NPC Spawn Issue: Magi P'Tasa Staff of Elementary Mastery Earth drop rate

[Lammy]

I forget my exact count, but I've killed Magi close to 20 times with no staff.

I beat EQ never getting my epic for this poor gnome.

[nenja]

Originally Posted by Lammy [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I forget my exact count, but I've killed Magi close to 20 times with no staff.

I beat EQ never getting my epic for this poor gnome.

I'd estimate my kill count to be approximately the same. The epic was the sole reason I chose to start as a mage when I began playing on P99. Sadly, I had no idea at that time that the staff was the utter disappointment it is currently. I've largely given up on my mage because it feels like there is little hope of getting this item. Though I did for a time, I can't continue to sit on a tracker in Hate and in the off chance I find him, try to get a force together at often weird hours of the day (4-6 am) while maintaining any semblance of hope or enjoyment when I go ~20 kills with 0 drops. It should be noted that my count of 20 are those kills specific to me and not others I helped. Even in those kills to help others - I'd estimate an additional 10+ kills - I've never seen the staff.

For the reasons mentioned, rarity and MQability (resulting in a RMT camp), I've mentioned for years now that this needs to be revised in some manner.

[gwideon]

Gnomish Greetings Telin!

And thank you for responding to the thread. It is my hope that you posted the information to include it with the other information gathered for reference and that this is not a final staff position on adjusting the drop rate. I would propose to you that “uncommon/rare” is a relative term that means different things to different players.

This poster rates the staff as rare, but notice he bases his declaration on an estimated 1 in 5 drop rate

https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/...01050875296393

Magi P`Tasa and demis
# Jan 08 2002 at 11:52 AM Rating: Default
Anonymous
I've gone to hate many times trying to get my epic. From what I've seen there are about 10 demi spawns throughout the zone. Each demi is random to spawn through those 10 and do not have PH. They appear to be on a 72 hour timer. I killed the Magi 6 times before getting a Staff of Elemental Mastery: Earth. From what I've been able to gather this staff is very rare. I'd estimate about 1 out of 5 spawns.

Magi loot:
Common drop: Two parts of apothic
Rare: Staff of Elemental Mastery: Earth (along with the apothic)

I think there is more evidential support for 25% - 30%, than there is for 20% but I have not found any evidential support for 5 – 10% drop rates. There are also posts which would imply that it is even more common that 1 out of 4.

https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/...99462253964784

great raid )
# Jul 08 2001 at 3:02 PM
Anonymous
as a lvl 47 mag I did not expect to have a good first raid experience..

The puller said that next INC was the mage mini boss, I was excited but never thought that as the only mag on the raid anything would drop for me...

Needless to say, he droped the robe and the crown AND the Staff!!!

I am probly the only person to be that lucky!!

https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/...10028400002400

RE: great raid )
Oct 11 2001 at 5:40 PM Rating: Decent
Anonymous
I think on my third trip to Hate I walked away with the staff, the gloves, 2 bracers (4 droped total, but i had no need for 4), boots, and the arms. I was happy just to get the staff. The armor was just a bonus [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Xinit Lifeforge
52nd Gnome Elementalist
Povar Server

Third trip to hate, not necessarily third kill of Magi.

https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/...98802407921501

For Nisumbus
Apr 23 2001 at 6:07 AM Rating: Default

This is just fyi, Shovel of Ponz is the pre-50 earth focus, Mastery Staff is for 50+ pet spells. I looted it Friday night, my first (!) trip to Hate. It is MUCH easier to get now than it was, from all I have heard. Got 2 pieces Apothic also, off the mini-boss ). Good hunting all.

Forte Fortissimo
59 Conjurer
A`dileab de Paegen
Tunare

https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/...98675622869743

on Magi`P`Tasa now
# Apr 08 2001 at 1:57 PM Rating: Default
Anonymous
the staff noz drop from Magi , a mini boss level 55 . this guy always drops staff and some apothic armor.

So, I hope you see, rarity is in the eye of the beholder (so to speak). What I have not found is anyone in our timeline for classic who said I have killed Magi 10 or 20 times and not dropped a staff. I am not saying they don’t exist; only that I have not seen them yet.

I certainly do not wish to engage an argument with the gods of P99. It is only my intention to research the matter more fully and provide the information to you in hopes that you will evaluate.

If the matter is settled and the research is not needed please PM me (or post).

Again, Thank ye kindly for reading.

[Telin]

I’d like to capture every in-era conversation about it in one thread. I read all your posts yesterday and think it’s worth considering. The more evidence the better, so if you can find more sources that would be great.

[gwideon]

Thank you SO much for your response!

[gwideon]

Gnomish Greetings!

I found another website that contains references to Matt Waggoner's website. There is no date on the website, but the same in era references and no mentions of revenants About 2/3 of the way though the text you can see familiar text from other posts:

http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~guardian/epic-mag0.txt

Staff of Earth drops off Magi P'Tasa in Hate. He is on a rare pop out of
several (12) places, so there can be multiples of him up, although I have
never seen more than 2. The drop rate is about 1 in 4. One uber group can do
him, although you probably need an all out raid.

There is a lot more color around the quest in this text post about mobs and encounters than some of the other sites. At the very end of the website you can see they reference sources.

*Lots of Mob Info came from
Matt Waggoner's Ultimate Magician Epic Quest Guide.
( http://matt.waggoner.com/orbofmastery.html )

*All Pictures are from The Mage Compendium.
( http://www.magecompendium.com/ )

Since there are no pictures at all in this all text document, it is likely a saved copy and paste from another website. However, it points to the information on Matt's site as being a trusted source for many mages.



And then I hit the jackpot. I feel stupid for not trying this obvious look up before. The ultimate proof of in period drop rates from the source everyone else is copying (The Wayback Machine look up - Doh):

https://web.archive.org/web/20011005...ofmastery.html

UPDATE: The Staff of Elemental Mastery: Earth *** NO LONGER DROPS OFF INNORUUK ***! It now drops off a new mob in the Plane of Hate, a mini-boss named Magi P'tasa. We need details such as his HP, how much he hits for, and so on. In other words, all the stuff that would go in the fields below.

Thanks to Bahmut Illuminarie of Ayonae Ro for some basic info about Magi P'tasa.

Arkahn Tyr'Zhal of Ayonae Ro sent me the following info:

Magi, like all mini bosses, is a semi-rare spawn with a placeholder on a 72 hour timer + or - 12 hours (60-84 hour spawn). He spawns in 10 different spots:
2 in rev house
2 on top floor in maestro's house
2 with ashenbone drakes on first floor
2 in inny's old lair
2 on second floor of second floor church.

This explains why he can spawn a ton in a few hours, or can sometimes never spawn even if hate is cleared completely. He is NOT always up after patches... but he has a very good chance of being up because he has about a 30% chance of spawning in 10 spots, but sometimes the spots could all be filled with phs (has happened before). He has 32k hp, hits for max of 200-240 (depending on level of the spawn >> 54-56 <<, and he CAN be slowed, malosini'd and debuffed in many other ways. He can be taken out with one full group if you are good and have a 60 shaman.

Drop rates are as follows:
30% chance of dropping the staff
30% chance of dropping apothic robe
40% chance of dropping apothic sleeves, pants, or crown
50% chance of dropping apothic bracer, gloves, or boots

so far he is known to drop up to 3 armor pieces at a time

none of this info except spawn spots has been "verified" yet but i have done a lot of research about the magi [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I am not sure I can find you any better evidence than this. We have an in period player who did a lot of research and was trusted by the person who wrote the book/website on how to obtain the epic that everyone else quotes and copies (as you have seen from my earlier research). I would think this is conclusive evidence of the drop rate.

I will continue poking around, but doubt I could find any better evidence than this.

Thanks for bearing with me through my research.

[Nycon43]

Excellent job!

[Senn]

Gwideon is the MVP for all mages! This is awesome work, truly awesome.

[Dolalin]

Nice one Gwideon.

[yyrkoon]

good work
i played a magician on blue and couldnt be bothered to finish the epic but now if staff becomes easier to get i might unshelve the toon

on the same page, in the smae message gwiedon refers to we have more info
https://web.archive.org/web/20011005...ofmastery.html

Name: Magi P'tasa
Zone: Plane of Hate
Location: ?
Spawn time: 1 day
Drops: Staff of Elemental Mastery: Earth (uncommon to rare drop), numerous other items
Class: ?
Level: 55
Hit Points: 32000
Casts: Damage shield on himself (he might recast it if you cancel his DS)
Hits for (max): 240
Notes: ?
Appearance: Large male revenant

it says spawn time 1 day, which seems to contradict himself when he says 72 hrs

it says uncommon to rare drop too, which contradicts the 30% drop rate he mentions above

imo, set it to 24 hours +/- 8 hours, staff drops 30% and there will be a lot of happy mages