 = 36 relics no leftovers) = 9 * 181 Marks = 1629 Marks
T4 = 5 Boxes (2 relics Per Box. 3*3 = 9 relics plus 1 leftover) = 5 * 274 Marks = 1370 Marks
T5 = 2 Boxes (1.5 relics Per Box. 3*no future combine = 3 relics no leftovers) = 2 * 1138 Marks = 2276 Marks

And the numbers above are assuming that deconning relic boxes still gives you a possible range of relics instead of just one relic every time. Is this still the case? It also assumes that each possible outcome of deconning a relic box is equally weighted therefore allowing you to use the simple average and be accurate. Not sure this is the case...

If all of the above is true, then the final conclusion is the same...deconning T4 relic boxes is the way to go after the update. Not trying to attack you here...just wondering what your logic was because I'm very interested in this topic and I want to make sure I'm not missing anything.

[azden]

This is how I get mine.
Go into delving in the ettenmoors, get glimmer stones and dull stones from the blue worms, turn them into skill relics, refine the skill relics into shards for 395 shards a piece.

[Hirandiel]

I farm the Delving of Fror so I can barter for the horribad moors settings I will never use. Works fine for me.

[jhan75]

This is incorrect.
I didnt even check the other 2 tiers of crafted relics, just the lowest one that takes normal materials. No quest items required. That one gives 64 shards. You can make one a day per character with kindred in crafting guild. I imagine the others would give a lot more shards.

hi, i was refering to the 3day cd and 1wk cd as respectively
as for the dailies, yes you don't have to do quest in order to craft but the component is k-copper for 3 craft classes
and its not exactly easy to get k-copper

[rbbrock]

and its not exactly easy to get k-copper

Just do the crafting instance when you need some, should give you enough for several days' worth of relics.

[Dpsburgping]

This is how I get mine.
Go into delving in the ettenmoors, get glimmer stones and dull stones from the blue worms, turn them into skill relics, refine the skill relics into shards for 395 shards a piece.

This is a probably the fastest way to get shards without having to wait on crafting relic cooldowns. I spent 30 minutes farming worms and had enough stones for 5 relics worth 395 shards each. You run the risk of getting ganked and have to have the delving open but it works.

[deeman25845601]

If it's empowerment scrolls you're after, I doubt shards is the best way. It might be the worst way to get them. It costs 6,495 shards to get one. Even if you had old T9 relics, those only give you 2,696 shards, which is the same amount of shards that it takes to get a scroll of renewal (??? is turbine thinking? you can get those on unleveled decons). If you think about it, 1 scroll of empowerment would cost 2.4 old T9 relics. Does that sound like a good deal? Not even close.

[jhan75]

Just do the crafting instance when you need some, should give you enough for several days' worth of relics.

those instances in moria? i thought they are spawning both k-copper and k-gold / k-iron?

well at least tier2 craft relics dont need k-copper but needs ancient silver and quest item though

[droid]

those instances in moria? i thought they are spawning both k-copper and k-gold / k-iron?

well at least tier2 craft relics dont need k-copper but needs ancient silver and quest item though

One spawns copper and tin (the convoluted one, annoyingly), the other spawns iron and gold. They're on a 10h timer, but you can generally pull 10-20+ units of K-copper ore per run out of it, depending how much copper vs tin nodes spawn, and how many rich copper nodes you get.

[revoked]

Though they may be on a 10 hour timer to run the quest, iirc the ore in the instance only resets every 3 days.

[SerendipityUK]

Hi, I've been away from lotro for a while, so this is a great thread to help me understand the best way to make the most of the changes....or would be if i could get my head around the maths

Am I right in thinking the following?

If I have a bunch of skirmish marks to trade for relics, and I want shards, I get a ton of level 1 relics and just decon and refine into shards one at a time.

If I have a bunch of skirmish marks to trade for relics and I want tier 6 runes, gems etc. so I can get the extraordinary ones, I get a ton of level 4 relics, decon and combine.

Thank you to the mathematicians helping me to make the most of my valuable skirmish marks

[DorianFalkenmond]

This is how I get mine.
Go into delving in the ettenmoors, get glimmer stones and dull stones from the blue worms, turn them into skill relics, refine the skill relics into shards for 395 shards a piece.

I did this last night for an hour and got 65 glimmering stones and over hundred yellow ones -> 6 skill relics -> over 2000 shards.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH for the tip. I would like to give reputation to you, but I still dont know how

[Neen_Eldar]

This is indeed true, remember it's 10 glimmering & 10 dull, i've found the best area to farm is where the worms are. There's an elite worm that patrols the area but it's easy to avoid.
And occasionally the big drake will spawn (also easy to avoid), the drop rate from the worms is about 2:1

[Almagnus1]

Aside from making and sharding the crafted relics.... I have a nasty feeling that tier 1 gives you the most shards/SM, can anyone confirm/deny this?

[Master_Valandil]

T4 is now the most efficient way to get relics for combining use! This is with the current build in which crits only result in one relic plus shards.

Note that if combines do give crits, this data is wrong. Please let me know if you are getting an extra relic on your crit combines!

MATHS WOO!

Great post.

I combined a few hundred relics last night and did get a couple extra relics on crit. However, it was extremely rare... Maybe 1 out of every 20 or 30 combines. I was getting extra shards every 5 or 10 combines.

[anteku]

I found this too, so I've started bartering for tier 4s instead of tier 1s in the quest for extraordinary relics. One other note is that you can lower the mark cost for a tier 5 relic box by using a veteran's third mark too, which makes that similar to tier 4s in terms of efficiency. I still get tier 4 for the chance of a combine crit and resultant shards though.

I too was curious about using Superior Third Marks and Third Marks to reduce the number of skirmish marks. Here are the calculations.

Interactii estimated that it required seven Tier 4 boxes and 3 Tier 5 boxes to get a Tier 6 relic.

Tier 4: paid with skirmish marks
7 boxes * 274 sm/box = 1918 sm

Tier 5: paid with skirmish marks
3 boxes * 1534 sm/box = 4602 sm

Tier 5: paid with sm and a Third Mark
3 boxes * 1138 sm/box = 3414 sm

Tier 5: paid with sm and a Superior Third Mark
3 boxes * 836 sm/box = 2508 sm

Intrinsity estimated that only five Tier4 and two Tier5 boxes are needed.

Tier 4: paid with skirmish marks
5 boxes * 274 sm/box = 1370 sm

Tier 5: paid with skirmish marks
2 boxes * 1534 sm/box = 3068 sm

Tier 5: paid with sm and a Third Mark
2 boxes * 1138 sm/box = 2276 sm

Tier 5: paid with sm and a Superior Third Mark
2 boxes * 836 sm/box = 1672 sm

Thus, with Superior Third Marks, we actually pay an extra 300 to 600 skirmish marks over the Tier 4 cost, not to mention losing the s3m itself. Thus, the data continue to support Interactii's conclusing that Tier 4 is the way to go.

[Bubmo]

In EM, each class barter NPC lets you trade for a relic that is specific for each class. I believe you get something like 350 shards per decon. These relics require 10 dull and 10 glimmering stones to trade. Go down to the delving and kill yourself some worms, and grab a bunch of these relics.

I believe the decon only gives you item xp on crits, but it seems like a lot of it.

[xadoor]

In EM, each class barter NPC lets you trade for a relic that is specific for each class. I believe you get something like 350 shards per decon. These relics require 10 dull and 10 glimmering stones to trade. Go down to the delving and kill yourself some worms, and grab a bunch of these relics.

I believe the decon only gives you item xp on crits, but it seems like a lot of it.

Kudos to the OP for the math. Double Kudos to this poster for pointing this out. Other than being a Moors noob and struggling to get outposts flipped this idea is SILLY!! I pummeled enough worms to get 20 relics(~7000 shards) in a few hours after I got the door open. I'm not saying this is a way to grind empowerment scrolls but if you need shards this is the BOMB!! No more crafting relics everyday for me. YAY!!


Take a friend and you can get the illuminous too.

[Irin19]

Probably the most efficient way to acquire scrolls is to run the full set of Thror's Coomb dailies. You can have the needed 35 gold tokens in 3 or 4 days. Each run might take 35 - 40 minutes with a full group, even faster if you have a skilled, aggressive group.

Otherwise I just take my burg into the delving to kill worms for the PvP stones that a previous poster mentioned.

[Thorandril]

PvP class relics are the easiest and quickest way to get a tonne of shards as most others have mentioned, and I suspect that'll be true at 75 as well since they'll still be there.

For those inexperienced in the EM's, creep owned OP's (red ones) are easiest to flip and in some cases can be solo'd. But if it's neutral you'll need 2-3 people.

[duamarth]

This is how I get mine.
Go into delving in the ettenmoors, get glimmer stones and dull stones from the blue worms, turn them into skill relics, refine the skill relics into shards for 395 shards a piece.

I don't know why I never thought of this before. Thanks for the tip, I made 1k shards in under an hour (wasn't dps traited and the worm area was busy, plus I killed two of the sub-bosses for luminous stones while waiting). This sure beats grinding for relics and deconstructing them.